{"id":7167,"date":"2018-12-16T11:01:40","date_gmt":"2018-12-16T11:01:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/?p=7167"},"modified":"2024-05-11T22:33:34","modified_gmt":"2024-05-11T21:33:34","slug":"early-learning-inattention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/early-learning-inattention\/","title":{"rendered":"Early learning: children\u2019s inattention is often smart"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Children guide their own early learning. They look elsewhere when learning slows, either because they\u2019ve mastered the material or it\u2019s become too difficult. Inattention can aid child development.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Research shows that children capably guide their own early learning, concentrating on learning experiences that are useful and avoiding those that are not. Their choices are not rooted in novelty alone. They are strategic agents of child development, seeking opportunities likely to fit their cognitive capacities. Children don\u2019t waste time on what they already know, or what is unknowable. They are experts in early learning and what they need for their own development.<\/p>\n

Clinical problems such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can cause disengagement that hinders rather than helps learning. However, most inattention is good, reflecting efficient learning strategies.<\/p>\n

Good inattention shouldn\u2019t be corrected or pathologized. It can guide those who support children\u2019s early learning. Educators should recognize that it casts a light on what children may or may not be ready to learn. They should take cues from the children themselves on, as children alone have full access to what they already know.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Table of Contents<\/p>\nToggle<\/span><\/path><\/svg><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n