Sensitive Periods

Explain sensitive periods and write short notes of  the following;

A.     Sensitive period for language

B.      Sensitive period for mathematics

C.      Sensitive period for movements

Ans. Sensitive periods

Sensitive periods are very important time periods during brain development. In early childhood, during these periods a child's brain learns certain skills quickly and effortlessly. Once these periods pass by the brain never goes back and the child will not be able to learn that particular skill easily. During these sensitive periods, children feel the natural urge to develop that skill and the lack of opportunity to practice the desired activities disturbs the child greatly and causes frustration. For example when the child is about six months old and about to have their teeth they are preparing for a sense of taste so they start to put everything in their mouth and when things are snatched back from them for the sake of hygiene they cry to show their frustration or during the sensitive period for writing they scribble in everywhere.

During these periods independence is very important and the child gets immense satisfaction and joy while answering the need of his natural urge after that period passes they get back to normality.

Sometimes they are confused with critical periods. But the two periods are different; sensitive periods are those when effects of certain experiences are strong on a limited period in development. On the other hand, critical periods are when particular experiences are vital for normal development and lead to permanent alteration for example scientists carried out experiments on mice and cats by sewing one of their eyes for some time during an early age and found they were unable to see properly through that even when it is open as the critical period for visual development have passed.

Dr. Maria called these sensitive periods a window of opportunity and emphasized that giving the child the right stimuli will help the child to ace that skill. Since during these periods a child concentrates mainly on one aspect of his environment therefore they are divided into 11 periods occurring from birth to the sixth year of their life. Some of them are discussed below:

Sensitive Period for Movement:

This period starts right after birth to four years in which the child constantly drives and has an urge to move untiringly to practice their motor skills. The motor skills are divided in two categories:

1. Gross motor skills: It involves bigger muscles such as rolling, sitting, crawling, pushing, pulling and walking, etc.
2. Fine Motor skills: It involves smaller muscles of hands, fingers, and wrists. This skill is related to dexterity such as holding a pencil or using a scissor.

This sensitive period is divided into two sub-periods broadly acquisition and refinement. The first period is an acquisition that lasts from birth to 2.5 years. In these years the child develops muscles, improves hand and eye coordination, and understands space around them. Their movement can be encouraged by engineering the environment around them.

The second period is about the refinement of this skill which starts from the age of 2.5 years to 4.5. Children had already learned both fine and gross motor skills so during this period they work for refinements such as precision and better coordination of movement. For example, he can already walk and run so he starts trying to skip or walk in a line.

Sensitive Period for Mathematics:

The sensitive Period for mathematics is 4-6 years. During this time children are fascinated by numbers, quantities, order, exactness, estimation, calculation, etc. Because the human mind is a mathematical mind, children develop a sense of distance and dimensions during this time. Since Dr. Maria Montessori had studied mathematics before studying medicine, she was of the opinion that children are hand-minded so she developed many activities to cater to the need of children's mathematical development like the pink tower, red rods, knobless cylinders. Pink towers or red rods being ten in number give them an understanding of the decimal system whereas activities with cylinders nurture the ideas of geometry. These apparatus at Montessori classroom give stimulation to children's pursuit of numerals. Similarly, through the exercises of practical life, the child experiences the concepts of order measurement, time, counting, and exactness.

 

Sensitive Period for Language:

Scientists have proven that a sensitive period for language development starts even before the child is born and it begins at the gestational age of around 7 months when the fetus starts hearing especially his mother's conversation. As language involves many senses they are subdivided into three periods

1. Sensitive period for spoken language
2. Sensitive period for writing
3. Sensitive period for reading

The sensitive period for listening starts prenatally to 3 years. During this period if a suitable environment is given to a child, where he can actively interact his brain will develop the neural circuitry important for communications. In this period the child learns the native language gradually i.e. in the first year of his age he is an active listener and learns to discriminate between the sounds of different letters and later in the 2nd year tries to speak single-syllable words like mama which then progress to phrases and sentences. In order to fully avail this sensitive period to make child eloquent speakers Dr. Maria recommends the following advice:

●       Speak to the child in a clear voice and avoid baby talk.

●       Seek and create opportunities to speak to children as much as possible.

●       Read to them, sing along with them.

●       Allow the child to express himself.

●       Listen to them giving them undivided attention.

●       Don’t hesitate to introduce complex vocabulary.

●       While listening, be inquisitive to express your interest or to judge their understanding.

The sensitive period for writing can be subdivided into two periods, first period begins from the age of 2.5 - 5 years where they have the innate ability to identify letter shapes and sounds. Dr. Maria devised sandpaper letters to help children in the identification of letters and metal insets to prepare children for writing. The second period starts from the age of 3.5 years to 5 when actual writing starts. During this period, children have the natural urge to trace and write that's why they don’t spare the walls even. Therefore activities like sand trays, chalkboards, and writing on paper along with segmentation exercises are useful to satisfy their natural urge.

The sensitive period for reading spans from 4.5 to 5.5 years. In Montessori classrooms, systematic sets of reading exercises are offered through Pink, blue, and green reading levels. The library corner set up in the classroom offers the opportunity to explore books of various interests and guided reading lessons to young readers transforming them into independent readers.