As a final project.

The High-Scope: A constructivist approach to promote the active learning with kindergarten children.

This research will have a great impact in how High-Scope as a constructivist approach, influences and promotes the active learning with children, making them the self-constructors of their own knowledge while implementing dynamic activities. Also, how children are going to be able to improve by themselves.

For that reason this paper sets out to answer the following research questions:

1.    How does constructivism modify the active learning with kindergarten children?

2.    What is the importance to implement a constructivist approach in the early childhood in order to promote the active learning?

3.    How the High-Scope does affect the children active learning?

Nowadays the use of English has become essential for personal communication, in the world. According to (Ingram & Sasaki, 2003) the importance to learn another language is really high because it helps people to communicate in an appropriate way by themselves in order to break out of those shells, as well as learn more about other cultures and it helps us to change our way of thinking it means, widen horizons. So, learning English is very important in the educational life, especially with children because they are able to acquire better the language while they assimilate new information. In addition, there are methods and approaches which can be implemented in the children`s learning. The most important aspect is to achieve the active learning with children. According to (Hohmann & P. Weikart, 1995), “active learning is fundamental to the full development of human potential and that active learning occurs most effectively in settings that provide developmentally appropriate learning opportunities”.

However, in real life; many teachers implement behaviorism inside classrooms, consequently children cannot construct their own learning because they do not have the capacity to work by themselves, just with instructions provided by the teacher. For this reason, it is important to take into account the implementation of constructivism to achieve a meaningful learning and making children active learners as the main purpose. Therefore, there is a constructivist approach which leads with autonomy, self- confidence, self-construction of knowledge etc. So, children are supposed to do things by themselves In order to become independent.

This approach was developed by David Weikart and colleagues in 1962 in response to the necessities of children. In fact, the High-Scope which is an approach, a way of leading with something; takes into account the own learning that children acquire and how enhance by themselves, in order to become active learners in social experiences. In addition, (French, The HighScope Approach to Early Learning, 2011) states that “High-Scope refers to the high purposes and far-reaching mission of a model of education”. As a result, children will be able to integrate new experiences while keeping personal interests, in order to develop their abilities. On the other hand, (Foundation, 2004) mentions is a comprehensive and complete system in which children follow some instructions and assessments from the teacher in order to develop personal interest in new experiences of learning.  

So, it is important to mention that constructivism is an important aspect that many teachers have to follow in order to promote the self-construction of learning. Hence, (Palomino, 2009) claims that, it is important to carry out the appropriate processes in the teaching and learning English in order to make it more effective and learn English will be a natural and interesting way for children to learn. Should be mentioned that the interest of children will depend on the atmosphere classroom encourages to achieve a meaningful learning. On the other hand, (Jones & Araje-Brader, 2002) the focus on the construction of the teaching-learning process becomes with prior beliefs, as the constructivist instruction is based on different priorities that students have. Thus, High-Scope approach adopt the term active learning which leads with independence of the child, implementing a variety of materials that will be useful to children to improve by themselves. Therefore, (Hohmann & P. Weikart, 1995) stated that “is a learning in which the child, by acting on objects and interacting with people, ideas and events, constructs new understanding”. The interests of children in choosing and organizing activities which have to be planned. Moreover, (French & Murphy, Once in a Lifetime: Early Childhood care and Education for Children from Birth to Three., 2005) claims that “active learning is fundamental to the full development of human potential and that it occurs most successfully in environments that are developmentally appropriate and which therefore meets the needs of children”. Consequently, this approach promotes the active learning, engaging children in all kind of interactive activities to achieve a meaningful learning.

Theoretical Framework:

The High-Scope is extensively concentrated on the cognitive-developmental work on Jean Piaget and his colleagues, as well as the progressive educational philosophy of John Dewey. These theorists believed that the human development occurs gradually through a series of orders and sequential stages (Hohmann & P. Weikart, 1995).  High-Scope has a relation with the constructivist theories of John Dewey (1859-1952), he believed that “learning was active and schooling unnecessarily long and restrictive.  His idea was that children came to school to do things and live in a community which gave them real, guided experiences which fostered their capacity to contribute to society” (Neill, 2005) and Jean Piaget (1896 - 1980), “he became intrigued with the reasons children gave for their wrong answers to the questions that required logical thinking” (McLeod, 2009).

The High-Scope approach was designed by David Weikart and colleagues, beginning in 1962, “in response to the persistent failures of high school students from Ypsilanti`s poorest neighborhoods” (Hohmann & P. Weikart, 1995, cited in French, The HighScope Approach to Early Learning, 2011). In High-Scope classrooms, children are active students who construct their knowledge taking into account the world, transforming their ideas and interactions into logical thoughts; working with different materials and problem solving to create more experiences and outcomes, talking in their own words. In the High-Scope, the role of the teacher is to support children`s learning by listening, asking open-ended questions, encouraging in conversations, and helping children to explain their thinking.

As a final point, the use of constructivism into a classroom modify the learning in children, that is why children are able to create their own knowledge just with a little support from the teacher.

Definition of concepts:

High-Scope: An approach that takes into account learning that children acquire in a proper way and how they enhance by themselves in order to become active learners in social experiences. (Foundation, 2004) stated that “is a comprehensive and complete system of child instruction, staff development and accountability assessment”.

Approach: The level in which the beliefs and assumptions are much specified talking about learning (Antony 1963 cited in Richards & Rodgers S., 1986).

Method: The level in which theory is put into practice and where which choices are taken from different skills and content to be taught and how it will be presented. (Antony 1963 cited in Richards & Rodgers S., 1986)

Active Learning: A term which leads with independence of the child, implementing a variety of materials that will be useful for children to improve by themselves. “Learning in which the child, by acting on objects and interacting with people, ideas and events, constructs new understanding” (Hohmann & P. Weikart, 1995)

Bibliography:

Antony 1963 cited in Richards, J. C., & Rodgers S., T. (1986). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

Foundation, H.-S. E. (2004). The High/Scope Preschool Educational Approach A Prospectus for Pre-kindergarten Programs. Recuperado el 28 de Septiembre de 2015, de The High/Scope Preschool Educational Approach A Prospectus for Pre-kindergarten Programs: http://www.highscope.org/file/EducationalPrograms/EarlyChildhood/UPKFullReport.pdf

French, G. (Octubre de 2011). The HighScope Approach to Early Learning. Recuperado el 29 de Septiembre de 2015, de Setting the context: History, Research and Theory: http://arrow.dit.ie/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010&context=aaschsslbk

French, G., & Murphy, P. (2005). Once in a Lifetime: Early Childhood care and Education for Children from Birth to Three. Recuperado el 29 de Septiembre de 2015, de The moment by moment interactions of adults and young children are crucial to the healty emotional development of the child.: http://www.laoischildcare.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Barnardos-Once-in-a-lifetime.pdf

Hohmann, M., & P. Weikart, D. (1995). Early Childhood Counts: Programming Resources for Early Childhood Care and Development. Recuperado el 27 de Septiembre de 2015, de Educating Young Children: Active Learning Practices for Preschool and Child Care Programs: http://trinitypreschoolsc.org/wp-content/uploads/Active_Learning_The_Way_Children_Construct_Knowledge-1.pdf

Ingram, D. E., & Sasaki, M. (2003). The importance of communication in english in a globalised world and in the field of medicine. Recuperado el 03 de October de 2015, de The importance of language learning.: http://air.lib.akita-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/10295/275/3/KJ00000707227.pdf

Jones, M. G., & Araje-Brader, L. (2002). The impact of constructivism on Education: Language, Disourse and Meaning. Recuperado el 11 de Septiembre de 2015, de American Communicaton Journal.: ac-journal.org/journal/vol5/iss3/special/jones.pdf

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Palomino, Z. S. (Enero de 2009). Enseñanza-aprendizaje del ingles en niños dentro del procrea-maravatío. Obtenido de Enseñanza-aprendizaje del ingles en niños dentro del procrea-maravatío.: http://imced.edu.mx/tesis/ensenanzaaprendizajedelinglesenninosdentrodelprocreamaravatio.pdf