Unit 2 - Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory Flashcards
What did Piaget theorise?
Piaget theorised how children progress through stages of intellectual growth/development, stating there were 4 stages of growth for children
Theorised that children develop patterns of actions and thinking that provide them with conclusions about the world, called schemas
What are the 4 stages and their age groups in Piaget’s cognitive development theory?
Sensorimotor stage (0-2 years)
Preoperational stage (2-7 years)
Concrete operational stage (7-11 years)
Formal operational stage (11+ years)
(There is an overlap within age stamps as every child develops at their own pace)
What is a schema?
A way that children think, has one for each topic so they have millions of them
State what happens in the sensorimotor stage
5 senses - make sense of the world, ‘little scientist’
lack object permanence
messy play, treasure basket, outdoor play/exploration
State what happens in the preoperational stage
children influenced by visual representation- they lack conservation
lack logical thinking
learn through play and their 5 senses
State what happens in the concrete operational stage
children can perform logical thinking and problem solving but need physical resources to support them, e.g. counting bead or teddies
State what happens in the formal operational stage
children can perform abstract logical thinking
children can perform hypothetical questions, using experiences/memory recall
What theory is Piaget’s cognitive development theory similar to and why?
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs because they both describe development as progressing through distinct, sequential stages over time
What is Piaget’s theory called?
Cognitive development theory
How does Piaget’s cognitive development theory link to practice?
Young children may not be cognitively ready to learn abstract concepts
Young children are active and learn from doing
The environment is important to children’s learning
Children’s thoughts and logic may be different to an adults
What is a constructivist approach?
Children create their own understanding by linking new information to previous experience and cultural factors
Knowledge is constructed through interactions between teacher and child, in which the teacher scaffolds learning to encourage greater independence
Instruction is organised around problem solving, projects and cooperative learning.
What are some criticisms about Piaget’s cognitive development theory?
He may have underestimated what children can do
He didn’t emphasise the role of adults in supporting children’s learning
Waiting for children to be ready before exposing them to a concept maye hold them back
What type of approach does Piaget take?
Constructivist approach
