·

Engaging Early Learners Using Media

APRIL 15, 2020

Article posted below, please visit the PBS Teachers Lounge to read there and for more!

From PBS Teachers Lounge

We all know kids who are eager to know more – it may be about planets, dinosaurs, or art. Young learners are especially curious! Curiosity encourages children of all ages to be more observant and to think about the world around them. When curious, children are more likely to try to figure things out, inquire and think through processes – all paths to deepen learning. As children explore their curiosity, they often expand their vocabulary as they use language to describe what they’re seeing, hearing, feeling and experiencing. 

We can leverage the power of video, books, purposeful use of technology, games and other activities in combination with PBS KIDS content to deepen curiosity and encourage exploration of our diverse and fascinating world!

Free Resources to Watch, Download and Explore 

To help continue digital learning, PBS LearningMedia producers and educators have developed and curated a special collection of resources organized by grade and subject area. Find videos, lesson plans, and activities that support learning at home – the account is free – to save and organize content for teachers, parents and others. For our early educators, there are packets of printable activities to download and share with parents and students, including the PreK-K packet, and Grades 1-2 packets. Spanish-language content has also been curated at Recursos de PreK-12 para Cierres de Emergencia.

Cultivating Curiosity with the Watch, Play, Explore and Share Model

We can utilize the Watch, Play, Explore, and Share Model by PBS KIDS to cultivate curiosity and encourage exploration. To begin, preview the episode from PBS KIDS that you’d like to use with your learners to gain an understanding of the message and learning targets of focus. PBS offers a wide variety of videos that can be utilized to launch lessons in the classroom, remotely, or from home, simply visit their resource page. Within this example, I’m using the new PBS KIDS hit show, Molly of Denali! However, there are resources available for all grade levels and subject areas. 

Make Observations, Inquire and Encourage Curiosity

Whenever using videos with learners, it’s best to pause at key points for students to jot down their thinking regarding what they are observing and any new notings they find interesting. Or, perhaps there is something that struck them that they would like to share with others at the end of the video. This practice provides space for learners to recognize what they’re curious about and helps them to make connections between prior knowledge and new learning. With our youngest learners, we may want to provide a ‘look for’ as they watch to guide thinking. Ultimately, this practice fosters observation skills and metacognition. We want learners to be intentionally thinking about what they’re seeing, thinking, and experiencing through their observations. 

At the conclusion of the brief video, engage learners in a meaningful conversation about what they saw and heard. Students can share their wonderings, what they noticed, and any new connections they may have formed. Accountable talk structures can support learners to deepen their conversations, which often fosters greater learning. 

Example:

Engage and Interact to Skill-Build

After engaging learners in a combination of watching, inquiring, connecting and conversing, empower learners through play. Play is beneficial for children of all ages and can be very powerful. 

Some of the many benefits of play include the development of: 

  • Judgment
  • Manipulative Skills
  • Reasoning
  • Creativity
  • Verbal Skills
  • Flexibility in Thinking
  • Communication
  • Relationships
  • Problem-Solving
  • Self-control
  • Greater focus
  • Growth Mindset

Providing opportunities for students to engage with the learning objectives in a hands-on way that utilizes students natural curiosity, often increases intrinsic motivation. PBS KIDS provides a vast amount of resources for learners to engage in play and deepen learning. From games to printable activities and other experiences that encourage play, our students can continuously build upon prior learning.

Example:

Hands-On, Minds-On

Natural curiosity drives exploratory learning. Learning through exploration helps students to absorb  the relationship between cause and effect. In such a scenario, students delve into deeper learning. From themed centers or project-based learning to going outdoors, we want to ensure we are providing diverse experiences to sustain curiosity and inquiry. Incorporating a wide variety of books to select from that complement the topic is also beneficial as students engage in exploration of a subject or topic. Infusing choice within exploration also increases learner autonomy. Through the learning strategy of exploration, students may experiment, investigate and be creative in aspiring for answers to scenarios as hands-on, minds-on learners.

Explore maps, games, activities, and podcasts with Molly of Denali! You might also want to provide a hard copy of a map, and additional informational texts with features such as labeled diagrams, pictures with captions, table of contents, and a glossary to explore! It’s helpful to ask inquiry-based questions while your child explores such as: what do you notice? Why do you think that’s included? What might be the purpose of_______? 

When we encourage learners to share a final product with an authentic audience, they often rise to the occasion by putting forth greater effort than when they share solely with the classroom teacher. As a classroom teacher of 15 years, I observed that learning on all levels increased when learners knew that they were going to share their product with others. 

Keep in mind that a product can range from a drawing that depicts learning to a full on presentation or a well-developed project. In today’s modern world, we can utilize educational technology platforms such as Flipgrid to present student work. What I appreciate the most about Flipgrid is that students have the option to include video, pictures, drawings, voice over, text, and more to truly personalize their work to who they are and demonstrate what they’ve learned. 

Provide choice in how your child demonstrates or shares what they’ve learned! You could engage in discussion, create a video on Flipgrid, design a poster, etc. Review the culminating activity provided here.

Learning Should Feel Purposeful and Meaningful 

In addition to incorporating learning objectives and goals, we have to ensure that learning feels purposeful and meaningful to our students. When we create the conditions to empower meaningful learning, engagement skyrockets. Learning that feels meaningful inspires curiosity and incorporates exploration that deepens understanding and fosters greater connections. Sharing provides a sense of purpose to the work our learners do so that it feels meaningful. We have to remember that while our students benefit from mastering learning objectives and goals, we also want them to develop intrinsic motivation as lifelong learners. Using the Watch, Play, Explore and Share model has the potential to deepen learning if used strategically. Check out the resources available through PBS LearningMedia and explore the wide array of offerings! The Watch, Play, Explore, and Share model can be used with any age and grade level using content that connects best with the unique needs of your students.

Interested in learning how you can teach with Molly of Denali? Check out our upcoming three part virtual professional learning seres, Teaching with Molly of Denali!

Elisabeth Bostwick

ELISABETH BOSTWICKPBS Digital Innovator All-Starhttps://elisabethbostwick.com/Twitter: ElisaBostwick

Elisabeth Bostwick is a multi-award-winning educator who is passionate about creating the conditions to spark curiosity and unleash creativity to empower learning. She is the author of, Take the L.E.A.P.: Ignite a Culture of Innovation and co-author of Education Write Now, Volume II: Top Strategies for Improving Relationships and Culture. As an innovative teaching and learning consultant and instructional coach supporting K-12 teachers, Elisabeth works alongside educators to create inclusive and equitable classroom cultures where every learner thrives. Elisabeth is driven to deepen learning; leveraging highly effective strategies that engage and empower all learners to maximize growth. With her passion for creating a long-lasting, positive impact on education, Elisabeth inspires others to identify how we can cultivate systemic change and develop essential success skills to ensure learners are future ready.