Different methods of developing learning in children.

Technique 1: The written record

When considering the observation of learners, we need to consider the stage in their learning journey. Currently being situated in a nursery setting, it is important to remember that most learners are starting from a place of very early development. Keeping written records of these learners can be very useful as they progress very quickly. We often watch learners in the early stages change by the day, so documentation of this can be very useful. Often learners in the later stages progress at a slower rate which decreases the importance of frequently keeping written notes.

It is also crucial in this stage to track a learner’s motor developments (gross-motor/fine-motor skills) and use these records to challenge learners. The ability to write about a student using “free description” allows for documentation as well as input of one’s own ideas. This will serve as a useful record for going back and tracking progress.

Technique 2: Time and event samples

These can be beneficial when you have more one-one time to spend with a learner. Time samples serve as a more immediate form of record keeping, while event samples are useful over the course of certain amounts of time (days/weeks). If you have the whole day or the better part of a day with a learner, it can be beneficial to observe their behaviour at different times. For example, they may be irritable before home-time or snack-time.

 It can also be beneficial to track how they engage with the activities and materials around them. We may think that learners are consistently engaging with something or certain areas of the classroom; time samples can show that this is either the case or not the case. If it is the case that students are spending particularly long amounts of time in an area, it can be useful to extend these areas and incorporate them more in lessons. We may be able to plan lessons that extend into this area and then gauge if the continuous provisions of these areas are useful.    

Technique 3: Checklists

Checklists or ‘tick lists’ are also very useful in the tracking of early learning stages and development. It can be useful once the initial formative assessment of a learner is done to use a checklist to track their progress as a form of summative assessment. Having adequate assessment in ‘yes/no’ columns can help you get a gauge of a learner’s natural proclivities. This information is useful when determining the direction of future lessons as well as areas for further development.

Checklists also can be beneficial to tracking cognitive function as well. Having an immediate idea of what a student’s capacities are is important. Maintaining a checklist regarding growth and progress can be beneficial when developing future activities. It can also be useful to maintain class checklists as well. If you keep a checklist in regard to class success relating to an activity, you can see how the class is progressing as a whole. You would be able to tell if a majority/minority are succeeding or struggling, as well as individuals who consistently achieve/don’t achieve the given success criteria.