At the basis of the heterogeneous classes there are some important pedagogical reflections, according to which cooperation and learning between peers are the basis of an effective educational process
For some years, mothers and dads have witnessed a change in the organization of classes in kindergartens. Previously the classes were made up of children, males and females, of the same ageTherefore there was the classic division: in the first year of kindergarten there were 3 -year -old children; In the second year, 4 -year -old children and third, 5 -year -old children. Today, however, we are in the presence of the so -called “heterogeneous classes“, In which children coexist not only of different sex but also of different ages. Thus, in the” A “section of a certain school we will no longer find three classes but a single class with Children from 3 to 5 years.
This change, at the time, had generated many doubts in parents and perhaps even some doubts in teachers, and still causes misunderstandings.
Generally, Any change triggers sensations of anxietyfear and uncertainty, which lead to consider the previous system or strategy perfect, causing disagreement and hesitations towards the new perspective, of which, often and willingly, we do not trust the lack of guarantees.
Know some Theoretical aspects behind the heterogeneous classes It can therefore be useful not so much to fully accept the change that occurred, but to understand at least in part the “pro” and have all the elements to make a personal evaluation.
The current and potential skills
One of the theories that can help us understand is that of Russian psychologist Lev Semënovič Vygotskyfather of the “socio -cultural theory”, which conceived learning as the fruit ofsocial interaction. One of the concepts of this theory revolves around the “proximal development area”, defined as the difference between the Current skills of a child and his potential skills. In other words, it is an ideal “bridge” that connects what the child knows how to do alone at a given time to what he could be able to do with the help of an “expert” person.
The 3 -year -old boy who alone is able to join two pieces of a track for the driving cars is the same child who, together with another 5 -year -old, could build a stretch of track made up of about ten pieces.
This example shows anPractical application of Vygotsky’s theory And it corresponds to what happens in the heterogeneous classes by age: they allow you to “reduce” the bridge between current and potential thanks to the presence of different children.
Act as a “scaffolding”
We now introduce another concept of the Russian psychologist, that of “shelf“, A term that derives from the English word shelveswhich literally means “scaffolding”. This term indicates the process thanks to which one more “expert” person offers help to another less experienced in an activity. What is the help of an expert person for? Simply to compensate for the difference between the current skills of a child and those required by the most advanced activity.
In the case of the heterogeneous classesthe 5 -year -old boy is the expert person who acts as a “scaffolding” for the 3 -year -old who, in any case, does not always have a role of passive observer. In fact, initially the older child will be an example for the smaller one, who will learn by observing the “expert” person. In a next phase, the 3 -year -old boy will have acquired more information and skills that will lead him to manage the activity with the most experienced person. Lastly, the youngest child will have learned the activity and will now be learned make it alone.
The “shelter” is therefore a real scaffolding that serves to support the child in the initial stages of learning, to support him in the intermediate ones, until it is become autonomous and in possession of that notion.
Teachers also learn
One might think that this approach is useful only to younger childrenwho would thus have the opportunity to learn and progress by observing older children. It could also be believed that i big children They have no advantage and that their role is limited to acting as a “scaffolding” for other children; But it is not so, because it is not only learned from the condition of “inexperienced” but also from that of “teachers”. By holding this role, in fact, you are aware of being an example for other people and this activates processes concerning the motivation and theself-esteem. In addition, teaching we find ourselves managing collaboration and cooperation in a completely natural way. Also a 5 -year -old boy, unconsciously, active the processes that increase the Relational, affective, social, motivational and cognitive skills.
What if the little girl teach the great?
We must not leave another important aspect: Sometimes it is the youngest child to teach the older one. The comparison between two children of different ages does not only imply a passage of notions, but also a teaching, so to speak, social. It may happen that a 5 -year -old boy, despite having manual and cognitive experiences, has a shy, clumsy or based on an emotional state of shame. Let’s take the case that this child helps another child smaller than him but more brisk: the older child will teach the other the steps for produce a more advanced jobbut at the same time the smallest will teach him to face social situations within the classto improve the relationship with his companions, to face shyness. So the teaching is bidirectional and not unidirectional.
In conclusion, a heterogeneous class produces one development in all children, small and largewho find themselves covering different roles over the three years of kindergarten: the small inexperienced observers learn from older children and later become the experts who, in turn, help newcomers.
