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The High-Scope: A Constructivist Approach to
promote the active learning with kindergarten children.
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By: Araceli Pérez Munguía.
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25/11/2015
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The High-Scope: A constructivist approach to promote the active learning
with kindergarten children.
Introduction.
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 people to change their 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”.
Statement of the
problem.
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. Students respond necessarily with
stimulus, leaving behind 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; it can be useful to make children constructivist students. By
this way, children are supposed to do things by themselves in order to become
independent.
Purpose of the
study.
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.
Research
Questions.
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 High-Scope for teachers?
3. Why teachers do not use High-Scope into classrooms?
4. What is behavior for teachers?
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.
Key experiences.
This approach contains key experiences which children
are supposed to develop while learning a second language, those are the
following:
1. Creative representation.
2. Language and Literacy.
3. Initiative and Social relations.
4. Movement.
5. Music.
6. Classification.
7. Seriation.
8. Number.
9. Space.
1. Time.
Each of them with different kind of activities and children
can use them to the development of their 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 interest 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 High Scope 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)
Conclusion.
Summing up, with the demand to improve the development
of human beings as active learners, it is important to consider the application
of constructivist strategies to form an interest in their personal and
educational training. Therefore, students in this case children, will be
independent students, leaving behind teachers just as a support for some
doubts.
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
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de 2015, de The High/Scope Preschool Educational Approach A Prospectus for
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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.:
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M., & P. Weikart, D. (1995). Early Childhood Counts: Programming
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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
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Psychology. Recuperado
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Palomino, Z. S.
(Enero de 2009). Enseñanza-aprendizaje del ingles en niños dentro del
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Self-Evaluation.
First of all, I would like to say that this course was very useful for me because now I have the notion of how to make a research project taking into account some importan aspects.
But also I have to say that it was a kind of difficult because I did not understand how to produce one, that's why many times I got confused about how to write, organizing my ideas and so on.
Anyway, I really appreciate the way in which my classmates and teachers provide me of feedback, comments which are so useful to the better development of my research.
I would almos have to say that I deserve an 8 because, I was not able to succeed in a completely way in some others aspects, such as responsability, so well that is my self-evaluation.
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