For middle childhood, ages 8-11 years Just as it is important to
know the learning styles of youth, it is also important to know
something about the characteristics common to the ages of youth
you work with. Please remember that all children develop at their
own pace, and not all characteristics will be seen in all
children at the same age or grade. Here are some common
characteristics of the 8 - 11 middle childhood years:
- Are quite active with boundless energy. Activities should
encourage physical involvement.
- Interests may change often, jumping from one thing to
another. Encourage multiple brief learning experiences.
- Usually do best work when activity or task is presented in
small pieces. Need simple and short directions.
- Need guidance from adults to stay at a task to achieve their
best performance. Adults should provide lots of encouragement and
recognize even small successes.
- Are moving from concrete to more abstract thinking.
Ready-made solutions from adults are often rejected in favor of
finding their own solutions.
- Need recognition and praise for doing good work. Present
recognition in front of peers and parents.
- Don't like comparisons with others. Instead of comparing
youth to each other, compare present to past performances of each
child.
- Are very curious. Always asking "why." Don't provide all the
answers. Encourage a few to find answers and report to the
group
Middle childhood youth are more likely to remain interested
and involved when you offer a variety of learning experiences,
with a variation in the pace and range of learning
experiences.
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