How To Explain A Difficult Topic To A Five-Year-Old?

If you can’t explain a topic properly, it means you don’t have a proper understanding of that topic. 

If you know a topic quite well, you can even explain it to a 5 years old, and this explains the depth of the knowledge of that particular topic. 

So, next time if you wish to be sure about your understanding of a particular topic, try explaining it to a 5-years old. 

Honestly, teaching primary class students is challenging in comparison to senior-grade students. 

Foundation level students are unaware of so many social things. 

Some topics need to be explained to them, but teachers often struggle with the right words to use, so the students can understand. 

E.g. Chandrayaan 3 is a successful mission and ISRO scientist are praised worldwide for their immense hard work and accomplishment. 

Now, think how would you explain this mission to a 5 years old. 

Feels challenging, Right? 

I felt the same, but then I watched a video where Chandrayaan 3 was explained in such a playful manner. 

And realised, a few tips that could help in explanation. 

Here are the tips to drill down a difficult topic in such a simple form that a 5-years old can understand. 

So, let’s get started!

Tips To Use To Simplify A Concept: 

Understand The Needs: 

Not every topic is required to explain to a primary grader. 

Also, the syllabus is designed in such a manner that children start learning basics in their primary and advance in their senior classes. 

Here, we’re talking about the topics that they should be informed about. Some topics could be related to their country, and some to their emotional and physical well-being. 

Like, Chandrayaan -3 is a subject of pride, so everybody even a child should know about it. 

Now, if we talk about emotional well-being, children are being taught about ‘Good-touch & Bad-touch’. 

There are ways through which children are getting educated and this ensures their well-being. 

So, it’s important to understand the need to explain a topic. 

Focus On Keywords: 

If you look at the referred video, only important keywords like ISRO, Chandrayaan, Spaceship, Rover, Vikram Lander, Temperature, Moon etc. are used. 

Children understand rocket, planet, temperature, and words they listen to in their everyday life. 

Thus they could make a connection to these words and understand the mission and its importance. 

Thus, important keywords mean words that can create a connection with the students should be used in the explanation. 

Storytelling: 

You would have a favourite superhero in your childhood like most children do. 

You would have your favourite storybook like most children do. 

So, the point is childhood is all about listening and watching stories. 

Most of the time, it’s cartoon movies. 

Thus, explaining a concept in the form of stories is helpful for children to understand and learn. 

Whether it’s Math or Science, a topic can always be explained in the form of stories, all it needs is passion, clarity, and persistent work to do it. 

Break The Concept Into Simple Steps: 

I was teaching to a class 6 student, online. It was a one-to-one session, and the topic was ‘Adding and Subtracting Mixed fraction’. 

When I started explaining the topic, I realised the student was struggling a lot with the topic. 

I kept on trying to explain, but the student continued to struggle to understand it. 

Then I observed that the student was confused about the basics like ‘Changing fractions from mixed to improper’, and ‘adding and subtracting fractions with the same denominator’. 

When he was struggling with prerequisites, how could I expect him to learn a challenging topic? 

So, I drilled down the concept and broke down the concept into simple steps. 

Though it took time to get him on the right level, but it was worth it for independent learning. 

Short Sentences: 

Children find it hard to register long sentences. 

They neither understand heavy words nor long sentences. 

Thus, to connect with children, it’s essential to teach them a topic using simple language and short sentences. 

Again refer to the same video, and observe that the narrator is speaking with proper breaks in between, and no heavy words are used to explain the mission Chandrayaan-3. 

Make Your Learning Simpler, And Be The Best Facilitator: 

The first few months or years as a primary educator can be challenging because there’s so much to learn and practice. 

As the famous educator Rita Pearson said, ‘Children don’t learn from the people they don’t like’. 

So, building a connection with the children becomes even more important than teaching them. 

Because once you become the children’s friend, you’ll start getting genuine responses in their behaviour. 

Practising the above-mentioned tips can help you to prepare any topic to teach children. 

A genuine effort and practice will make things possible for you as a foundation years educator.