MIND-BLOWING FACTS ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY IN CHILDREN PART 4

19. Play-based learning increases a child’s attention span

In this study done by the Australian Journal of Educational and Developmental Psychology, researchers took a closer look at how teacher’s beliefs regarding early education influence the classroom environment. A group of teachers partook in the study and here were some of the findings.

When teachers have confidence in a child’s ability to learn independently, the child/teacher relationship is stronger.

When teachers have confidence in a child’s ability to learn independently, the child/teacher relationship is stronger. Teachers are then able to take a more “facilitative” role and observe the student actively learning. The educators also recognized that when children are allowed to learn through play, there is far less time spent on behavior management. A child’s attention span is also longer.

Play-based learning shifts the focus of learning from the outcome or goal, to the process.

 

20. Children learn more when they initiate an activity and are actively engaged in it

Curiosity is the birthplace of learning. If you follow a two-year-old around for even a couple of hours, you will watch as he explores the world organically, following his innate curiosity about how things work, taste, feel, look, and sound. When a parent or teacher can harness the power of that curiosity, it is like riding a wave that already has momentum.

The Center for Development and Learning gives caregivers helpful advice about how to maximize a child’s early experiences. One of the key points centers on this foundation of curiosity. To give a child a chance to initiate learning, the caregiver must remain in the background, supporting the child’s natural curiosity and offering helpful ways to explore.

This is different from the traditional model of instruction, where a teacher doles out knowledge and asks the student to learn the information.

 

21. Rapping helps children learn the concept of place value in math

The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory put out a classroom math lesson that included a rap song! It is not all that surprising that rap music helps with mathematical concepts. The steady rhythm, and the cadence and rhyming of words make the song easier to remember. The concept is written into the lyrics and the children can learn the song, and thus the mathematical rule.

Music is a proven method to aid learning. Classical music has been shown to help concentration, and rhyming melodies are far easier to remember than a list of facts. It activates the auditory system, allowing the child to use another one of their five senses to learn.

 

22. Reinforcing children’s capabilities as confident explorers build children’s resilience and confidence

One of the most impactful moments for a child is when they understand that a caregiver or teacher believes in his/her ability to learn. This boost of confidence activates the already-present learning mechanisms available in the brain, and helps propel them forward to discover new things in the world.

Teachers can do this by standing back, providing opportunities for children to collaborate in groups, as well as offering reflection after the experience, so the child can see what worked and what didn’t. The Open University’s research proves that an adult’s confidence in a child also helps motivate them when experiments fail.

Failure no longer becomes a negative thing, but another learning experience.

 

23. Children who are encouraged to talk to themselves aloud have increased probability of learning

Have you ever stood in front of a mirror and rehearsed a presentation or important conversation you were about to have? Science proves this is a helpful method of learning and self-analysis.The Council for Exceptional Children incorporated the idea of self-talk in their article about student learning.

If a student is working on a math problem or difficult concept, self-talk can help with reasoning and logic. Speaking a loud activates another of the five senses, hearing, and can possibly catch minute details that the eyes keep missing when the child looks over the problem again and again.

This concept also works with writing. If a child reads their report or paragraph out loud, the ear is better able to pick up on awkward phrasing than simply using the eyes.

 

24. Children behave better when parents are involved in their education at home and at school

When a parent sends a child on the bus to school, it doesn’t mean that all learning is pushed to the school. Parents are a crucial component to their child’s success. The NYU Child Student Center writes about parents as the key ingredient to a successful school career.

Learning continues even after school is done. Parents can help their children with homework, reading, extra enrichment activities, as well as be informed of school behavior problems or social situations that need attending. When parents are active in their child’s education, this minimizes emotional disturbances and other negative situations that can impair the educational process.