Social Learning Theory

Learning is constant; we never stop. Much of it stays with us our entire lives. Remember the fumbling fingers trying to tie a shoelace? Once mastered, we retain it forever. (And we tend to do it the same way forever.)

You are your child’s first teacher. Before the formalised school setting, children learn through play and curiosity. See the posts here and here.

This post discusses another theory–Social Learning. Its key point is that learning occurs in social situations. Social learning is mainly informal. However, many skilled teachers tap into it through small group projects, peer tutoring, and cooperative assignments.

Here are the four key elements of Social Learning:

1. Observation: Children observe the people around them. They watch problem-solving techniques, take note of behaviour patterns, and follow routines.

2. Imitation: Children use the behaviours they observe, especially when they see those actions rewarded or praised. They trial behaviours to gauge their appropriateness.

3. Modeling: Children choose role models with appealing, competent, or rewarding behaviours. (Yes, they model inappropriate behaviours as well.) They model behaviour based on patterns they have observed or mimicked. Modelling reinforces imitation behaviours.

4. Reinforcement: Children respond well to positive reinforcement. Be careful of star charts or ‘working towards’ posters, though. A child’s modelled learning is best responded to immediately with praise and/or encouragement.

Social learning is another tool for guiding a child’s development. We are building a toolkit of strategies that can be combined with other theories, such as play and curiosity.

More info: see Albert Bandura