Quizzam 2: Study Guide

Cognitive Development

Piaget’s Big Ideas

• Schemes:

  • Definition: Mental frameworks for organizing and interpreting information.

  • Example: A child has a scheme for dogs that includes four legs and barking. They might initially call a cat a dog until they learn to differentiate between the two.

• Accommodation:

  • Definition: Adjusting existing schemes to incorporate new information.

  • Example: After learning about cats, a child revises their pet scheme to include both cats and dogs.

• Assimilation:

  • Definition: Integrating new experiences into existing schemes without changing them.

  • Example: A child sees a zebra and calls it a horse, fitting it into their existing scheme for horses without adjustment.

• Concrete Operational Stage:

  • Definition: A stage in cognitive development (ages 7-11) where children begin to think logically about concrete events.

  • Example: A child realizes that pouring water from a short, wide glass into a tall, narrow one does not change the amount of water (conservation).

  • Piaget’s idea of concrete operational thinking allows children to mentally: combine, separate, order and transform objects and actions

  • Conservation of number (failure): by increasing the distance between pennies Joe says thre are more Pennies, Joe is exhibiting a failure to conserve number  

Vygotsky’s Big Ideas

• Internalization:

  • Definition: The process by which social interactions become internalized as individual knowledge.

  • Example: A child learns to solve math problems with teacher assistance and later applies those strategies independently.

• Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD):

  • Definition: The difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can do with help.

  • Example: A teacher guides a child in reading a new book, enabling them to understand content that would be challenging alone.

Cognitive Processes

• Attention:

  • Definition: The ability to focus on specific stimuli while ignoring others.

  • Example: A teacher uses colorful visuals to keep students engaged during a lesson.

• Working Memory vs. Long-Term Memory:

  • Definition:

    • Working Memory: Short-term storage and manipulation of information.

    • Long-Term Memory: The storage of information over extended periods.

  • Example: A student remembers a phone number long enough to dial it (working memory) but recalls their best friend's birthday years later (long-term memory).

  • Memory changes in middle childhood are brought about by all of the following except: increases in intelligence

• Memory Strategies:

  • Definition: Techniques used to enhance memory retention and recall.

  • Example: A student uses mnemonic devices, like acronyms, to remember a list of vocabulary words.

  • Memory strategies: lead to better memory performance

  • Rehearsal: self repetition of material to be remembered

Application in Classroom:

• Definition: Strategies to support attention and memory in a learning environment.

• Example: Teachers can incorporate interactive games and use techniques like chunking information to help students remember and focus better.

Language Development

• Semantics:

  • Definition: The meaning of words and sentences.

  • Example: A child learns that "dog" refers specifically to a type of animal but can also understand the broader term "pet."

  • Semantic development: show serval examples of new words

• Phonology:

  • Definition: The sound systems of a language.

  • Example: A teacher emphasizes the sounds of letters in words to help children learn to read.

• Morphology:

  • Definition: The structure of words, including roots, prefixes, and suffixes.

  • Example: A student learns that adding "un-" to "happy" creates "unhappy," altering its meaning.

• Syntax:

  • Definition: Rules for sentence structure.

  • Example: A child learns to say "The cat chased the mouse" rather than "Chased mouse cat the."

  • Syntactic development: learning how to put words together into comprehensible sentences

• Pragmatics:

  • Definition: The use of language in context, including social rules.

  • Example: A child learns to make polite requests, such as "Can I please have that?" instead of simply demanding it.

• Memory span: children can repeat randomly presented items (numbers, words) immediately after the trams are presented

Supporting Language Development:

• Definition: Methods to enhance children's language skills.

• Example: A teacher encourages discussions about books during reading time, prompting students to express their thoughts and ask questions.

Bilingualism:

• Supporting English Learners:

  • Definition: Strategies to assist students learning English as a second language.

  • Example: A teacher uses bilingual dictionaries and visual aids to help students understand new vocabulary.

• Educational Models:

  • Definition: Various approaches to teaching bilingual students.

  • Example: A dual-language program where students learn in both English and their native language promotes bilingualism.

• Strengths and Benefits:

  • Definition: Advantages gained from being bilingual.

  • Example: Bilingual children often excel in problem-solving tasks because they can view problems from multiple perspectives.

Informal vs. Formal Learning:

• Informal Learning:

  • Definition: Learning that occurs outside a structured curriculum.

  • In formal learning is unique in that it is self guided

  • Example: A child learns to cook by watching a parent and experimenting with ingredients.

• Importance:

  • Definition: The significance of informal learning in overall development.

  • Example: Informal learning encourages creativity and critical thinking, which are vital for problem-solving.

Learning: Cognitive Skills for School

• Metacognition:

  • Definition: Awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes.

  • Example: A student reflects on their study habits, realizing they remember information better when they summarize notes.

• Executive Functions (EF):

  • Working Memory:

    • Definition: Holding and manipulating information in mind.

    • Example: A child recalls a list of steps to complete a craft project.

    • Executive function has been fund to be important to: academic success

  • Inhibitory Control:

    • Definition: The ability to resist impulses and distractions.

    • Example: A child waits patiently for their turn during a classroom game instead of interrupting.

  • Cognitive Flexibility:

    • Definition: The ability to switch between tasks or think about multiple concepts simultaneously.

    • Example: A child easily transitions from a math lesson to a reading activity without losing focus.

Concerns:

• Definition: Issues arising from poor executive function skills.

• Example: A child who struggles with EF may have trouble following classroom rules or completing assignments, impacting academic performance.

Support:

• Definition: Strategies to enhance executive function skills.

• Example: Teachers can implement routines, checklists, and structured environments to help students manage their tasks effectively.

Struggling with EF:

• Definition: Signs of difficulty with executive functions in children.

• Example: A child frequently interrupts others, has trouble focusing on lessons, or struggles to complete tasks.

Emotional Development, Self-Regulation, Motivation

• Emotion Regulation:

  • Definition: The ability to recognize and manage one’s emotions.

  • Example: A teacher teaches students to take deep breaths when feeling frustrated to help them calm down.

• Self-Regulation:

  • Definition: The ability to control one’s behavior and emotions.

  • Example: A child who struggles with self-control may find it hard to wait for a snack until after class; teachers support this by setting clear rules and expectations.

  • Not an example: a child tries to earn a treat that his teacher offered for good behavior

• Grit:

  • Definition: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals.

  • Example: A student practices a difficult piano piece consistently, demonstrating resilience despite challenges.

• Mindsets:

  • Growth Mindset:

    • Definition: The belief that abilities can be developed through effort and learning.

    • Example: A student who believes they can improve in math through practice seeks help and tries harder.

  • Fixed Mindset:

    • Definition: The belief that abilities are static and unchangeable.

    • Example: A student thinks they will never be good at art, leading them to avoid trying.

• Motivation:

  • Definition: Factors that influence a student’s desire to engage in learning

  • Motivation is defined as internal process that directs and sustains behvaor

  • Example: A teacher discovers that a student is more motivated to write stories about their interests (intrinsic motivation) than to complete a forced writing assignment for a grade (extrinsic motivation).

Supporting Mastery Orientations:

• Definition: Methods to encourage a focus on learning rather than grades.

• Example: Teachers can create an environment that celebrates effort and progress, such as giving positive feedback for improvements.

• Children who display a mastery- oriented motivational pattern are: likely to believe they can do better on task if they try harder

• Performance goal example: bart practices the song he will sing in his audition for the school choir

Cultural/Contextual Factors:

• Definition: Influences from cultural backgrounds that affect motivation.

• Example: In some cultures, high family expectations may motivate students to excel academically, while in others, personal interests may drive engagement.