Cognitive Development
How can we help children to advance their cognitive development?
Helping children advance their cognitive development has lately been a challenging mission for both professional in the education field, and those parenting children. It is obvious that effective results are not present in every child, through the established methodologies, but it is in the majority of the cases. However, the earlier these methodologies are put into practice, by both educators and caregivers, the more probabilities there are that children will effectively develop their cognitive abilities. Based on “Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development”, I will provide several strategic models with outcomes, resulting in the different stages of cognitive development that the child can progress from.
Helping children advance their cognitive development has lately been a challenging mission for both professional in the education field, and those parenting children. It is obvious that effective results are not present in every child, through the established methodologies, but it is in the majority of the cases. However, the earlier these methodologies are put into practice, by both educators and caregivers, the more probabilities there are that children will effectively develop their cognitive abilities. Based on “Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development”, I will provide several strategic models with outcomes, resulting in the different stages of cognitive development that the child can progress from.
Piaget’s Sensorimotor Stage (Birth to 2 Years of Age)
According to Piaget, in the Sensorimotor Stage, “the infant constructs an understanding of the world by coordinating sensory experiences with physical actions (Santrock, 2011)
· Infant progresses from reflexive, instinctual action at birth to the beginning of symbolic thought toward the end of the stage” (2011)
· Children in the sensorimotor stage are exploring the environment through sensory contact with objects, and the use of evolving motor skills (Webb, 1980)
· Children at this stage are constructing the concept of object permanency
· It is important that educators and parents let children handle objects as they please (grasping objects, putting them in his/her mouth, dropping and picking them, shaking them, and even make sounds while handling them, so on and so forth) (1980)
· By doing so, they will progressively construct their space and time (Kami, 1970)
Teaching Strategies
· A teaching strategy that helps children to develop the concept of object permanency is to (Webb, 1980):
o Hide a toy under a pillow, and then show it to the child (1980)
o Repeating this same operation, 4 or 5 times, until the child understands that the object is present (or it exists), even though the child is not actually able to see it (1980)
· Giving the child objects of different textures and shapes is another effective strategy:
o Children can develop the use of his senses, by the discovery of new textures and shapes (1980)
· A third strategy, based on Patricia K. Webb, would be a cause and effect strategy together with the concept of object permanency:
o The child would be placing and removing an object from a box (1980)
o Verbal interaction with this activity must be reinforced, in order for the child to use the rest of his senses (tact, visual, vocal and hearing), excluding the sense of smell (1980)
· A teaching strategy that helps children to develop the concept of object permanency is to (Webb, 1980):
o Hide a toy under a pillow, and then show it to the child (1980)
o Repeating this same operation, 4 or 5 times, until the child understands that the object is present (or it exists), even though the child is not actually able to see it (1980)
· Giving the child objects of different textures and shapes is another effective strategy:
o Children can develop the use of his senses, by the discovery of new textures and shapes (1980)
· A third strategy, based on Patricia K. Webb, would be a cause and effect strategy together with the concept of object permanency:
o The child would be placing and removing an object from a box (1980)
o Verbal interaction with this activity must be reinforced, in order for the child to use the rest of his senses (tact, visual, vocal and hearing), excluding the sense of smell (1980)
Pre-operational Stage (Approximately from 2 to 7 years old)
According to Piaget, the Pre-Operational Stage, “is more symbolic than sensorimotor thought but does not involve operational thought (Santrock, 2011):
· The Pre-Operational Stage is divided into two sub-stages:
o The symbolic function sub-stage
o The intuitive thought sub-stage
· It is egocentric and intuitive rather than logical” (2011)
· Children develop some reasoning but only about objects, which are physically present (2011)
· Children are not able to have abstract reasoning (2011)
· Children are always viewing things from his/her point of view (which is understood as egocentrism) and without a logical thought (intuitive) (2011)
According to Piaget, the Pre-Operational Stage, “is more symbolic than sensorimotor thought but does not involve operational thought (Santrock, 2011):
· The Pre-Operational Stage is divided into two sub-stages:
o The symbolic function sub-stage
o The intuitive thought sub-stage
· It is egocentric and intuitive rather than logical” (2011)
· Children develop some reasoning but only about objects, which are physically present (2011)
· Children are not able to have abstract reasoning (2011)
· Children are always viewing things from his/her point of view (which is understood as egocentrism) and without a logical thought (intuitive) (2011)
Teaching Strategies
· Teachers and parents may stimulate activities using objects that are common to those found at home; by doing so, a relationship between the home and the school environments are strengthened, which enables the child to not feel intimidated by new educational materials (Mayfield, 1980).
o Children need to feel free to manipulate the objects used, and the teacher must help them classify the objects by color, size, shape, etc. (1980)
o Children are able to copy patterns and separate objects into classes (1980)
· The strategy of the use of picture books to stimulate the development of concepts, and vocabulary using interactive activities between teachers and students, by questioning children about events presented in the respective books (Hansen & Zambo, 2005), motivates the children’s reasoning.
o Piaget argues that children at this stage have not developed the concept of conservation, and the skill to solve operations (mental operations that are reversible) (2005)
o They focus in one characteristic of any object (centration) (2005)
· Teachers can advance pre-operational thinkers by implementing the following:
o Repetitious activities that show the conservation of an object (for example, pouring water in containers with different shapes and then showing them that the liquid water amount is the same regardless of the containers’ shapes) (2005)
o The skills to solve mathematical operations such as, adding and subtracting numbers form the beginning of the operation, and then from the end, in order to show them reversibility, and the ability of considering more than one characteristic of an object (i.e., using 3D images or games).
· Teachers and parents may stimulate activities using objects that are common to those found at home; by doing so, a relationship between the home and the school environments are strengthened, which enables the child to not feel intimidated by new educational materials (Mayfield, 1980).
o Children need to feel free to manipulate the objects used, and the teacher must help them classify the objects by color, size, shape, etc. (1980)
o Children are able to copy patterns and separate objects into classes (1980)
· The strategy of the use of picture books to stimulate the development of concepts, and vocabulary using interactive activities between teachers and students, by questioning children about events presented in the respective books (Hansen & Zambo, 2005), motivates the children’s reasoning.
o Piaget argues that children at this stage have not developed the concept of conservation, and the skill to solve operations (mental operations that are reversible) (2005)
o They focus in one characteristic of any object (centration) (2005)
· Teachers can advance pre-operational thinkers by implementing the following:
o Repetitious activities that show the conservation of an object (for example, pouring water in containers with different shapes and then showing them that the liquid water amount is the same regardless of the containers’ shapes) (2005)
o The skills to solve mathematical operations such as, adding and subtracting numbers form the beginning of the operation, and then from the end, in order to show them reversibility, and the ability of considering more than one characteristic of an object (i.e., using 3D images or games).
Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 11 Years of Age)
Piaget claims that in the Concrete Operational Stage, “the child can now reason logically about concrete events and classify objects into different sets” (Santrock, 2011):
· Children have more logical thinking and abstract reasoning abilities (2011)
· Teachers can use physical experiences, and logical-mathematical activities to help children in their transition from the pre-operational stage, to the concrete operational stage (2011)
· Physical experiences involve the development of mental structures about objects; for example, activities related to discrimination and classifications help the children to construct the concept of conservation (2011)
Teaching Strategies
· In addition, activities that include seriating and counting, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing help the children to develop a logical behavior (Henry, 1978)
· It is also important to continue asking students to justify their answers when they solve problems, and reason with them about the validity, and accuracy of their conclusions (Santrock, 2011)
Formal Operational Stage (11 Years of Age through Adulthood)
Piaget argues that in “Formal Operational Stage”, “the adolescent reasons in more abstract, idealistic, and logical ways” (Santrock, 2011):
· Adolescents solve problems using logic and hypothetical reasoning
· Mitchell and Lawson (1988) reported, “the major source of difficulty for college students in solving genetics problems was found to lie in their lack of appropriate hypothetic-deductive reasoning skill”, thus, not all students who reach the adolescence or young adulthood have developed their formal thinking
· In fact, studies have established that a considerable percentage of students at the high school and college level, even then, they are at the concrete operational stage (2011)
Teaching Strategies
· Teachers need to implement classroom activities that help them develop their critical thinking (Paul & Elder, 2008):
o Teacher can form work groups with the intention of exchanging ideas regarding a particular issue, or problem—using the same group-work technique (2008)
o Teachers can administer the students with many new concepts, so students can provide explanations regarding the respective concept meanings to the rest of the group (2008)
· Teachers must foster activities containing reading, discussions, debates, that can stimulate students in analyzing, and evaluating the information provided in the classrooms (Garside, 1996)
· It is imperative to remember that students are an active part of the classroom—thus; teachers have to provide them the opportunity to ask questions, and be able to freely express their opinions (1996)
Piaget claims that in the Concrete Operational Stage, “the child can now reason logically about concrete events and classify objects into different sets” (Santrock, 2011):
· Children have more logical thinking and abstract reasoning abilities (2011)
· Teachers can use physical experiences, and logical-mathematical activities to help children in their transition from the pre-operational stage, to the concrete operational stage (2011)
· Physical experiences involve the development of mental structures about objects; for example, activities related to discrimination and classifications help the children to construct the concept of conservation (2011)
Teaching Strategies
· In addition, activities that include seriating and counting, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing help the children to develop a logical behavior (Henry, 1978)
· It is also important to continue asking students to justify their answers when they solve problems, and reason with them about the validity, and accuracy of their conclusions (Santrock, 2011)
Formal Operational Stage (11 Years of Age through Adulthood)
Piaget argues that in “Formal Operational Stage”, “the adolescent reasons in more abstract, idealistic, and logical ways” (Santrock, 2011):
· Adolescents solve problems using logic and hypothetical reasoning
· Mitchell and Lawson (1988) reported, “the major source of difficulty for college students in solving genetics problems was found to lie in their lack of appropriate hypothetic-deductive reasoning skill”, thus, not all students who reach the adolescence or young adulthood have developed their formal thinking
· In fact, studies have established that a considerable percentage of students at the high school and college level, even then, they are at the concrete operational stage (2011)
Teaching Strategies
· Teachers need to implement classroom activities that help them develop their critical thinking (Paul & Elder, 2008):
o Teacher can form work groups with the intention of exchanging ideas regarding a particular issue, or problem—using the same group-work technique (2008)
o Teachers can administer the students with many new concepts, so students can provide explanations regarding the respective concept meanings to the rest of the group (2008)
· Teachers must foster activities containing reading, discussions, debates, that can stimulate students in analyzing, and evaluating the information provided in the classrooms (Garside, 1996)
· It is imperative to remember that students are an active part of the classroom—thus; teachers have to provide them the opportunity to ask questions, and be able to freely express their opinions (1996)