How a Young Child Thinks By: Janet Anthony And Becky Wittig

For Primary Students: Learning must be EXPERIENCED

Learning

must be

EXPERIENCED

Tell me, I FORGET SHOW ME, I REMEMBER Involve me, I UNDERSTAND Ancient Chinese proverb often quoted by educators

I FORGET

SHOW ME,

I REMEMBER

Involve me,

I UNDERSTAND

Developmental Stages of Learning CONCEPT LEVEL (concrete) Understanding relationships as represented by different concrete materials. CONNECTING LEVEL(semi-concrete) Link understanding to traditional symbols. SYMBOLIC LEVEL (abstraction) Ability to EXPRESS thinking through handwritten work.

CONCEPT LEVEL (concrete)

Understanding relationships as represented by different concrete materials.

CONNECTING LEVEL(semi-concrete)

Link understanding to traditional symbols.

SYMBOLIC LEVEL (abstraction)

Ability to EXPRESS thinking through handwritten work.

Jean Piaget Renowned Swiss biologist and psychologist Constructed a highly influential model of child development and learning Believed children build mental maps in response to physical experience within his or her environment

Renowned Swiss biologist and psychologist

Constructed a highly influential model of child development and learning

Believed children build mental maps in response to physical experience within his or her environment

Piaget’s Theory of Child Development Sensorimotor - (birth to 2 years) Child thinks with their eyes, ears, and hands. Cognitive system is limited to motor reflexes at birth, but the child builds on these reflexes. Preoperational - (2 years to 7 years) Child acquires skills in the area of mental imagery and language. He or she is very egocentric. The child cannot yet think abstractly and needs concrete physical situations .

Piaget’s Theory of Child Development

Sensorimotor - (birth to 2 years) Child thinks with their eyes, ears, and hands. Cognitive system is limited to motor reflexes at birth, but the child builds on these reflexes.

Preoperational - (2 years to 7 years) Child acquires skills in the area of mental imagery and language. He or she is very egocentric. The child cannot yet think abstractly and needs concrete physical situations .

Piaget’s Theory of Development ● Concrete operational (7 years to 11 years) As physical experience accumulates, the child starts to create logical structures that explain his or her physical experiences. ● Formal operational (11 years and up) Child is capable of thinking logically and abstractly.

● Concrete operational (7 years to 11 years) As physical experience accumulates, the child starts to create logical structures that explain his or her physical experiences.

● Formal operational (11 years and up) Child is capable of thinking logically and abstractly.

ADULTS: Analyze “I remember what I read” “I remember what I heard” CHILDREN: Experience “ I remember what I did” “ I remember what I saw”

ADULTS:

Analyze

“I remember what I read”

“I remember what I heard”

PRESENT 1 CONCEPT AT A TIME The fewer the pieces of new information there are to manage The easier it is to learn

The fewer the pieces of new information

there are to manage

The easier it is

to learn

PUTTING TOGETHER IS EASIER than TAKING APART adding IS EASIER than subtracting multiplying IS EASIER than dividing

PUTTING TOGETHER

IS EASIER

than TAKING APART

adding

IS EASIER

than subtracting

multiplying

IS EASIER

than dividing

Musical connections: Appropriate to S L O W things down at the beginning

Appropriate to

REMEMBERING INFORMATION THE MORE SEPARATE PIECES THERE ARE the greater the chance of dropping 1 or 2 pieces without realizing it

THE MORE SEPARATE PIECES THERE ARE

the greater the chance of dropping

1 or 2 pieces without realizing it

INFORMATIONAL CHUNKS that make sense are easier to remember

that make sense

are easier to remember

CONNECTING CHUNKS in a meaningful way is easiest of all…

in a meaningful way

is easiest of all…

Separate pieces: THED OGA TEHI SFO OD

THED OGA TEHI SFO OD

Pieces become meaningful chunks : THED OGA TEHI SFO OD ATE FOOD THE DOG HIS

THED OGA TEHI SFO OD

Connecting Chunks in a way that makes sense : THED OGA TEHI SFO OD ATE FOOD THE DOG HIS THE DOG ATE HIS FOOD.

THED OGA TEHI SFO OD