Cognitive Domain
Given the characteristics of primary children previously mentioned, curriculum for this age group best complements cognitive development with organization and content that promote and/or include:
- Thematic or project-based inquiry to allow for in-depth integrated learning across content/subject areas
- Large blocks of time for work that allow children to pace themselves, stay involved, and work interactively with other children
- Opportunities for children to engage in planning and making choices directly connected to children’s learning experiences
A literacy-rich environment in the primary years is critical to the development of the written and oral communication skills and comprehension that are so necessary for later academic success. Primary school children benefit greatly from daily opportunities to interact with meaningful printed materials that become part of the curriculum, such as charts, lists, schedules, labels, and notes, which represent practical applications of language. Literacy materials should be available in all areas of the classroom, so that children can incorporate reading and writing in all of their activities and play. Books and other curricular materials for reading and writing should be plentiful, varied, and reflect the cultural experiences and real lives of children in the classroom.
Primary curricula are typically designed with good intentions by knowledgeable people to meet specific needs and goals; this is not a guarantee, however, that all the important domains of development will be addressed adequately or evenly. It may indeed be challenging for teachers in the primary grades to forge a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate approach from multiple separate subject area curricula, but it is not impossible, and such teachers have an opportunity to advocate for best practices that can make the school lives of children more productive, effective, and developmentally appropriate.