Understanding Age Groupings of Children for better results.
One key goal of any lesson is to achieve lesson objectives. When lesson objectives are achieved, the children are transformed by your lesson. One of the most crucial factors towards ensuring that lesson objectives are met, is the age of the children.
The ability of children to concentrate is proportionate with their age. The younger the children, the lower their concentration spans.
Age-grouping of Children:
Children should be grouped in class according to their ages or their classes in formal schooling. An understanding of a child’s God-given stages of development will help the teacher to have realistic
expectations and will help facilitate age appropriate activities in a positive learning environment. For example:
Children of age 5 years can sit still for only up to 10 minutes. A good rule to follow recognizes that a young child is able to sit still for about two minutes for each year of age. For example, a 2 year old can sit for about four minutes for a story or teacher directed activity.
A child at 5 years needs:
ü Much movement by teacher as well as leaner himself/herself
ü Frequent change of activity and position or location, but flourishes with routine that are
established.
ü Lots of hands-on learning and experiences that enable interaction with the materials.
ü Enjoys repetition, rhythm and rhyme.
ü Is very visual and inquisitive.
ü Asks “Why?” and How?”
ü Can be given simple responsibilities such as picking up toys, handing out papers etc., enjoys the
empowerment of simple tasks and “older person” tasks to accomplish.
ü Learns best through play and exploration.
ü Learns best through the use of large muscles for example, piling blocks or painting rather than
doing paper and pencil tasks.
ü Loves simple counting activities and games.
A child from 6-7 Years:
ü Enjoys and needs movements by both the teacher and the learner himself/herself
ü Needs frequent changes of activity and position or location, but can stay in one place for 15-20
minutes
ü Needs hands-on learning and discovery approach methods
ü Is becoming more independent (e.g. wants to tie own shoes), but still very reliant on parents/teachers
ü Is active, curious and energetic
ü Can be given tasks involving greater responsibility such as watering plants, tending animals, etc.
ü Likes cooperative tasks and activities
ü Enjoys being in the outdoors
ü Loves jokes, riddles, guessing games, and games of all sorts
ü Likes to explain and ask questions
ü Is sometimes careless with learning work: expect high volume but low quality work
ü Prefers same gender activities.
Hence, it’s very important to understand different concentration spans for children and add in other activities that will make them enjoy and get the most out of the Sunday School Session.
Childhood Development Experts also say that a reasonable attention span to expect of a child is two to three minutes per year of their age. That’s the period of time for which a typical child can maintain focus on a given task.
Average attention spans work out like this:
- 2 years old: four to six minutes
- 4 years old: eight to 12 minutes
- 6 years old: 12 to 18 minutes
- 8 years old: 16 to 24 minutes
- 10 years old: 20 to 30 minutes
- 12 years old: 24 to 36 minutes
- 14 years old: 28 to 42 minutes
- 16 years old: 32 to 48 minutes
It’s worth noting that some developmental researchers put the upper limit at five minutes per year of a child’s age, meaning a 2-year-old could be able to focus on a task for up to 10 minutes at a time. Of course, these are only generalizations. And how long a child is truly able to focus is largely determined by factors like how many distractions are nearby, how hungry or tired the child is and how interested they are in the activity.
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