Chapter 9: Early Childhood- Cognitive Development Flashcards
Theory-Theory
Children explain everything they see and hear by constructing theories. They think of why the world is the way it is.
Theory of Mind
- Person’s theory of what other people might be thinking.
- Happens at age 4. Children realize people are not thinking the same thoughts as them.
- Austistic children have problems in this area, and matures prefrontal cortex.
Fast-Mapping
Fast way children learn new words by placing them in mental categories according to their perceived meaning.
Preoperational Intelligence
Piaget’s term for cognitive development between ages 2 and 6. Language and imagination, but operational thinking is not possible at this age.
Symbolic Thought
Object or word can stand for something else, including something imagined. Word cat means the animal that says meow.
Animism
Natural objects and phenomena are alive and have feelings like plants and animals. Thinking a tree gets lonely.
Centration
Child focuses on one idea, excluding all others. Sally thinks one who breaks a bigger vase is always naughtier than one who breaks a smaller vase.
Egocentrism
Piaget’s term for children to think about the world entirely from their own personal perspective. Vanessa thinks Barbie doll is good gift for grandma.
Focus on Appearance
Child ignores all attributes that are not apparent, seeing is believing. Billy is scared of dad on Halloween because he is in a vampire costume.
Static Reasoning
Child thinks that nothing changes. Whatever is now has always been and always will be. Jimmy knows it will snow this Christmas because it did last year.
Irreversibility
Child thinks that nothing can be undone. Nothing can be restored to the way it used to be. Susie can’t believe that photo is her mother from 10 years ago.
Conservation
Amount of a substance remains the same even when it’s appearance changes.
Scaffolding
Support tailored to a child’s needs and aimed at helping the child master the next task in a learning process. Mom helps Helen roll the dough out for perfectly made cookies.
Overimitation
Someone imitating an action not relevant of a behavior to be learned. Common in 2 and 6 year olds.
Private Speech
When people talk to themselves.
Social Mediation
Human interaction expanding understanding, usually through words one person uses to explain something to another.
Overregularization
Rules of grammar even when exceptions occur, making the language seem more regular than it actually is.
Pragmatics
Use of language including the ability to adjust language communication according to audience and context.
Montessori Schools
Schools offering early-childhood education based on the philosophy of Maria Montessori, brings careful work and tasks that each child can do.
Reggio Emilia
Program of childhood education originating in the town of Reggio Emilia, Italy, and encourages childhood creativity in a carefully designed setting.
Head Start
Funded early childhood intervention program for low-income children of preschool age.
Conservation Task
- All four limitations of Preoperational Thought are evident.
- Young children fail to see this process through liquids.
- It does not occur to them that they could reverse the process of the liquid technique.
Limitations of Preoperational Thought
- Cent ration
- Focus on Appearance
- Irreversibility
- Static Reasoning
Characteristics of Preoperational Thought
- Symbolic Thought
- Egocentrism
- Animism
Limitations of Piaget’s Research
- Very small sample size (own three children).
- Limited in verbal techniques by children because they are not as skilled verbally this young.
- Underestimated cognition at this age.
Lev Vygotsky: Social Learning
- All cognitive development in children is in a social context.
- Their intellectual growth is through older peers and parents.
- Adults are mentors by offering challenges, assistance, crucial information, and motivation.
Social Learning Terms
- Guided Participation
- Zone of Proximal Development
- Scaffolding
Guided Participation
Children learn through others who guide their experiences. Helen and her mom decide to bake cookies for Christmas together.
Zone of Proximal Development
Skills a child can only learn through assistance, not on their own. Helen has trouble with the dough on the cookies.
Rule of Language
- Internal Dialogue (private speech)
- Social Mediation (formal information and casual instruction)
- Words allow children from 2-6 years old to count objects, remember time and dates, and understand sequences.
Overview of Language Learning
- Language is pivotal in early cognition.
- Early childhood is important time to learn grammar and vocabulary.
- Age 2 they know 500 words, age 6 they know 10,000 words.
Vocabulary Explosion
- Child is mastering nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
- Comprehension is greater than conjunction.
Logical Extension
- Closely related to fast-mapping.
- Child using words to describe something. Like a horse with a hump is a camel.
Adults Helping Language Learning
- Book Reading (books to new words)
- Language Enhancement (introduce new words)
- Code Focused Reading (link between written/spoken words)
- Parent Education (ask children questions with parenting)
- Preschool Programs
Two Languages
- Children do not get confused with two languages.
- Bilingual children use both languages on same side of brain.
- Children not learning both with favor one more than the other, and will make that their language.
Bilingual Education
- In the U.S. 1/3 of preschoolers speak more than one language.
- Almost a million children will be poor in leaning with English.
Homes and Schools
- If home is poor, preschool offers health, cognition, and social skills.
- If home is good, preschool offers less things.
Learning Programs
- Child-Centered Programs
- Teacher-Centered Programs
- Intervention Programs
Child-Centered Programs
Creates individualism and creativity. They learn through play rather than adult direction. They also learn on their own.
Example: Montessori Schools, and Reggio Emilia Schools
Teacher-Centered Programs
Prepare child for formal educational instruction. All lessons taught to entire class. Less expensive, but child/teacher ratio is higher.
Example: Traditional Preschools
Intervention Programs
Give skills to disadvantaged children. This takes place to low-income children. Most advantages fade by third grade.
Example: Head Start
Research Findings for Programs
- Child-Centered: Favored by developmentalists, increase confidence and curiosity.
- Teacher-Centered: Favored by parents, processing theory helps.
- Intervention: Both techniques are used and helpful in ways.
