Page 13 - LESSION 13.pmd

How Children Learn (Early Learning and Teaching)

mass/quantity); far, near, same as( in distance).It helps children make a correct
assessment about the value of a number before they understand the more complex
Notes mathematical principles. If mathematics is imposed on children before they have
developed pre-number concepts, then they end up simply memorising and are
likely to run into trouble when they are expected to apply their knowledge to more
advanced levels of reasoning.

Before coming to number concept, the teacher needs to provide lots of number
readiness activities that include activities for all cognitive skills followed by
pre-number activities.

Number concept: Number is an abstract concept which comes to our mind after
counting things. Developing a concept of numbers in terms of the irrelative value;
number symbols; counting and placing the numbers in order needs to be part of
the curriculum. Children are familiar with numbers because they have seen these
on telephone instruments, addresses, speedometers, page numbers, newspapers,
calendars and so on, but they have no experience with mathematical operations.
In the early years, all learning occurs through play rather than through didactic
communication. Therefore, instead of rote learning of the number sequence,
children need to learn and understand, in the context of small sets, the connection
between word games and counting, and between counting and quantity. Making
simple comparisons and classifications along one dimension at a time, and
identifying shapes and symmetries, are appropriate skills to acquire at this stage.
Development of environmental concepts: Children learn from their
environment. The immediate environment of children can be categorized into:

• Natural environment (animals, birds, insects, vegetables and fruits, plants)
• Physical environment (water, air, sky, earth, seasons,weather)

• Social environment (self and family, transport, community helpers, festivals)
These environmental concepts may be taken up as projects and may form part of
a theme for all activities to be conducted with children. The concepts discussed
earlier; i.e., colour, number, shape, time, temperature, etc., can be introduced to
children through these themes also.

13.6.5 Personal, Social and Emotional Development
This refers to the development of those characteristics or behaviors that help
children adjust to their social environment. Emotional development provides
the base for social development. The family, particularly the parents become the
primary agents of socialisation. Other agents which include peers, teachers,
neighbours and even mass media play a significant role in social development.
When children come to preschool, they are generally egocentric, see and feel
things only from their own point of view. They are also more used to individual or

72 EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION