Insights | The Characteristics of Effective Learning（1）
16 Sep 2019
The focus of the characteristics of effective learning (CoEL) is on how children learn rather than what they learn i.e. process over outcome.
Underpinning the CoEL is the understanding that during their earliest years, children form attitudes about learning that will last a lifetime. Children who receive the right sort of support and encouragement during these years will be creative and adventurous learners throughout their lives. Children who do not receive this sort of support and interaction are likely to have a different attitude about learning later in life.Hence, why the supportive practitioner, and the environment they provide, need to nurture these characteristics to occur, but without forgetting that children are individuals who bring their own needs, talents and histories to the learning environment.
The characteristics of effective learning are:
1. Playing and exploring – engagementFinding out and exploringKnowing children’s interests and preferences affords opportunity to provide an environment where children can show their curiosity about objects, events and people.Sensory play is important to support children as they explore the world around them – the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures of life provide a wonderful resource for learning.Open-ended resources that can be used for multiple purposes are important as they can be used, moved and combined in a variety of ways.
Playing with what they know
Children will represent their experiences through play and will pretend that objects are things from their experiences.
Dressing up, roleplay and small world areas are beneficial for this, as children act out experiences and take on a role in their play. Adults can model pretending an object is something else and through this, they can help to develop stories and roles.Children need plentiful opportunity to develop their role play – don’t clean up too quickly, so that repeated play can take place. Being willing to have a go
Activities should be age and stage appropriate to the child’s development, yet challenging, therefore building up their confidence to try new things.Children are naturally curious but may be quite shy to try new things. Adults can support by encouraging and modelling how to do things when children may not know what to do.Once children practise new skills, they will become better at mastering them once they try things repeatedly. Children will vary in their level of involvement in some activities and may prefer some types of play over others. This is down to personal choice – if a child really does not want to do something they should never be forced to.2. Active learning – motivation
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