PREOPERATIONAL THINKING

According to Jean Piaget the ages between two and seven are preoperational

Four, five, and six year olds think of only their activities and what they perceive in the moment

Learn from symbols – objects and words can represent something

Learn from make believe

Fantasy or Dramatic Play Imitate real life situations

They have an egocentric viewpoint View the world in terms of their own

thoughts and feelings

Limited Focus

Focus on one thing at a time

What is intelligence

At this age children learn to read and count Bases for the rest of their school years Alfred Binet developed the first intelligence test Lewis M. Terman for Stanford Univ. made some major

revisions to it Stanford-Binet common intelligence test given today Terman created a mathematical formula that could be

used to give a child’s intelligence a number value. IQ- number obtained by comparing a persons test

results to that of students the same age Average IQ is 90 to 110

Negative effects of IQ tests

You cannot get an accurate measure of a child’s mental ability. It only measures one kind of mental ability, ignoring others

Factors can influence the test. Sick child Test don’t reflect specific abilities or

strengths and weaknesses.

Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner has issued a new way of looking at intelligences

There are many different ways of using the mind and body to experience the world

Activity

You will be assigned one type of intelligence

Explain the learning type Give examples of activities List famous people that exhibit that type

of intelligence August Rush

Multiple Intelligence

Verbal Linguistic- language, learn best through words Logical Mathematical-arithmetic and science. Find

patterns to connect facts and observations Visual Spatial- drawing, construction. Learn through

pictures and colors Musical-rhythm and sounds Bodily-kinesthetic- moving the body through space Interpersonal- social skills, good communicator Intrapersonal-more private less social, strong will and

independent, prefers to play alone Naturalistic-plants, animals, process of

nature,outdoors

Helping Children Learn

Excited to learn Talk about everyday life Talk to them about what they are doing “Wow

that is a long race track you are building” Explanations and suggestions are helpful

“Instead of lifting the basket of toys, try pushing it.”

Ask a child for their advice “Which shoe looks better with this skirt”

Trips and activities Nature walks

Helping Children Learn

Helping around the house – strengthens the family bond, develops responsibility, maturity and independence

Curious about their bodies and where babies come from. Answer in simple terms they can understand

Appreciate Reading

Children who enjoy reading will find learning to be easier

Books, open up the world and the people in it, to children.

Phonemes- the ability to hear the individual sounds in words

Rhyming words and books will help Alphabet Book Chubby Cheeks Polar Bear

Appreciate Reading

Alliteration – words that begin with the same sound

Alphabet books are a good example Once children have learned the sound

they can connect the letter to it. Bilingual children pick up reading a new

language easier. They understand that words have a meaning behind them.

Choose Books

Young children love books, so we want to keep them reading as they grow older

Library 4-6 year olds like books that are about

experiences different from their own. Enjoy humor, funny rhymes and unusual

situations.

Guidelines for Choosing Books Are pictures colorful

and easy to understand?

Will the story appeal to the Childs interest?

Does the story include action that will hold the child’s interest?

If you are considering buying the book, is it make will to stand up under hard use?

Will the child understand most to the words?

Does the book use descriptive language that brings the story alive?

Is the story short enough to read in one sitting?

Introducing Art and Music

Express feelings Creative Use a variety of

materials Encourage children to

experiment with art materials

Don’t criticize or correct work

Experience the creativity rather then the end product

3-6 year olds enjoy rhythm games and singing simple repetitive songs

Finger plays, chants are popular

Give children the opportunity to play instruments

Pots, pans, and spoons can be used as instruments

Five Little Frogs

The school experience

Positive attitude from the start

Smooth transition from home to school

Start with preschool Enter kindergarten

at age 5 Required physical

exam and immunizations

Kindergarten can be a major adjustment for children

School is large with many children in it at various ages

School bus

Making the Transition

Name, address, and telephone number Visit the school, or explain what to

expect Plenty of rest Choose a backpack and a lunch box. Pick

out new clothes and school supplies Positive attitude

Ask the Experts

Page 95

Speech Development

By the time a child enters kindergarten all the basic language forms have been formed

Children can use nouns, verbs, and adjectives to form a sentence they just haven’t learned to label those words yet.

6 year olds understand approximately 2,500 words

Articulation has improved to saying approximately 90% of words correct

Speech Development

Improvement in speech comes with physical development

B,M, P are produced be moving only the lips – 3 years

F and V involve the lips and teeth – 5 years

J, ch, st, pl, and sl are produced by the lips, tongue and throat muscles – 6 or 7 years

Speech Difficulties

Most develop good language skills at home

Provide children with rich language in detail Go – jog, race, creep Big Pretty Fast Good

Speech Difficulties

Children who speak a language other then English at home

Children who move to different parts of the country may have problems with different pronunciations

Physical problems Emotionally immature Speech difficulties can make it hard for

children at school, get help before they enter.

Review

What is the extent of an average six year olds vocabulary?

Why are sounds represented by j, ch, st, pl, and sl the most difficult for children to make?

What are some problems that may cause speech difficulties in children?

Children with Special Needs

1. Learning Disability

2. Unusually high intelligence

Learning Disability

A problem in a person’s mental processes that prevents him or her from learning in a normal way

1. Difficulty mastering academic work2. Development is uneven, unlike that of

others3. Learning problems are not due to living

in a disadvantaged environment4. Learning problems are not due to

mental or emotional problems

Learning Disability

Physical handicaps such as blindness is not a learning disability

Learning disabilities result from problems in how the brain works

6 to 10% off all children have a learning disability

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

A child who cannot control his or her activity or concentrate for a normal length of time

Often fail to finish what they started Don’t seem to listen Easily distracted Difficulty staying in their seat May lack emotional control

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain

Linked to heredity Linked to environment – taking drugs during

pregnancy The only true way to determine if a child is

ADHD is to have a brain scan – very expensive Medications available – controversial Teach learning techniques that help them

change their behavior and relax

Dyslexia

A problem that prevents a person from understanding printed symbols in a normal way

The brain does not process some visual information normally

These kids are often intelligent but may have problems in reading, writing, and math

May have problems with left and right

Dyslexia

Children with dyslexia will need special help

Use a phonics approach when teaching reading

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Children with learning disabilities can learn, but they need a special approach specific to their needs.

Parent involvement

Gifted and Talented Children 3 to 10% of students are gifted Students who have unusual intelligence

or a special talent in a gifted area These students need recognition and

acceptance, they need challenging activities

Benefit from playing with a variety of children but also need time with other gifted learners

Gifted and Talented Children

Gifted and Talented Children Avoid overwhelming children with unreasonable

expectations They need opportunities to explore their gifts These children can become bored and

frustrated May be labeled as behavior problems because

they don’t follow classroom procedures They like to argue and give unexpected answers

to questions Some become poor students because they are

not challenged

Gifted and Talented Children Some schools have special programs for

these kids- TAG Special Schools Most gifted or talented children show

signs b age two. They may talk early using complete sentences, unusually large vocabulary, read before starting school

Curious and ask challenging questions