The learning process consists of making new neural connections in our brain. From birth, our brain is receptive to all external stimuli and, thanks to its adaptability, it is modified with each new experience, behavior, and stimulus.
Early Stimulation has traditionally been related to specific care for minors with disabilities or different developmental disorders. However, currently, it is not only recommended in cases requiring specific psychological intervention but is necessary for all types of children. Training in early intervention is one of the tools that both education professionals and psychotherapists can use to revolutionize 21st-century classrooms.
A methodology far removed from conventional approaches that seek a single “correct answer,” it focuses on how the brain learns naturally. That is, by trying new things, not always getting the “correct” and true answer. Quality education encourages the exploration of alternative thinking, multiple responses, and creative self-awareness, as well as accelerating the intellectual, emotional, and motor development of the little ones.
That is why in classrooms, some of the activities carried out must be playful and integrate different contents in order to awaken interest and promote children’s learning. In the first stage of children’s schooling, time must be organized respecting children’s basic rhythms and needs for food, sleep, and hygiene. At this stage, routines provide security and confidence to children, in addition to teaching them temporal notions.
There are several areas of early intervention. The first of these is the emotional area. Emotional education is a continuous process in which children begin to recognize their own and others’ feelings and to develop skills that will allow them to relate to the people around them. Emotional development is essential to achieve good social adaptation and increase the feeling of belonging to the group. Therefore, they must participate in collective activities and in the celebration and setting of popular festivals and traditions.
Regarding the motor area, movement constitutes the great pillar of learning, affectivity, and intellectual development. Psychomotor class sessions must be dynamic and active. In them, children become aware of their body in relation to space and time and at the same time acquire autonomy. They also gain greater postural control, balance, and movement capacity. At the end of each session, it is suggested to do a few minutes of relaxation to encourage future stress and anxiety control. Likewise, it is optimal that they have time for outdoor activities every day.
The development of visual perception is fundamental for later learning and can be worked on in the classroom with various stimulation inputs including murals, sheets, stories, bits (binary digits), attention games, and eye-hand coordination activities.
For its part, with language stimulation, we develop better communication, both oral and gestural, at a comprehensive and expressive level. One way for children to increase their vocabulary is through storytelling, expressing desires, ideas, and feelings, and the systematic use of bits (encyclopedic, mathematical, reading).
The development of logical-mathematical thinking is carried out with activities that foster the ability to reason and pay attention. Children should start by solving simple problems based on everyday life; for example, they can create series, group, and classify objects according to their shape, color, size, and weight.
As for the musical area, it is important to note that music and rhythm shape the brain and develop auditory and expressive capacities. Therefore, children from a very young age should be exposed to different sounds that they can relate to sensations and moods.
Finally, early stimulation also addresses the artistic area. And to enhance their imagination and creativity, the first tools are used, and manual skills are developed with activities such as modeling, tearing, gluing, and painting. Children express themselves and enjoy their productions and those of the group.
ISEP’s Master in Early Intervention will reveal the benefits of early intervention, both for early detection of possible deficiency risks and for designing stimulation programs for children under 6 years of age with or without developmental disorders.