Chapter Seven The School Years: Cognitive Development

Building on Piaget and Vygotsky Concrete Operational Thought Vygotsky did not believe the child was a socially isolated learner

Logic and Culture Piaget’s ideas still remain logical Vygotsky’s premise is that the social cultural context of learning is important Most research in U.S. and England

Information Processing Theory - processes by which the mind analyses stores retrieves Mind is like a computer

Memory Sensory memory Working (short-term) memory Long-term memory

Speed of Processing Older children are quicker thinkers than younger children Thinking speed continues to increase throughout adolescence Automatization helps free up thoughts for speed of processing

Knowledge Base Knowledge base—broad body of knowledge in a particular subject area that makes it easier to master new learning in that area

Control Processes Control processes—regulate the analysis and flow of information within the system

Selective Attention Selective attention—ability to concentrate on relevant information and disregard distractions Memory and thought depend on this ability Improved control

Metacognition “Thinking about one’s thoughts” Older children approach cognitive tasks more strategically and analytically

The Pragmatics of Language Pragmatics—using language fluently in many types of situations; from play through school years, distinguished by logic memory ability to make connections

Teaching and Learning Worldwide, many ideological debates swirl around the content and practice of elementary education A review of practices in 5 cultures found discrepancy between “expressed claim and observed reality”

Which Curriculum? Intended curriculum Implemented curriculum Attained curriculum Hidden curriculum

The Reading Wars Phonics Whole language

Phonics Versus Whole Language Phonics approach—teaching reading by requiring children to learn the sounds of each letter before they begin to decipher simple words Whole-language approach—teaching reading by encouraging children to develop all their language skills— talking and listening, reading and writing— all with the goal of communication

The Socioeconomic Divide Language development, reading attainment correlate with socioeconomic status the lower the family income, the less developed a child’s vocabulary and grammar

The Math Wars Math and science are key areas in which children should be ready for the challenges of the future Traditionally taught through rote learning New curriculum developed that teaches concepts, problem solving, estimating, and probability

Technology is another area of controversy Specifically, computers digital divide students in U. S. twice as likely to use computers in math and science than students in other nations

Bilingual Education Learning a 2nd language Total immersion—approach that teaches a second language in which instruction occurs entirely in that language and the learner’s language is not used at all

Attitudes and Achievement Success or failure in 2nd language learning seems to lie in the attitude of teachers parents the larger community Additive bilingualism Semilingual