Cognitive Development: Building a Foundation for Language

Multiple Intelligences Theory

A theory developed by Howard Gardner recognizing that humans have several types of intelligences.

Cognitive Development

The process by which individuals organize their experiences and adapt their mental capabilities.

Schema

A mental structure that organizes knowledge, according to Piaget's theory.

Assimilation

The process of incorporating new experiences into existing schemas.

Accommodation

The process of altering existing schemas or creating new ones in response to new information.

Equilibrium

A state of cognitive balance where assimilation and accommodation are in harmony.

Sensorimotor Stage

The first stage of Piaget's cognitive development theory, from birth to about 2 years old, characterized by sensory experiences and motor actions.

Egocentric Speech

Piaget's term for children's self-directed talk during early cognitive development.

Zone of Proximal Development

Vygotsky's concept describing tasks that a child can perform with help, emphasizing the role of social interaction.

Intersubjectivity

The process by which two individuals having different perspectives come to a shared understanding.

Shape Bias

The tendency of young children to generalize novel names to new instances that match in shape.

Executive Functions

Control processes in the brain that manage attention, working memory, and inhibition of distractions.

Bilingualism

The ability to speak and understand two languages; associated with cognitive benefits.

Limited Capacity Hypothesis

The theory that a child can acquire one language completely but struggles to learn multiple languages simultaneously without competence loss.

Additive Bilingual Environment

An environment where a child learns a second language without losing the first language, promoting cognitive flexibility.

Subtractive Bilingual Environment

An environment where learning a second language leads to a reduction in proficiency in the first language.

Theory of Mind

The ability to understand that others have thoughts, beliefs, and perspectives that differ from one's own.