Approaches to learning refers to the skills, behaviors, and attitudes that children engage to acquire new knowledge. Unlike specific subject matter knowledge (like counting or reciting the alphabet), this developmental domain focuses on how children learn—encompassing curiosity, persistence, creativity, and problem-solving. Fostering these skills in early childhood lays the critical groundwork for executive function and lifelong academic success.
What are approaches to learning?
In early childhood education, "approaches to learning" is a distinct developmental domain that looks at the distinct styles and temperaments children use to engage with their environment. It answers the question: How does this child navigate challenges and new experiences?
This domain generally includes:
- Initiative and curiosity: The desire to explore new things and take risks in learning.
- Persistence and attentiveness: The ability to maintain focus and continue working through difficulties.
- Creativity and problem-solving: The capacity to find flexible solutions and use materials in novel ways.
Why is approaches to learning important?
Research shows that strong approaches to learning skills are significant predictors of later academic achievement. When children learn how to regulate their attention and persist through frustration, they build the executive function skills necessary for complex cognitive tasks in kindergarten and beyond.
Key components of approaches to learning
To effectively support children, educators must understand the specific behaviors that define this domain.
1. Curiosity and initiative
This involves a child's willingness to undertake new tasks.
- Examples: Asking "why" questions, exploring a new sensory bin with excitement, or choosing to join a group activity independently.
2. Persistence and engagement
This measures a child’s ability to stay focused and ignore distractions.
- Examples: Trying multiple times to fit a puzzle piece, listening to a story without wandering off, or returning to a block tower after it falls.
3. Creativity and invention
This involves cognitive flexibility and using imagination.
- Examples: Using a banana as a telephone, finding a new way to sort buttons, or role-playing complex scenarios.
Strategies to foster approaches to learning
Educators play a vital role in shaping these learning habits. Here are practical ways to support this domain in your childcare program:
- Model persistence: Narrate your own problem-solving. Say things like, "This lid is stuck, but I am going to try turning it a different way."
- Encourage "process" over "product": Praise the effort rather than the result. Instead of "Good job," try "I noticed how hard you worked to balance those blocks."
- Create open-ended play opportunities: Provide materials that can be used in multiple ways (loose parts, blocks, art supplies) to stimulate creativity and planning.
- Scaffold challenges: When a child is frustrated, step in to offer a hint or ask a guiding question rather than solving the problem for
Activities Across Developmental Domains
Use this guide to craft strategies for activities that foster child development across developmental domains.
Measuring growth: How to assess approaches to learning
Accurately tracking progress in this domain can be challenging because it relies heavily on behavioral observation rather than testing. Utilizing a structured, research-backed assessment tool can simplify this process for educators and provide clear insights for families.
Using Experience Assessment by brightwheel
For programs looking to streamline this process, Experience Assessment offers a valid and reliable solution. Verified by independent research from Johns Hopkins University in 2025, Experience Assessment allows educators to document growth across 73 skills, including the specific Approaches to Learning domain.
Key benefits for your program include:
- Observation-Based Tracking: Log observations during natural play directly in the brightwheel app, ensuring assessments reflect real-world abilities.
- Research-Backed Reliability: The 2025 psychometric evaluation confirmed excellent reliability across age groups (infants through preschool) and settings.
- Simplified Reporting: Generate visual reports to show families how their child is developing in areas like curiosity and focus, which can sometimes be harder to quantify than literacy or math skills.
- Curriculum Flexibility: Whether you use Experience Curriculum or your own lesson plans, the assessment tool adapts to fit your program's needs.
Frequently asked questions about approaches to learning
What is the difference between "Approaches to Learning" and "Cognitive Development"?
Cognitive development refers to what a child knows (like identifying shapes or colors), while approaches to learning refers to how they acquire that knowledge (through curiosity, attention, and persistence).
How can I explain "Approaches to Learning" to families?
Explain that you are teaching their child how to be a learner. Tell families that by encouraging persistence and curiosity now, you are helping their child build the focus and resilience they will need for formal schooling later.
Is it possible to assess approaches to learning in infants?
Yes. Assessment in infants looks different, often focusing on how they gaze at objects, how they reach for toys, and how they react to new stimuli. Tools like Experience Assessment cover developmental milestones starting from birth.
