3 minute read
Building a Good Foundation for Learning
Kate Woodland, BEd, BC Certified Teacher Turning the Page Reading Instruction readnow180@gmail. com
We all know that the future integrity of a building depends on a good foundation. Well built foundations keep the occupants of the building safe during stressful events such as storms or strong winds. As a child grows, they build their bodies and minds. One could say they are building their ‘house’. Although we would likely agree that children also need a strong foundation to build upon, educators have differing opinions on what that foundation looks like.
Some would say that early instruction in reading and writing, math and spelling is critical. However, before the age of 7 the child primarily uses the right side of the brain for learning, as documented in a National Library of Medicine abstract entitled, “The Right Brain Hemisphere is Dominant in Human Infants.” What this means is that when taught to read before this age, children are predominantly memorizing words. They see the ‘whole’ word, its shape, and commit it to memory. Unfortunately, when the words become more difficult, right brain readers rush ahead and guess at what the word might be, based on the initial few letters and the general outline of the word. So, what happens when they encounter a new word – one they have not seen before? They are not able to decode the word, which is a left brain function, so instead they guess at what it might be, again by the shape of the word and the beginning and ending letters. This is especially true when they reach their frustration level of reading. If the child is taught reading skills after the age of seven, and only once they are ‘ripe’ for learning academics in general (meaning reaching physical developmental milestones that allow the mind to be free to learn), then the right brain can be used for the task it is best suited for, that is, picture making. Whereas the left brain is analytical and logical, the right brain is responsible for empathy and imagination. Therein lies the crux of the matter. If the child is using the right brain for word recognition, then their imagination and picture making capacities (comprehension) are compromised. What is it that children should be doing before the age of seven and onwards? As a remedial educator, working therapeutically with children who have difficulty learning to read and write, diagnostics means striving to come to a true understanding of each child’s individual uniqueness. It is often by observing the child’s movement patterns that we can gain an understanding of their developmental progress. This information is then used as a basis for learning how best to help the child. So often learning difficulties stem from issues of incomplete development of the various systems in the body, such as balance, proprioception, eye muscle control, mixed dominance of eye, ear, hand and foot, or the retention of a primitive reflex. It is through movement that we can diagnose where hindrances lie, and it is through movement that the body can heal and continue to activate new pathways in the brain. We can better appreciate why free play is so important to healthy child development.
This may actually be the only ‘silver lining’ to the worldwide restrictions of our usual busy routines. As a matter of course, the children have been given more time to play and be out in nature with their families and closest friends. They are being given the opportunity to experience their body in movement, stimulate their sense of balance while swinging or hanging upside-down, playing hopscotch, skipping, climbing trees, and resting their eyes in natural light, as opposed to straining them with screen time activities.
Parents, therefore, have a huge role to play in supporting their child’s ability to learn. This begins with providing a safe and loving environment, but also one with clear rhythms, routines and ample time for ‘free’ play (your local playground or a walk in the forest provide many wonderful opportunities to breathe out). This allows the child to know what to expect each day, and provides security so they can relax (the perfect state of mind for learning). Good sleep and good food are vital, but in today’s era of media and computers, the opportunity for movement AND time to digest the day’s events are equally important in ensuring the foundation for future learning is strong, by nurturing the roots of child development.
*https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/9217688/
