Nursery World - Brain Power

The different levels and forms of schemas, and what they mean for young children's learning, are explained by Professor Tina Bruce Babies at birth are already able to do all sorts of things. They can gaze and track with their eyes, smell the breast, suck, make sounds and move towards the sounds of people that they love. That early awareness of the world around them is then developed and deepened through schemas - patterns of behaviour which act as learning mechanisms and so enable babies, toddlers and young children to develop and learn.

Babies at birth are already able to do all sorts of things. They can gaze and track with their eyes, smell the breast, suck, make sounds and move towards the sounds of people that they love. That early awareness of the world around them is then developed and deepened through schemas - patterns of behaviour which act as learning mechanisms and so enable babies, toddlers and young children to develop and learn.

Children need the help of other children and adults in the process of using schemas to learn. Understanding these learning patterns, therefore, brings important benefits to early years practice. Practitioners can:

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