Cognitive Development Theory

Cognitive Development Theory

1. Jean Piaget

   • Sensorimotor stage
     • Infancy birth- 2 years
       • Children are learning and thinking through their senses and manipulation of objects in the world around them (Berk, 2000).
   • Preoperational stage
     • Toddler 2-7 years
       • In this stage children are using symbols to represent the previous stage's findings. Language, memory, and the use of objects in make-believe play are acquired (Berk, 2000).
   • Concrete operational stage
     • School-age 7-11 years
       • In this stage reasoning is in the process of becoming logical. There is organization of collected information, but not adult abstract reasoning is apparent (Berk, 2000).
   • Formal operational stage
     • Adolescence 11 years and older
       • Using logical thinking adolescents in this stage apply symbols to abstract concepts. Adolescents can now solve scientific problems with numerous potential conclusions (Berk, 2000).

2. Vygotsky

   • Teaching the Preoperational Child
     • Toddler and Early Childhood
       • - Use concrete props and visual aids to illustrate lessons and help children understand what is being presented.
         • - Make instructions relatively short, using actions as well as words, to lessen likelihood that the students will get confused.
           • - Do not expect the students to find it easy to see the world from someone else's perspective since they are likely to be very egocentric at this point.
             • - Give children a great deal of physical practice with the facts and skills that will serve as building blocks for later development.
               • - Encourage the manipulation of physical objects that can change in shape while retaining a constant mass, giving the students a chance to move toward the understanding of conservation and two-way logic needed in the next stage.
                 • - Provide many opportunities to experience the world in order to build a foundation for concept learning and language.
   • Teaching the Concrete Operational Child
     • Middle Childhood
       • - Continue to use concrete props and visual aids, especially with dealing with sophisticated material.
         • - Continue to give students a chance to manipulate objects and test out their ideas.
           • - Make sure that lectures and readings are brief and well organized.
             • - Ask students to deal with no more than three or four variables at a time.
               • - Use familiar examples to help explain more complex ideas so students will have a beginning point for assimilating new information.
                 • - Give opportunities to classify and group objects and ideas on increasingly complex levels.
                   • - Present problems which require logical, analytical thinking to solve.
   • Teaching Students Beginning to Use Formal Operations
     • Adolescence
       • - Continue to use many of the teaching strategies and materials appropriate for students at the concrete operational stage.
         • - Give students an opportunity to explore many hypothetical questions.
           • - Encourage students to explain how they solve problems.
             • - Whenever possible, teach broad concepts, not just facts, using materials and ideas relevant to the students.