Childhood period is a very different
time period because this period has some, complex basements and lots of people
generally cannot give meaning to this period. Their cognition levels are
changing to their age periods and determine learning basements. For example,
Piaget divided into four stages in children: sensorimotor, preoperational,
concrete and formal according to cognition or other opinions are cognitive
development, social and emotional development, speech and language development,
fine motor skills, gross motor skills developments. These developments give
clues for children’ learning steps and teachers are inspired from these steps
while determining their lesson plans because every age period has different
cognition level and ability.
First year and fourth year children
in primary school are differentiated from each other. Since their attention
span, self-awareness, abstract thinking, interests, knowledge of the world are
certain differences. First year students have limited attention span which is
20-25 minutes so they cannot concentrate to their lesson for 40 minutes. Their
interests depend on visuals and colorful materials. They are more egocentric
and they face some problems in the classroom and they are not aware of school
discipline system and their behaviors. For example, first year children always
want to go the toilet because when they are bored or lose attention to the
class in 40 minutes. Time management is so important for this year. They always
think games. Teacher education’ style should be game and visual centered
learning strategy. They are impatient.
Teacher should increase their attention span with their interests. On
the other hand, fourth year students are more aware their situation, rules and
their interests. They are still children but more mature than first class
student. They can keep their concentration level in 40 minutes. Teachers should
keep communication channels and explain every detail about rules, lesson plan
or schedule to them because they always want to feel precious and have a voice
in the classroom. Their cognition level can separate abstract and concentrate
concepts so teachers can use these terms in their lesson plan such as idioms.
They are able to think about their problems and produce solutions to their
problems. Teachers should be the facilitator in this period and their lesson
plan needs to contain student centered practices.
In conclusion, teachers should be
aware of the age factor of students because every age period has special
characteristics. When teachers are aware of students’ age, interests, attention
span, knowledge world, their students will be more active and successful in
their class. Students feel precious not to robotlike and teacher will be more
facilitator and effective with the help
of these clues.
