Tanya S. Wright and Susan B. Neuman: Purposeful, Playful Pre-K

Purposeful, Playful Pre-K: Building on Children’s Natural Proclivity to Learn
Language, Literacy, Mathematics, and Science
by Tanya S. Wright and Susan B. Neuman
American Educator (AFT)

It’s well known that early childhood is a crucial time for cognitive development.1 Less well known is that very young children are ready—and excited—to develop skill and understanding in language and literacy, mathematics, and science. According to the National Research Council, “these appear to be ‘privileged domains’—that is, domains in which children have a natural proclivity to learn, experiment, and explore.”2 Prekindergarten (pre-K) learning experiences in these domains can help build the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that prepare young children for future academic success.* This is particularly true for children growing up in poverty—many of whom lag far behind their middle-class peers in key academic areas by the time they enter kindergarten.3 In fact, high-quality prekindergarten programs can help prevent this gap from opening in the first place.

Young children are eager to understand more about the world. They actively strive to build knowledge and to develop language to communicate about what they learn. They develop theories about how the world works, learn to solve problems, and ask questions in a constant quest for information. And, when provided with supportive and stimulating environments, they eagerly engage in language learning, literacy practices, math play, and science exploration.4

So, what does a supportive and stimulating pre-K look like? There is now a wealth of research—from fields as diverse as education, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and sociology—to help us answer that question. According to the research literature, “structural” factors—such as child-to-teacher ratios and teachers’ education levels—are important.5 In terms of cognitive growth, however, “process” factors—the daily human interactions and activities that have the potential to enhance children’s
cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development—appear to be more central. Of particular importance is the quality of instruction, which appears to have a vital, lasting effect on building children’s cognitive and social skills through the elementary school years.

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