Cognitive Development of Toddlers & Preschoolers Thinking during Early Childhood

2 ~ 6: Pre-operational Piaget Birth ~ 2: Sensorimotor Studied how children learn intellectually. Divided cognitive development into four stages. Birth ~ 2: Sensorimotor 2 ~ 6: Pre-operational 6 ~ 11: Concrete Operational 12 through adulthood: Formal Operational

Sensorimotor Stage 1 is the Sensorimotor Period Lasts from birth to age 2 2. They use their 5 senses and motor skills to learn and discover.

Pre-Operational Stage 2. Pre-operational Intelligence A. Means before mental actions B. Lasts from ages 2-6 It includes language and imagination (which involve symbolic thought), but logical, operational thinking is not yet possible.

Sign of Pre-operational Thinking Symbolic Thought - They are capable of symbolic thought. Example: Objects and words can be symbols

Signs of Pre-operational Thinking (Obstacles to logical operations) 1. Centration They focus their thinking on one aspect of a problem to the exclusion of others. Examples Lions and tigers at the zoo cannot be cats, because it is not their view of a cat (i.e. their kitty cat)

Signs of Pre-operational Thinking (Obstacles to logical operations) 2. Egocentrism (self-centered) - They continue to see the world from a personal perspective. - Everyone thinks the same way they do. Examples -may offer candy from their mouth because they are enjoying it -when playing hide-n-go seek, they assume that you can’t see their whole body if they can’t see you. -child giving his blanket to his mother when she is sad or sick, in the belief the object that comforts him will comfort her.

Signs of Pre-operational Thinking (Obstacles to logical operations) 3. Focus on Appearance They focus on how things look to the exclusion of other attributes. Example: A girls given a short haircut might look into a mirror and burst into tears because she thinks she has turned into a boy.

Signs of Pre-operational Thinking (Obstacles to logical operations) 4. Static Reasoning Things stay the same. Whatever is now has always been and always will be. Example: They cannot believe that a picture of their parents as children, is a picture of their parents.

Signs of Pre-operational Thinking (Obstacles to logical operations) 5. Irrevirsability Children fail to believe that reversing a process sometimes restores whatever existed before. Example: Mom puts lettuce on the hamburger. The child does not want lettuce. She throws a fit. The mother removes the lettuce. They child still does not want the hamburger.

Pre-operational skills (Piaget devised many experiments demonstrating the constraints of preoperational reasoning.) Conservation: One property changes, others stay the same. Cookie dough vs. cookies Two equal glasses, pour one into a taller narrower glass Two equal lines of checkers, increase the spacing of checkers in the one line. Which one has more? Two equal balls of clay. Squish one ball flat. Which piece has more? The big flat one. Two sticks of equal length. Move one stick. Which is longer? They center on what they see.

Pre-operational skills 2. Animism: The belief that natural objects and phenomena are alive. Examples: Clouds, mountains, and trees are thought to have feelings, goals, and even souls. Talking to animals Giving names to rocks, trees, clouds, or rivers. Magical happenings and magical sayings.

Signs of Pre-operational Thinking A. Learning through creative and dramatic play.

Signs of Pre-operational Thinking B. Difficulty focusing on more then one thing at a time. C. Acquiring language skills D. Abilities to follow directions. I “eated” my apple No, it’s ate Then I “ated” my apple

Signs of Pre-operational Thinking E. Starting to understand difference between fantasy and reality.

Vgotsky Believed that every aspect of children’s cognitive development is embedded in the social context. Children are curious. Children are observant. Children seek answers to questions (from adults) How things work Why weather changes Where the sky ends

Vgotsky 1. Every child is An Apprentice in Thinking. Children learn because adults do the following: Present challenges (attainable but not too easy) Offer assistance (without taking over) Provide instructions (not as commands, but as suggestions) Encourage motivation (with praise and enthusiasm) Examples? What children do with the help of others may be more impressive then what they learn to do alone.

Vgotsky 2. Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) All the skills the child can perform with assistance but that they cannot perform alone. The adult (or mentor) must find appropriate challenges for the child.

Vgotsky 3. Scaffolding The temporary support needed to enable a child to move through their zone and learn new skills. Examples: Getting children to look both ways when crossing the street (while holding their hands). Showing children how to tie their shoes.

Vgotsky 4. Private Speech The internal dialogue that children (or all people) have when they talk to themselves (silently or out loud) Examples: Talking out loud to review, decide, or explain.

Vgotsky 5. Social Mediation Human interaction that expands understanding (often through words that someone uses to explain something to someone else Examples: When teachers explain things Why children tell each other how to do things.

Children’s Theories Children try to comprehend their world and sometimes develop explanations (or theories) of their own. Examples: Why does my dad give my mom a kiss.

Children’s Theories 1. Theory - Theory Children attempt to explain things they see and hear. Examples: Why my sister is whinny What happens when the baby sucks on mothers breasts. Why people have a different skin color. Why it rains. Why my mom drives a red car.

Children’s Theories 2. Theory of Mind (about age 4) A child’s theory of what other people might be thinking. Examples: Playing jokes on other people Making someone else feel bad What my mom will say because I did this

Why does theory of mind strengthen at age 4? Brain Maturation – the older you are (5yrs) the more mature the brain is, the younger (3yrs) they think people think as they do. Language – mother-child conversations involve thoughts and desires Interaction with other children who have already developed the concept. – Older siblings. Culture – Brain maturation still plays a vital role

Toddlers & Preschoolers Are in sensorimotor period Learn from daily routines such as eating and dressing. Have a short attention span Parents should use everyday events to help them learn PRESCHOOLERS Are in pre-operational period Think concretely Don’t get sarcasm, jokes Don’t understand fantasy Ask many questions (why) Curious Want to understand their world Learn best by hands on activities

Helpful Techniques Talk with children about activities and outings Ask questions that require more then yes or no answers Ask for their opinions Include them in cooking, housekeeping, and cleanup tasks Let them experiment