| Basic Concepts Unlimited

Does the Basic Concepts Programme (with its 6 conceptual domains) not ignore other important conceptual systems?

No, the BCP does not aim to teach all conceptual content but rather to provide a model for teaching concepts. Mediators who implement the programme and understand the Basic Concepts Teaching Model are able to transfer it to the classroom and their general teaching to teach other curriculum concepts.

Why doesn’t the school curriculum dedicate more time to concept development and the language required for learning?

The curriculum is content-focused and allows little time for concept mastery. There is a fundamental misconception about how children learn and the role of conceptual development in children’s cognitive development.

For example, how would one explain to a child what addition is if one does not make reference to other conceptual understandings (e.g. more, less, making more, making less, symbol for addition, symbol for subtraction). Without conceptual understanding learning is reduced to a mechanical and often meaningless activity.

Why is it that my learners will know a concept one day and then the next day forget it?

This probably means that the learner does not understand the concept. In the Basic Concepts Programme© the child’s understanding of conceptual knowledge is assessed using four criteria.:

i) naming,
ii) identification,
iii) representation and
iv) verbal expression of understanding.

Can all children - even those with cognitive impairments - develop an understanding of basic concepts?

Yes, all children can learn to conceptualize, no matter how cognitively impaired they are. It might however be that their categories need to be simpler and that they need more time to develop conceptual understandings. The process of conceptual development in all children should not be taken for granted or left to chance. It requires the mediational and relational abilities of a trained mediator to sensitively guide and systematically develop conceptual understanding.