Child Development
H. Glaeser
* From the Albert Shanker Institute’s Research Summary 2009
Part 1: IntroductionExplain why early childhood is a
crucial time for children’s cogni-tive development
Identify characteristics of a high-quality preschool
Compare and contrast the pre-kindergarten academic learning between children of poverty and middle-class children
Describe effective methods of teaching young children
Part 1
Much of the research on young children’s learning investigates cognitive development inLanguageMathematicsScience
These appear to be “privileged domains”Domains in which
children have a natural proclivity to learn, experiment, and explore Allow for nurturing and extending the boundaries
of the learning in which children are already actively engaged
Crucial time for children’s cognitive development
Very young children are ready – and excited – to develop skill and understanding in: Language and literacy Mathematics Science
Pre-kindergarten (pre-k) learning experiences in these domains can help to build the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that prepare young children for future academic success
Eager to understand more about the world
Actively strive to build knowledge and to develop language to communicate about what they learn
Develop theories about how the world works
Learn to solve problems Ask questions in constant quest for
information When provided with supportive and
stimulating environments, eagerly engage in: Language learning Literacy practices Math play Science exploration
Many children growing up in poverty lag far behind their middle-class peers in key academic areas by the time they enter kindergarten
Reading, math, and attention skills that children bring to school have been found to be a strong predictor of their later academic success Without intervention,
these early disparities tend to be sustained or even widen over time
To close or significantly narrow the gap, we must either figure out how to drastically increase the rate of learning for poor school children, or
Figure out how to prevent this gap from opening in the first placeHigh-quality pre-kindergarten programs are
one promising avenue for reaching this goalCompelling research suggests that strong
pre-K programs can ameliorate academic discrepancies at start of elementary school
Very young children are capable of much more academically than previously thought
High-quality, age-appropriate, academically rich pre-K experiences are often unavailable to poor and minority children – the very children who are likely to gain the most benefit from them
Quality indicators include: Easy to measure “structural”
factors: Child-to-teacher ratios Teachers’ education levels
In terms of cognitive growth, “process” factors: Daily human interactions and
activities that have potential to enhance children’s cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development Appear to be more central
Of particular importance is the quality of instruction Appears to have vital, lasting effect on building
children’s cognitive and social skills through the elementary school years
Children in pre-K classrooms that spend time on key academic content areas (literacy, language, math) have an academic advantage as they enter early elementary school
The effectiveness of today’s preschool programs could be significantly improved if they were aligned with what
we now know about how children learn in the academic disciplines of: Language Literacy Math Science
These subjects should not be the exclusive focus of a quality preschool curriculum History, social sciences, music, arts and crafts,
movement, foreign languages all have place in rich, well-rounded curriculum
Featured subjects appear to be “privileged domains” Areas in which children may be predisposed to
learn
Differ substantially from teaching methods used with older children
Use of developmentally appropriate instructional techniques such as:Read aloudsDiscussionsSongsGamesProjectsOther active learning opportunities
Both free and “structured” play (where teachers purposefully design play experiences to support specific learning goals) important to this age group
During play, children: Learn by exploring and
manipulating materials Learn to imagine themselves
in new situations Role play Take turns Set and follow rules Practice oral language as
they communicate with peers Remember, incorporate, and
rehearse new knowledge and skills