how children learn | eltstorytelling

The young kids learn by using their whole being: their sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell. Children learn through moving, exploring, doing. They learn about life from life. They learn from free play, imitation, facial expressions, non verbal communication, experiential and practical activities, manual work, observations and personal creations. They learn with pictures, colors, sounds, puzzles, symbols, games, songs, music, narration, roles and gestures. Their brains print models of images, sounds, movements and create links very time they see, touch, taste or do something. Repeated experience creates links between the neurons of their brain. For some reason the images, the sounds, the memories, the tastes and smells of our childhood stay indelible and always arouse vivid emotions.

Research indicates that intelligence is determined by genetic factors and external stimuli. Richard Nisbet, professor of psychology at the Michigan University maintains: “Intelligence and weakness in certain things are not inherited. One can’t change the genetic brain material but can influence its functions through external stimuli. And the genetic material might be impeccable but assemblance plays a role too. So, a child born clever may not end up very intelligent if he is neglected. On the contrary, a child who is not genetically endowed may shine if he receives the proper support from his environment. In short, a musically talented child who does not utilize his flair will surely lose it.” In other words when the talents of kids are cultivated they develop but wither when they are left dormant.

Every time the child repeats an activity, a topic, a song, a story, the child internalizes the experience and learns a new word, a new meaning, a new way to use his body and his mind. When the child repeats something new, he simultaneously tries to form rules and assumptions, to untangle what is tangled. This trains his memory and his confidence, improves his movements and widens his understanding of the world. (Well 1999). Connections, practice and concrete experiences train the synapsis and improve the brain’s linking network; The better connected these synapsis are, the smarter the child will be. According to Donaldson, 1979, Hughes 1986. “The love and security of their environment helps create more links”.

Innate curiosity for new experiences allows children to diversify what has been established. To give an example, if we tell the child “two” and “one” equals “three” to teach him addition, we will not be very effective. Instead, if we say “two” bananas and “one” more is “three”, the child is closer to understanding the concept. And of course we then expand on this and say “three” bananas and “one” more gives us “four”. The child connects the three bananas with the one. Now there is no reason why this type of gaming can be done in English. In fact, there is no reason why objects surrounding us or why simple actions we do at home can not be repeated in English. This is “hands on” learning. If we show “two” biscuits, to a child and get him/her to repeat the phrase, the child will learn it. Later, when this has been learnt, we can say “two” biscuits and “one” more, is … how much? Hopefully the child will arrive to “three”. The mathematical equation will come much later. At this point we are teaching the addition skill and we are doing it in English. We are immersing the child in the foreign language in an engaging and enjoyable way.

After the eighth year, the brain is less malleable, and its architecture has been shaped. The child learns through his/her perceptiveness and judgment and shapes what s/he learns according to the foundations that were laid in the first eight years of his/her life. It is at this age, that the predominate intelligences stand out (Gardner). Of course, to a greater or lesser degree, there is a variety of them. When the body kinesthetic intelligence predominates, the child learns more easily while in motion, while moving and doing. If the intrapersonal intelligence is strong, the child feels better at ease learning through group work. If the musical intelligence is developed, the child learns more easily through hearing. If the spatial intelligence is pronounced, the child learns better in the relevant area and space. The child with a predominant logical/mathematic intelligence learns better through diagrams. Finally, the child with active emotional intelligence learns more readily in situations where emotion plays a vital role in the action. Of course, having one or more intelligences better developed than others does not mean, according to the experts, that the rest of the intelligences are sluggish. Irrespective of one’s learning preference, the rule stays the same. Don’t learn a language. Absorb it! (Krahen, 1982, 2003). The learning of a language should be natural (The natural approach: Krashen and Terrell, 1983)

According to the Comprehension Hypothesis, we acquire and develop literacy in one way: when we understand messages; that is, when we understand what we hear and what we read. Language acquisition occurs subconsciously; while it is happening, we are not aware of it happening. We achieve comprehension through context, and background knowledge. But after the age of eight, foreign languages are learnt based on one’s mother tongue, a fact which adds a different angle, since every language has its own logic. Baby steps in English is suggesting immersing the children in English well before this age.

ENGLISH IN THE EARLY YEARS

We should not treat the learning of English as we treat school subjects like Geography or History, for example, which are rightly introduced at a more mature phase of the child’s life. The foreign language can be introduced at a very young age in a playful way. Speaking to the little ones in English appears “natural” when we act, use gesture and body language to show clearly what we mean.

Every time the child sings a song, listens to rhymes or to a story enacted or illustrated through pictures or plays a language game, the child occupies itself and absorbs material that is adapted to this age. The little one uses his/her brain and body in a natural way and is not confused. The child simply absorbs knowledge in the same way that the sponge absorbs water. And of course, language benefits enormously and I am citing research concluding that ‘stories which we read aloud are effective sources of vocabulary since they abound in words and meanings which are at the heart of a language”. (Beck & McKeown 2001).

Gardner’s theory concerning multiple intelligences has brought light as to which educational practices are more suitable for each one of us to approach a certain piece of knowledge. Parents and child educators are becoming sensitive to observing such matters when communicating with the children and offering differentiated and individualized instruction to them. Also the “Total Physical Response” (Terrel & Krashen, 1983) (TPR) is an effective guide of how to approach the learning of languages with little kids since it encourages them to speak and think in the foreign language without processing the formal structure and syntax of the language. Kindergarten children gradually perceive the meaning of notions and almost always learn based on the language spoken to them. All the above, help parents create environment at home which is rich in opportunities. Some material is suggested on this site but there are also programs like sesame street, baby Einstein, genius Maker, BabyFirst TV, teachmybaby.com which promise to train the children’s senses and release their ingenuity.

HOW CHILDREN LEARN.