Approaches to Learning presents a way of thinking about learning. It is different from the other essential domains in that it doesn't focus on what skills, concepts, or behaviors children acquire, but on how children acquire them. Although there are many characteristics that could be included in Approaches to Learning, here are six basic dispositions:

• Self-regulation/Attention
• Curiosity
• Information-gathering
• Memory
• Problem-solving
• Persistence through small frustrations

The ELOF provides a detailed progression of the knowledge and skills a child achieves in these sub-domains. These processes create the foundation for all learning.

How To

Self-Regulation/Attention
The ability to manage—or regulate—your reactions to internal or external events. When a child is not easily distracted, he or she is able to focus, become engaged, and pay attention to exploration and interactions. You support parents in nurturing self-regulation and attention by:

• Helping them maintain a calm attitude and presence when their child is upset
  • Children are "tuned in" to adults' emotions
  • Expressing calmness can help children manage strong emotions
• Acknowledging and commenting when parents identify self-soothing behaviors; for example, asking, "What does Odele do to comfort herself? Does she suck her thumb?"
• Suggesting ways to give toddlers and preschoolers simple choices, such as, "You may have apple slices or orange slices."
• Showing parents ways to help their child stay engaged and attentive, perhaps by commenting on what the child is doing or introducing a new aspect to the child's play or interaction
  • For example, saying to the parent, "You might ask Joie how she's going to put her baby to sleep now."
• Creating an environment that allows safe exploration
• Learning routines such as washing hands before meals, applying sunscreen before going outside, and holding Mom's hand while crossing the street
• Assisting parents to teach children to recognize and name their feelings
• Modeling ways in which toddlers and preschoolers can express their emotions effectively and appropriately (e.g., "You can say, ‘I'm mad' or ‘I don't like that,' " or "You can scribble on paper when you are angry.")

Curiosity
A strong desire to explore and learn. Young children are constantly learning about themselves, others, and the world. You support parents in nurturing curiosity by:

• Joining them in observing what children are doing
  • Explain to parents that observing is a process.
  • When observing, parents should watch and listen for cues (e.g., body movements, facial expressions, vocalizations, children approaching or withdrawing) and offer comments or questions that reflect what children might be wondering, thinking, or trying to discover. For example, "Megan, it looks like you're trying to climb up on the sofa. You want to get up there."
• Allowing children to explore open-ended materials; for example, toys that young children can use in many ways, like blocks, scarves, or boxes
  • Remember, there is a lot to learn about shapes, objects in space, balance, and gravity from stacking boxes or blocks
• Creating safe environments and providing active supervision of children at all times

Information-gathering
Learning through watching, listening, moving, smelling, tasting, and touching. You support parents in nurturing information gathering by:

• Encouraging parents to give children information about things that interest their child. Use words to describe the objects, people, actions, and feelings in the child's world. Expand on their interests. For example:
  • Watching the child together with the parents and exchanging ideas about what the child is interested in (e.g., "I think he's listening to the paper crackle, trying to figure out what makes it crackle sometimes and be quiet at other times. He's looking for what causes the crackling.")

Memory 
Remembering what is seen and heard. Memory is involved in object permanence, knowing that objects and people exist even when you can't see them. Working memory lets the child combine stored information with new information. Long-term memory is used as a child anticipates the routines of bedtime or where certain toys are put away. You support parents in nurturing memory by:

• Encouraging parents to play peek-a-boo or hide-and-seek (without being completely hidden) with their children
• Suggesting they talk about events that happened earlier in the day, the day before, or even "a long time ago"
  • Young children may not have a concrete sense of time but are often surprisingly good at remembering what happened before
• Using photos of children, their families, and familiar objects to talk about children's past experiences and help them create and keep memories. 
• Reading books or talking about activities before they happen, and later reminding the child how you discussed or talked about it before

Problem-solving
Figuring out how things work. Young children's curiosity and motivation to figure out how things work often lead them to discover or create their own "problems" to solve, such as, "How do I get my ball out from under the sofa?" or "How can I get these blocks to stay up?" 

You support parents in nurturing problem-solving by:

• Assuring parents that young children get real satisfaction from solving problems by themselves if they can and with "just enough" help if they can't
  • You might say, "Let's watch for a minute. She's really working on it and doesn't seem frustrated."
• Suggesting parents ask their toddler, "What else might work?" and offering an idea, if the child needs it

Persistence
The young child's ability to keep trying to do something even when she fails. You support parents in nurturing persistence by:

• Helping them think of things to say to offer emotional support. For example, parents could use simple statements such as, "I can see how frustrating that is for you. You are really working hard to figure that out." Even very young children can understand and benefit from knowing that someone recognizes they are trying. Children who are trying are still learning something—even if they don't reach their goal!
• Assisting parents to recognize their child's tolerance for frustration. Some children are frustrated with one failed attempt, while others seem able to persist no matter what. Sometimes it is harder for the adults to watch the child try and try and not succeed, reminding parents that we all learn from failures—even young children!

Experience It

A child is playing in an unstructured experience with blocks. Although you don't see her, her mother is nearby observing but not actively engaged with the child. Notice how the home visitor in this group socialization enriches the child's play by following her lead while adding a social element. Listen carefully for the song near the end.