Virtual Learning Tips for Early Childhood Education

Written by Tabatha Bowen

Best Practices in Early Childhood Virtual Learning

According to the United States Census Bureau, more than 90 percent of households in the United States have a school-age child who has participated in from-home distance learning. Instead of commuting to school and participating in classes with peers, virtual learning brings the classroom to the child through a computer, tablet, or mobile device. Students typically engage in online and remote learning from their homes. In 2021, K-12 statistics from ThinkImpact reported three-quarters of schools in the US had plans to operate entirely online.

For early childhood educators, students, and families virtual learning can present challenges as much of a child's early education focuses on building focus and motor skills with hands-on projects and interactive activities. However, with the right tools and adaptable teaching techniques, teachers can use virtual learning to their advantage and set young students up for more success.

Remote Learning Tips for Time Management and Planning

While middle school, high school, and college-age students have experience sitting still and focusing on lessons for prolonged periods, younger students are just starting their educational journeys. Instead of lectures, group discussions, and tests, children need stimulation, engagement, and animated lessons.

Time management is one of the most crucial elements of virtual learning for young children. Effective time management breaks large goals into smaller tasks to accomplish everything in a specific timeframe. Young learners, especially those who have not yet learned how to tell time, lack the necessary frameworks to make these judgments alone.

In the classroom, teachers might use colorful pictures to signify when it is time to change activities or line up for lunch. Parents can emulate this at home by creating designated colors, graphics, or designated areas of the house that represent transitioning between tasks.

Preplanning is another critical component of virtual learning. Teachers should thoroughly plan their approach to students' virtual classes by adjusting existing lessons to meet new constraints and creating lessons specifically geared toward digital learning spaces.

Below are more early childhood education tips for teachers:

1. Hold Short Classes

Virtual classes can't and shouldn't be as long as in-person instruction, especially when working with young learners new to technology and online learning platforms.

Children absorb learning material better when they can focus their attention on the task at hand. Growing an attention span takes years of practice and development. In Universitas Padjadjaran's research on first graders' attention span during in-class activities, academic researchers found young students were able to stay on task for seven minutes at most.

That does not mean virtual classes shouldn't exceed a few minutes—very little education could happen in such a small amount of time. Instead, incorporate regular, scheduled breaks in between high-focus activities throughout a 20 or 30-minute class. Use these breaks to introduce movement or easy participation, like stretching or singing a song before transitioning to the next high-focus activity.

2. Create a Streamlined Schedule for Learners

Virtual classes don't have morning announcements or school bells to mark the beginning and end of class periods. Teachers leading the same group of students all day or holding multiple classes back to back should create a streamlined schedule to share with students and parents.

Start each class with an icebreaker question about students' favorite animals, colors, or TV characters to help them warm up to a round of virtual learning while teachers and parents have time to troubleshoot any last-minute tech issues.

Once the teacher has their students' attention and are ready to begin, they should take a few minutes to share your plans for the lesson and set expectations. Remind students how to communicate a question if they need to, and review all video call etiquette, like muting their microphones until it's their turn to talk and staying in view of the camera during lessons.

Use scheduled movement breaks as transitions between subjects to signal when it's time to shift gears to counting or letter tracing. Fullscreen graphics or flashcards can help young learners visualize the transition to a new topic.

Early childhood educators are all too familiar with classroom disruptions and distractions. Pa schedules with buffer time for technical difficulties and chatty students. Encourage parents to reach out privately to schedule a one-on-one video call if their child needs additional help with a subject or assignment to save class time and keep the other students focused.

Consider including virtual recess or free time for students to talk to each other, tell stories, have show and tell, or play games over video. This is a great way to help students foster friendships and develop their social skills in a remote environment.

The other part of a teacher's schedule should address parent communication and lesson planning. Set aside a few windows of time per week to connect with parents one-on-one over the phone or through email.

3. Flexibility in Remote Learning

Teachers should approach virtual learning environments with flexibility in mind, especially when leading a class full of young learners. Teachers are not only battling technical setups and varying internet speeds, but also got to capturing students' attention and keeping it long enough to teach the lesson.

While older elementary-age students are capable of critical thinking and are eager to learn more about themselves, young learners are still learning about the world around them. They are curious and learn by engaging all of their senses to experience and understand new things. Young students also struggle with self-lead work, preferring to work and talk with their peers. Naturally, this can translate to restlessness and disruptions as the teacher answers questions, redirects attention, and tries to meet each student's individual needs.

The longer a teacher works with a group of students, the sooner they'll pick up on patterns in each student's attention span. How far into lessons do students start getting distracted by things at home? Which lessons or activities engage students the least? Use this information to create flexible class plans that accommodate virtual learning needs while capturing and keeping the learners' attention.

Be prepared to adjust the typical teaching style and learning activities to keep engagement. Student engagement is a critical part of the learning experience. Engaged students form stronger connections with their educational experience, while students with low engagement might struggle with disciplinary actions or have difficulty keeping up with lessons.

Balance flexibility and student engagement with these tips:

• Plan Lessons in Time Blocks: Break each lesson into smaller blocks of time and incorporate interactive components every 5, 10, or 15 minutes, depending on your students and their patterns.
• Offer Appointments: Maintain availability for one-on-one appointments with parents to address specific concerns. In a traditional classroom, teachers are often the first to detect signs of learning challenges or visual impairment in young students—keeping an open conversation with parents is a good way to sustain that attention virtually.
• Get Creative: Designing interactive lessons for a digital platform can be challenging, but a little creativity will take you far. Create games, contests, and storytimes to help students learn new things and actively participate in class time.
• Gauge Interest and Attention: Gauge your students' attention and interest in a topic by monitoring their interest as you teach. For young learners, you can ask open-ended questions to see how well they're following a new concept. Adjust lessons as needed.
• Integrate Student Interests: Kids love getting excited about their interests. Lean into your classroom's favorite things, like popular TV characters, songs, or hobbies, to personalize lessons for better engagement.
• Develop a Rewards System: Young learners are just starting to build their educational foundation. Praise and rewards for doing well can encourage students to repeat good behaviors.

Part of being a flexible teacher is knowing when the plan just isn't working. Each approach will likely change between different groups of students, and that's OK.

4. Have Backup Plans and Lessons

Have a collection of backup materials ready, like links to educational videos for students to watch with parents, at-home activity kits, pre-recorded video lessons, and printable worksheets.

Make sure parents know about backup options for accessing the learning platform or video call. Send a message to parents at the beginning of the year encouraging them to download a backup program like Zoom or Skype for quickly switching to if the classroom portal is down.

5. Vary Content and Approach

The stages of early childhood are separated by more than subject. Vary the content and approach to fit a young audience's new virtual environment.

Teachers can approach this in multiple ways, depending on your class size and age. An active approach to engagement could be as simple as switching between topics and learning activities more frequently, or as involved as dedicating class time to pre-planned activities that let children participate often.

Some ideas for active content include:

• A scavenger hunt around the house with counting activities and color identification
• Virtual field trips to aquariums and zoos with live stream demonstrations
• Project and craft kits that parents can pick up or receive in the mail to complete with students during class
• Clay sculptures and modeling dough to fit specific lesson topics
• Classic childhood games like 'I Spy' and 'Simon Says'
• Memory and matching games viewable on the video call screen
• Launching a doodle app during the video class to draw pictures that keep students visually engaged in a lesson or story
• A puppet show with the option for students to create their own puppets
• Regular breaks for intentional movement, like standing, stretching, or dancing

Don't neglect socialization. Engaging with classmates and peers their own age is a crucial part of early childhood development. Find creative approaches to virtual social activities like lessons planned around developing social skills and inviting students to stay in the virtual 'classroom' after class ends to talk to their friends.

Teachers should also adapt behind-the-scenes processes to make the class as easy to follow as possible. Keep all project or assignment instructions brief and visible on the screen throughout the entire class to help students and parents keep up, and incorporate each type of learning style, including visual, auditory, and kinesthetic, into each lesson.

If teaching a large class, consider breaking it into smaller groups on different days to better target specific learning challenges. Save class time by planning 'double duty' activities that cover multiple subjects at once, like spending story time reading students a book about science and nature, or incorporating colors and shapes into number lessons.

Catering to absent students will also take a more flexible approach in order to keep them up to speed with activities. Use technology like live streaming software that records streams for easy playback and prerecorded video lessons with interactive graphics for students who can't make it to class. Schedule follow-up phone calls with parents and students to answer any questions before the next class.

Communication in Remote Early Childhood Learning

Clear, frequent communication is fundamental when teaching young children in a virtual or remote setting. Switching from in-person to online classes can be a very disruptive change for early learners, many of whom are still learning the basic parts of building and maintaining a daily routine.

While technology and the internet make it easier to incorporate multiple types of communication, young learners and families with less access to technology may have a harder time. Faulty equipment, slow internet connections, power outages, and outdated computer systems can stall classroom time and make it even more challenging for parents and students to keep up with new assignments, class schedules, and events.

By keeping an open line of communication with students and parents through multiple methods, virtual learning roadblocks are avoided while encouraging students and fostering a happier class.

Spotlight Learners Throughout a Class

Reward students who go above and beyond to stay engaged in class by spotlighting them as the 'learner of the day' or 'learner of the week.' By highlighting the different ways students bring positivity and a good work ethic to class, teachers communicate those expectations to students through an example they can follow.

Young learners will also love the opportunity to strive to make it into the learner's spotlight and are more likely to follow classroom rules and complete assignments on time with an exciting incentive.

Spotlighting each learner may take some logistical planning, depending on class size and time constraints. Keep a list of students previously spotlighted and make a point to highlight each student at least once before the end of the month or quarter.

Reverse the spotlight approach by highlighting a specific behavior each day or week and listing those students who excel in that area. For example, if the goal of the week is to encourage better virtual communication through etiquette like 'I raise my hand before speaking' or 'I wait my turn to talk during class time,' teachers can point out and celebrate moments during class when students meet these goals.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

One of the best ways to keep students engaged is by asking questions throughout each lesson, project, and class. Avoid simple 'yes' and 'no' questions. These questions should encourage students to think critically or imaginatively to better communicate the lesson.

Tailor questions to fit your young learners by focusing on open-ended questions that fit the themes being studied during lessons, like colors, numbers, creativity, or responsibility.

When teaching students how to name and identify different colors, ask a student to raise their hand if they have a favorite color. Engage the rest of the class by asking the group to think of different animals, plants, and objects they associate with that color. For example, if a student says their favorite color is yellow, the rest of the class might offer examples of yellow flowers, ducks, bananas, or school buses. While simple questions seem like a fun time to share and brainstorm with friends, they also help learners better connect lessons to their own lives.

Instructors can also incorporate physical cues, like nodding and holding a thumbs up, to help students follow along during class.

Communicate With Parents

Parents and caregivers are the keys to successful online early childhood education. Parents should work alongside instructors to prepare for classes and stay informed on student progress. Parents will need to help their young learners with everything from setting up computers and webcams to logging into class portals and completing at-home assignments.

Parental involvement is especially crucial for children who need extra assistance during class time, like those who may find the new virtual format too distracting or hard to engage with.

Teachers can take several steps before and during the school year to establish clear communication with parents and ensure the class is set up for success:

• Use Virtual Tools: Use virtual calendars and scheduling apps to keep parents informed about upcoming classes, events, projects, and special assignments that require preplanning or supplies.
• Collect Feedback: Gather regular feedback from parents through anonymous surveys and a virtual open-door policy.
• Plan Ahead: The earlier teachers plan and post their class schedule for parents, the easier it will be for them to make the appropriate accommodations for their student. Start planning before the school year begins by holding a parents-only question and answer session to address common concerns and technology troubleshooting.
• Schedule Open Hours: Set aside a few hours monthly for virtual meetings with parents to discuss student progress and answer questions. You can conduct these meetings via video conference or phone call.
• Draw Boundaries: While digital communication is a fast, easy way to interact with parents, establish boundaries early. Let parents know which methods of communication are and aren't acceptable, and which platforms they should use if they need a faster response.
• Send Reminders: Send frequent reminders for upcoming milestone events like assignment deadlines, classroom activities, or important software updates.

Since every caretaker juggles their own schedule and home life, it's important to offer multiple types of communication options. Consider a combination of paper mail, emails, text messages, and messaging directly through the classroom portal.

Early Childhood Virtual Education Tips for Parents

According to statistics collected by ThinkImpact, virtual learning can help some students retain up to 60% more information, but it has also resulted in a 30% increase in failing grades.

Parents can help bridge this gap by communicating with the instructor, anticipating online learning challenges, and staying involved with their child's progress.

Communicate With the Instructor

Parents should review all classroom schedules, lesson plans, and assignment materials ahead of time. If the class or lesson has a specific objective, like counting to a certain number or learning a list of new words, it's helpful for parents to be familiar with those goals to know how to approach homework and at-home activities with their child.

One of the most helpful, and often overlooked, virtual learning tips for parents is to take advantage of virtual meetups with the teacher to discuss concerns or challenges regarding their child's progress. Regular touch points are also a great way to stay connected to the child's educational experience and keep an open channel of communication.

Be Prepared for Class

Take time to dive into the child's upcoming virtual school year by creating a list of all the equipment and supplies needed to create an at-home learning area, like a work desk, webcam, or software subscription. Stay in touch with the teacher about specific activity requirements such as art and craft projects or kid-friendly science experiments to allow for plenty of time to collect the required items.

Encourage your young learner to practice good preparation skills by having them help tidy their workspace at the end of each day and set out the next day's clothes, snacks, and supplies.

Be Available During the Class Period

Parents or other adults should be available during class time as often as possible to help troubleshoot technology problems, guide their child through transitions between activities, and help keep their little one focused on the screen.

It's equally important that parents avoid overstepping and taking charge of the online learning experience. Young learners are easily distracted, and even a small interruption from a parent can set an entire class off schedule.

For online education to be as beneficial and informative as the traditional classroom, keep the focus on the child. Don't engage with other parents or students during class time. Focusing on the teacher without disruption encourages children to do the same.

Let the instructor guide the class, and keep a notebook handy to track any questions that arise and schedule a virtual meetup or email the teacher after class.

Summary

Virtual learning is a flexible alternative for students who can't attend in-person learning, and it can be the ideal fit for children who struggle to thrive in traditional learning environments.

Successful online education requires both teachers and parents to plan ahead and stay adaptable. Young learners new to the classroom are still growing and learning what it means to be a student and engage with others, and it will take some trial and error to find the best work-from-home arrangement that fits their needs.

With plenty of patience and preparation, early childhood virtual learning can help young learners retain new information, get comfortable with digital technology, and learn new skills that will set them up for lifelong success.

If you are planning on becoming an Early Childhood Education teacher in Texas, you may be required to take certification exams like the TExES tests.