Schemas are repeated patterns of behaviour.
'Schema' = the thought/context 'Scheme' = the action/behaviour
They are mental representations that help us to organise and understand the world around us. Schemas are essential for brain development and clusters of schemas develop later into concepts.
Each child is different, some will show lots of schemas while others may show none at all.
As an Early Years Educator or parent we need to be able to recognise, understand and support schemas to help a child progress in their learning journey.
Most common Schemas...
Transporting - Moving objects or collections of objects from one place to another, they may use a bag, truck, basket, bucket, pram etc.. to do so.
Trajectory - Creating lines in space horizontally or vertically, such as climbing, stepping up and down or lying flat. Making marks, turning pages of a book, dropping things from height etc..
Connecting - assembling objects and disassembling objects like train track or blocks. Gluing and sticking things together, tying objects together etc..
Rotating - becoming absorbed and engaged with objects that turn, such as taps, keys or cogs. Rolling objects or themselves along the floor etc..
Enveloping - wrapping themselves up to be completely covered such as in a blanket or under a rug. Wrapping objects up in materials or enclosing them in pots or boxes with lids.
Enclosing - building enclosures with Lego, blocks or large crates around objects and perhaps naming them like a field or boat or a garden. There may be an enclosing line around a painting or drawing etc..
Containing - putting objects into and out of containers such as, boxes, baskets, carts, bags, buckets etc..
Positioning - placing objects in particular positions such as on top, along the edge, underneath, behind, in a line etc.. Drawings and paintings may also show evidence of this.
Orientation - putting themselves in different positions to look at or see things differently, at different angles such as upside down or on their side etc..
Transforming - exploring the changing states of substances such as from dry to wet, solid to liquid etc..
Now you get a better idea of what a Schema is we will continue to look at each one in turn and how we can support them.
Follow this Blog or FB page for my mini series in Schemas.
Comments
Post a Comment