The Four Stages of Cognitive Development 4 June 2001 A briefing by MaryJane Kiefer SENSORI-MOTOR STAGE (Birth to 2 years) PRE-OPERATIONAL STAGE (2 to 7 years) CONCRETE OPERATION STAGE (7 to 11 years) FORMAL OPERATIONAL STAGE (11 to ?? Years) A theory of children’s thinking by Jean Piaget, 1950

The Four Stages of Cognitive Development 4 June 2001 A briefing by MaryJane Kiefer SENSORI-MOTOR STAGE (Birth to 2 years) The child’s functioning proceeds from simple reflexive behaviors to the beginnings of early reasoning; necessary for pre-logical thinking and language. 6 Sub-stages: Reflexive Behavior Primary Circular Reactions Secondary Circular Reactions Coordination of Secondary Schema Tertiary Circular Reactions Beginning of Thought

The Four Stages of Cognitive Development 4 June 2001 A briefing by MaryJane Kiefer PRE-OPERATIONAL STAGE (2 to 7 years) The child develops the ability to represent objects and events (semiotic or symbolic function). The semiotic, or symbolic, function refers to the ability of a child to use one thing (a symbol or signifier) to stand for another (a significate); a signifier evokes a significate. 2 Sub-stages: Preconceptual Substage Intuitive Substage

The Four Stages of Cognitive Development 4 June 2001 A briefing by MaryJane Kiefer CONCRETE OPERATION STAGE (7 to 11 years) The child is able to perform mental operations but needs concrete objects to operate on. The transition from the preoperational stage to this one does not occur all at once, but rather over a period of time. Generally speaking, a concrete thinker can do things a preoperational thinker could not do.

The Four Stages of Cognitive Development 4 June 2001 A briefing by MaryJane Kiefer FORMAL OPERATIONAL STAGE (11 to ?? Years) This child can now reason logically and no longer needs manipulatives to perform mental operations. This child can now mentally interact with verbally-stated hypotheses. The thought process of the child in the formal operation stage considers the possible as well as the real. This child approaches a problem; Considers all relations that may exist; Then proceeds to determine which of These relations are indeed true.

The Four Stages of Cognitive Development 4 June 2001 A briefing by MaryJane Kiefer Kids think differently from adults so it changed the curriculum. Emphasized moral & social growth and intellectual development. Thinking was emphasized, and so was active environment. The teacher role was to provide an environment for learning.