ABSTRACT
Knowing things allows us to open the universe a little more. All learning is a modification of some prior knowledge – and to absorb, modify, and adapt knowledge, some knowledge must be taken on board in the first place. Not a passive downloading of information, engagement must be the goal. So, the voices in this chapter are not intended to add up, or even break down, into a definitive and settled perspective, but rather provide some starting points for a creative conversation. They are the ‘knowledge’ that can be used to begin the conversations. The Velcro to which we can begin to attach our own thoughts, perceptions and experience. The notion of ‘cultural capital’ is explored – those shared reference points which act as a classroom ‘survival vehicle’. Lowenstein and his work on motivation, Burns and Gentry and their theory of ‘tension-to-learn’ – about matching manageable knowledge gaps with natural curiosity, and Annette Lareau’s ‘concerted cultivation’ – not least the relevance of Koriat & Bjork’s phrase, ‘desirable difficulties’ – all have a place in the polyphony of voices offered in this chapter. The biggest academic gap between groups in the early years—a gap that grows ever bigger—is the vocabulary gap. But it is not just about vocabulary. It’s about living language, conversations, speaking and listening. Too tight a focus on vocabulary leads teachers to forget how children learn new words, through conversations, not through vocabulary drill. The notion of marginal gains and ‘internal locus of control’ are also explored, which can often be lacking in learners who start too young and who are pushed too hard.
