Early childhood is a period of time in which children begin to learn new things. Preschool means the first years of schooling set the tone for the rest of a child’s educational path. Preschool curriculum should include math, science, literature, and arts.
Preschool teaching strategies :
Promote Early Literacy: Preschool children develop their literacy by environmental language activities. Teachers should spend with children by reading books aloud and by telling stories to enhance their comprehension and letter recognition. They will write their names and they fill pages with drawings.
Introduce Numbers and Mathematics: In preschool, children learn math by Manipulating and counting physical objects. Putting items together for the foundation of addition and subtraction. Building blocks teach children about shapes and spatial relations such as above, behind, on top of, and so on. Make sure students can identify different shapes and why those shapes are called particular names. Talk about patterns and predictions.
Teach Science through Observation: Teaching early science skills involves asking students to observe the world around them. Children can use their senses. Children are also able to test hypotheses by experimenting.
Creativity and Art: Strategies that build a child’s imagination and creativity can also help them learn colors and shapes as well as improve their motor skills. Creative processes such as drawing, singing, or movement help children articulate experiences, express emotions, and understand cause and effect.
Early childhood teaching approaches:
Vygotsky’s theory (ZPD) :
Vygotsky’s contribution to early education teaching includes the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).
- Presence of someone more knowledgeable than the learner.
- Social actions with an Educator with whom the learner can observe and practice their skills.
- Supportive activities led by the Educator (Scaffolding).
- Helping children to become self-regulated learners is at the heart of the ZPD.
It supports some principles:
1. Piaget theory and play-based learning :
Jean Piaget, a french psychologist, constructed a theory of cognitive development which while he did not link directly to education has been influential in developing educational policy.
Learning by discovery.
Individual learning.
Flexibility in the curriculum.
The centrality of play in children’s learning.
The use of the environment.
Importance of the evaluation of children’s progress.
2. The Montessori approach :
Dr. Maria Montessori developed the key concepts to the Montessori approach in the early 1900s which consider children’s sensitivity to language, movement, order, and sensory input at specific developmental stages.
The Montessori approach is also associated with the term “Prepared Environment” which encourages child-centered learning in an environment where Educators prepare materials and activities based on a child’s interest and development.
Early childhood is a very crucial stage for children. So, caring by teachers and parents in learning new things is very important in a child’s life.
