Early Development - the Role of Motivation in Learning of Preschool Children

Emphasis on early development provides opportunities for children to become more skilled, more capable, more sociable, and to have higher capabilities for various forms of learning. Child development is most commonly seen through analysis of particular aspects of development, such as: sensory-motor development, cognitive development, socio-emotional development etc. We often single out particular aspects in order to more clearly understand the laws and characteristics of single particular aspects of development. However, it is very important to emphasize that, when talking about different aspects of development, all of them are in interaction and that the development of preschool children is a complex phenomenon that cannot be reduced to a simple sum of particular aspects of development. Early development is undoubtedly a dynamic and flexible process that takes place in a social context. Today we look at a child as a whole being, which is a holistic approach. It is difficult to set a clear line distinguishing between the concepts of learning and those of development at early age. The concept of learning is used to describe specific changes in knowledge, while the term developments indicates a longer-term, broader changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes and thought other states. The way in which motivational factors influence learning of young children is not always one-directional process. For this reason, the support of educators, teachers and parents is crucial in guiding children achieve their goals.