When a baby is born, it does not need to learn to breathe or suckle its motherâs breast. They do it on their own, instinctively. Without anyone having taught him, or shown him. But very soon, to get out of his infant state and evolve, heâs going to have to learn to do a whole host of things: talk, walk, tie his shoelaces, count⊠quite a programme! đ€Ż
Thankfully, human beings are well built: they have a thirst for learning. From the baby who canât wait to walk, to the senior citizen who dreams of learning Italian, there are so many skills to acquire! But of course, acquiring a new skill doesnât happen overnight.
While learning is a long road full of challenges and opportunities, it is also strewn with pitfalls⊠Yes, a child learning to walk is more likely to be on his backside than on his feet! But one fine day, he suddenly finds himself gambolling alone in the garden. How did he manage this trick? What stages did he go through, and why is it important to understand these key phases? Babaoo Mag has the facts for you!
Understanding the learning process
Acquiring a new skill is magic! âš And this magic happens in the brain. Between his first attempt and the moment when he walks without having to think any more, the child has gone through different levels of self-awareness: âThe four stages of learningâ.
For a parent, teacher or childcare professional, itâs vital to be familiar with this process. Understanding these different stages and being able to identify them helps children to go through them gradually, without burning them out. So they can acquire â and consolidate â new skills. In short, to develop their potential!
â Note: Children have a particularly marked thirst for learning. Every time they develop a new ability (physical or mental), they feel like theyâve got a superpower. So they come back for more! đȘ
The four stages of learning
During any learning process (reading, playing the piano, drivingâŠ), we all go through different psychological states, which we liken to stages.
A bit of history? đ€ The process was modelled around fifty years ago. Originally called âThe four steps before learning a skillâ by Martin M. Broadwell, it was used in 1970 by NoĂ«l Burch, an employee of Gordon Training International. Letâs look at it in detailâŠ
1. Unconscious incompetence
âI donât know that I donât know.â
This first stage is that of ignorance. It is, for example, the child who watches his daddy drive and thinks âItâs easy, I could do it tooâ. He doesnât know that he canât do it (he hasnât learnt to drive). Or the baby who sees others walking and doesnât know that one day heâll be walking too, because the idea hasnât crossed his mind. For different reasons, they are both incompetent, but they donât realise it. But if you take the babyâs little hands and help him up, or if you hand over the steering wheel to the child, they will know that they donât know. This awareness marks the transition to the next stage. —
2. Conscious incompetence
âI know that I donât know.â
This is the time of the first trials. You take the plunge, you try to learn, you experiment⊠and at first, inevitably, you fail. Itâs an uncomfortable stage, and one that can be resented: âIâm no good at itâ, âIâll never be able to do itââŠ
At this stage, the role of the parent or carer is crucial. When faced with a new skill, children (like adults) need to be stimulated and encouraged if they are to progress, and above all, if they are not to be discouraged. Patience and perseverance. Unless youâre unbelievably gifted, no one is capable of playing Beethovenâs Fifth Symphony after three piano lessons! đŒ
â Note: So yes, experiencing failure is never pleasant. But when you think about it, making a mistake is also an opportunity to understand what went wrong so you can move forward! And what if our everyday âOops! Weâll tell you more about this pedagogy of mistakes in a forthcoming article.
3. Conscious competence
âIâm evolving and I know it shows.â
This third stage is the first visible results (so cool to ride a bike without the little wheels!). All those efforts finally rewarded, well done! đ But thereâs still a long way to go. Because at this stage, the new skill is not yet fully assimilated.
To succeed, you still need to concentrate and think about what youâre doing. And our âlittle inner voiceâ is working at full throttle! Itâs only after much, much practice that the final stage seems to take shape!
4. The unconscious skill
âNow I can even forget that I know how to do it.â
This is it! By dint of practising the new skill (regularly), you manage to perform it without thinking about it any more. The learning is acquired, itâs become automatic. And itâs magical to see that walking has become the most natural thing ever for the child who, just a few weeks earlier, was taking his first steps.
How do you know when a skill has become automatic Itâs simple: when it can be performed, without thought or effort, at the same time as another task. Thatâs right, now your kiddo can tie his shoelaces while reciting the alphabet! đĄ
Unbeknownst to him â and his parents â the child has gone from unconscious incompetent to unconscious competent. Itâs the magic of learning! đ«
âĄïž Find out how Babaoo uses the 4 pillars of learning as defined by Stanislas Dehaene, to teach children how to learn.
â Note: When a skill has become automatic, the work is not finished. For it to remain acquired, you have to practise, practise and practise some more! Itâs a bit like English⊠you know, that language you understand but should practise more to speak it better? đ
The Babaoo recap
How did this thing you were incapable of doing become automatic? Is it magic? Yes, itâs the magic of learning! But it doesnât happen with a snap of the fingers. We are all â and children in particular â eager to learn how to do something new. But many of us get discouraged along the way.
The key is to understand the four stages of learning so that you can get through them without giving up, and to be aware that you have to practise to progress! Each stage completed is a spark in the fireworks of your childâs development. So letâs encourage our little magicians to blossom, experiment and transfer their skills from one experience to the next. đ
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