Early Childhoods: Cognitive Development Part III Chapter Nine Early Childhoods: Cognitive Development Piaget and Vygotsky Children’s Theories Language Early-Childhood Education

Piaget and Vygotsky Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are famous for their descriptions of cognition.

Piaget: Preoperational Thinking preoperational intelligence: cognitive development between the ages of about 2 and 6. languages imagination

four characteristics of thinking in early childhood which make logic difficult: centration focus on appearance static reasoning irreversibility

Obstacles to Logical Operation centration: characteristic of preoperational thought in which a young child focuses on one idea egocentrism: children’s tendency to think about the world entirely from their own personal perspective literally means self-centered focus on appearance: characteristic of preoperational thought where young child ignores all attributes that are not apparent

static reasoning: thinking that nothing changes whatever is now has always been and always will be irreversibility: idea that nothing can be undone inability to recognize that something can be restored

Conservation and Logic conservation: idea that amount of a substance remains the same when appearance changes

Vygotsky: Social Learning First leading developmentalist to emphasize the other side of early cognition. young children not always egocentric can be very sensitive to the wishes and emotions of others Emphasizes social aspect of young children’s cognition in contrast to Piaget’s emphasis on the individual.

Scaffolding zone of proximal development (ZPD): skills a person can exercise only with assistance ideas or cognitive skills a person is close to mastering as well as to more apparent skills. scaffolding: temporary support tailored to a learner’s needs and abilities aimed at helping master next task

private speech: internal dialogue that occurs when people talk to themselves silent or out loud social mediation: function of speech where person’s cognitive skills are refined and extended both formal instruction and casual conversation

Children’s Theories Both Piaget and Vygotsky realized that children actively work to understand their world. seek to explain what they experience why and how people behave as they do

theory of mind: person’s theory of what other people might be thinking theory-theory: idea that children attempt to explain everything they see and hear by constructing theories theory of mind: person’s theory of what other people might be thinking must realize other people are not thinking the same thoughts that they are

Language Critical period for language learning due to: brain maturation myelination social interaction Early childhood is a sensitive period for rapidly and easily mastering: vocabulary grammar pronunciation

Grammar Grammar of language includes structures, techniques, and rules that are used to communicate meaning. word order word repetition prefixes and suffixes intonation emphasis

Learning Two Languages Bilingualism is an asset. Important to speak the majority language as well as the minority one. Is a nation better off if all its citizens speak one language? Should there be more than one official language? Switzerland has 3 Canada has 2

Bilingualism, Cognition, and Culture Debate over bilingual education inseparable from issues of: ethnic pride identity prejudice fear These subjective factors get in the way of objective developmental research.

Children who speak two languages by age 5 are: Bilingualism has both advantages and disadvantages for early cognition and literacy. Children who speak two languages by age 5 are: less egocentric. more advanced in their theory of mind.

Constant Change Basics of language learning apply to every language a young child learns. naming vocabulary explosions fast-mapping overregularization extensive practice Established languages continually change as each new generation revises it to meet current needs.

Early-Childhood Education Early educational institutions: preschool nursery school day care pre-primary Each early-childhood educational program emphasizes somewhat different: skills goals methods

Child-Centered Programs Programs that stress children’s development and growth. Child-centered programs that use a Piaget-inspired model allows children to discover ideas at their own pace. physical space and materials puzzles blocks of many sizes toys Child-centered programs also encourage artistic expression.

Early-Childhood Education Child Centered: Montessori Schools The Reggio Emilia Approach Teacher-Directed Head Start and Intervention Programs

Costs and benefits of the different approaches: safety adequate space and equipment low adult-child ratio positive social interaction among children and adults trained staff and educated parents continuity helps “How long has each staff member worked at the center?”