Introduction
Learning starts from the moment a child is born. A person will continue learning new things each day until they die. The first year of birth is crucial as it affects the development of a person’s thinking capability (Whitehead, 2010). It is during the first year that the neurons in the brain get connected by synapses. Learning how to write is itself a learning process, and it does not occur automatically. A child has to start by making marks on the paper; marks which cannot be understood at the beginning. However, with time and coaching from their teachers, they learn how to write. Mark making is the first step in learning how to write. Mark making helps the child to express his/her feelings without having to use verbal communication. Therefore, it is important that practitioners recognize the significance of the art of mark-making in children. Numeracy development starts when one is a toddler, and these skills are used even when one becomes an adult (Murdoch Children's Research Institute, 2015). The practitioners are also required to understand the child’s nature of learning and development. The environment plays a major role in the learning process of a child, roles that will be discussed in this essay. This essay aims to describe the learning and development process of a child in early life.
Brain development
Neuroscience is the study of the development of the brain of a baby (Whitehead, 2010). The first year of birth is crucial as it largely affects human thinking development. The latter, in turn, affects the child’s nature of learning and development. When a child is born, their brain is fresh and thus has a high capacity for potentiality (Whitehead, 2010). However, the child cannot use its brain to perform activities such as thinking, as the neurons have not yet been connected by synapses. Therefore, nothing much happens during the first year of birth in terms of thinking capabilities. The neurons get connected as a result of experiences from daily activities (Whitehead, 2010). These activities may include general stimulation, being carried around, and playing with adults, among others (Bower, 2014). These neuron connections usually occur during the first three years of life. It is at this stage in life that a child starts learning from day-to-day experiences.
Various theories explain how children learn and develop, and they are known as developmental theories (Armstrong, Ogg, Sundman, and John, 2014). These theories can either be broadly classified into biology or experience. On one hand, a child is believed to be born with some automatic knowledge, such as knowing how to breastfeed (biology), and on the other hand, children acquire knowledge through daily activities (experiences). One of the theories that promotes learning and development is known as attachment theory. Attachment theory states that attachment begins before the child is born as mother and child are attached and the mother has already developed emotional feelings towards the unborn baby (Armstrong et.al, 2014). After birth, the attachment continues between the child and the mother or the caregivers. In the first phase of the attachment theory, the baby can signal to the mother or caregiver, who in return responds to the child’s needs (Armstrong et.al, 2014). This phase occurs in the first two months after birth. According to Armstrong et.al (2014), it is during the first phase that the child learns to pass through stressful situations successfully, due to the interactions between them and the caregivers. Mothers and caregivers ought therefore to provide the best attention to the child to facilitate the success of the first phase of the attachment theory.
Numeracy Development
Numeracy development is an important aspect in early childhood, whereby the child develops numeracy skills, which they later use in life. Numeracy skills are nurtured by mothers and caregivers, way before the child starts school. The child is encouraged to think mathematically, and he/she is allowed a platform where they can put their thinking into practice (MurdochChildren's Research Institute, 2015). The child is exposed to various activities that help sharpen their wits. These activities include counting objects such as toys and blocks, constructing with blocks, sorting and using shapes, cooking, whereby they can measure ingredients, among other activities (Murdoch Children's Research Institute, 2015). Mathematics can be improved through play. While playing with objects, children can understand the role of mathematics in society and its usefulness in day-to-day activities (Tucker, 2014). Children are also able to learn that mathematics is an enjoyable activity that can be sociable and cooperative at the same time. The child cannot attain full numeracy development without the active involvement of the adults in their lives (Tucker, 2014). Child-initiated play and one is supported by the adult, is the best way to promote mathematics development.
Empowering children helps increase their confidence in mathematics (Carruthers and Worthington, 2011). Mathematics should be set free by allowing children to play while practicing numeracy skills. Playing empowers them and, as seen earlier, improves their confidence in the subject. Traditionally, mathematics was taught as a written subject, an aspect which made the subject appear difficult and complicated (Carruthers and Worthington, 2011). However, in recent times, children are getting involved in playful activities that make mathematics an easily understandable subject, thus enhancing numeracy development. Child-initiated play, as seen earlier, allows the child to communicate their mathematical ideas and expands the possibility of them exploring new interests. According to Carruthers and Worthington (2011), cchild-initiatedplay play improves the child's ability in thinking mathematically, and it can be categorized into: symbolic play, mathematical exploration and communication, thinking, and practical play. In symbolic play, the child is able to learn the meaning of signs and objects, while in exploring and communication, the child thinks through graphical representation. The child is in a position to come up with a meaningful graphical representation of mathematics (Carruthers and Worthington, 2011). Practically, the child is provided with objects that will enhance their thinking capacity. These objects may include money, sand, puzzles, among others.
Language Development
Language promotion is an integral part of learning, as literacy and learning are intertwined; early literacy promotes the power of language (Bower, 2014). An illiterate person cannot possibly communicate with others. Therefore, literacy promotes language, which in turn makes a person sociable. Children are born in communities that are already using a given language to communicate, and with time, they also learn to use the language (Whitehead, 2010). The children will need to be taught the language as they cannot learn on their own. It is the role of the practitioners to promote language development (Bower, 2014). When a child is in a position to utilize language, they feel empowered as they can socialize, take part in arguments as they give their points, learn, and also reflect on various issues within their environment. Children also feel that they have a say as they can comfortably communicate with others in the community, whether they use sign or spoken language (Bower, 2014). For a child to be able to learn a language, he/she must be provided with a stimulating environment that, in turn, rn promotes interaction and allows for proper communication. They should also be allowed to interact with adults whose aim is to help these children in the process of language development (Bower, 2014). That way, the child will grow to occupy their rightful position in the universe and will be in a position to support other children.
Mark Making
Mark making, as seen in the introduction, is the first step in learning how to write. Therefore, it is an important step, a nd the child needs to be nurtured throughout the process. Mark making helps a child develop physically and also improves their imagination and creativity skills (Kelly, 2015). Once a child makes a mark or draws a line on their book and they receive appreciation from their teachers, their morale is boosted. The next time that child is with the practitioner, they are going to make better marks or even try and write a letter. Practitioners should not be negative towards a child’s mark-making, as this would affect the learning and development process of the child. Practitioners should not dwell so much on correcting the child and over-questioning the child’s work, as this will also discourage the child (Kelly, 2015). Children use mark-making as a way of expressing their feelings and thoughts (The National Strategies, 2008). The practitioners are, inturnrn able to interact with the children and provide them with the knowledge they require in the learning process.
Mark making can be of use symbolically in the place of the spoken word, and at some point in life, children realize this notion (The National Strategies, 2008). They use the notion to express their thought, and it is at such a point that mathematics and language concepts are developed. Practitioners should therefore recognize the efforts of the children in making and support them fully. Children also use marks to solve their problems and make sense of their different environments (The National Strategies, 2008). When such a child is encouraged in his/ her younger years, it will be easy for them to solve problems during adulthood. According to Kell ( 2015, holding a pen requires a lot of skills and involves the child’s ability to simultaneously coordinate the hand and the eye. The child is also required to control the hand and finger muscles. Mark making helps the child in both hand-eye coordination and hand and finger muscle control (Kelly, 2015).
Conclusion
Learning is a process that one goes through from the day they are born to the day they die. Literacy and numeracy development start in childhood, and it is triggered and supported by various factors. The brain of a child is fresh when they are born and therefore full of the capacity to think. However, it cannot be utilized until the neurons are connected by neuron pathways. The connection starts during the first year of birth. The child’s attachment to the mother before birth and to the caregivers after birth determines how he/she will develop in various fields such as learning and mathematics. Various developmental theories explain how a child develops their literacy and numeracy skills. Numeracy development is facilitated by allowing the child to play with objects and make sense of them. The child can also take part in activities such as building with blocks and measuring ingredients. Practitioners play major roles in helping the child learn and develop. In cases of mark making, the practitioner should be especially helpful, as it builds the child’s morale to want to learn more. Mark making has been identified as a practice that helps the child develop hand-eye coordination and also hand and finger muscles.
References
Armstrong, K H., Ogg, J. A., Sundman-Wheat, A. N., and St. John Walsh, A. 2014. Evidence-Based Interventions for Children with Challenging Behavior. Springer
Bower, V. 2014. Developing early literacy 0-8: from theory to practice. Sage
Carruthers, E, and Worthington, M. 2011. Understanding children’s mathematical graphics: Beginnings in play: beginnings in play. McGraw-Hill Education. United Kingdom.
Kelly. 2015. The importance of mark-making in early years.
Murdoch Children's Research Institute. 2015. Numeracy skills 0-5 years.
The National strategies. 2008. Mark Making Matters: Young children making meaning in all areas of learning and development.
Tucker, K. 2014. Mathematics through play in the early years. Sage
Whitehead, M R. 2010. Language and Literacy in the Early Years 0-7. Sage.
