Page 25 - Demo

How can an early education teacher be sure to offer meaningful context? %u00bbProvide opportunities for children to place new information upon the foundation of what they already know. Say a child comes to your classroom knowing the letters in his name. You can use his knowledge of letters to introduce him to the fact that each letter makes a sound.%u00bbReveal the purpose or %u2018why%u2019 behind the simple things that you do in the classroom. For example, rather than cleaning off the art rack yourself, make it a classroom job. That way, a child has the responsibility to sort the artwork by name and deliver it to each person%u2019s cubby. Children will thrive as they learn to identify and sound out the letters and complete their responsibility of delivering the artwork!Why does learning happen best in context? Think about it like this: Most 16-yearolds have ridden in a car for their entire lives. Still, they don%u2019t know how to drive. They have AN IDEA of how to drive. If they are interested and curious, they%u2019ve asked about the brake and gas pedals. They understand what the steering wheel does. Many young people learn even more through drivers%u2019 ed. But it isn%u2019t until they are behind the wheel for the first time that they learn HOW TO DRIVE a car.All of that riding and reading hasn%u2019t taught them how to apply the right pressure to the gas or brake. It hasn%u2019t demonstrated the importance of keeping their eyes on the road. Learning to drive happens behind the wheel, on the street, with other cars and distractions. CONTEXT MATTERS because it%u2019s when learning and skills combine. If you want to test this, hop over to the UK and try driving on the left side of the road!Want research to back it up? Studies reveal that, when provided with interesting context, children showed better knowledge of the subject matter and were better able to use that knowledge in other situations. With context, it%u2019s been found that children are more likely to choose to learn, enjoy it more and engage even when they%u2019re not required. Bonus? With context, they saw themselves as competent and sought out more challenging tasks.IDEA425