cognitive theory
Evaluation for cognitive development
Child observed is male, four years and one month, he is the youngest child out of five sisters, and he comes from a single parent family, his primary carer being his mother.
This is an evaluation of child A’s cognitive development, linking the observation to theory and development according to Piaget and Vygotsky.
Child A enters room followed by another child, both ‘roaring’, when asked why they by a member of staff, child A replied “I am The Hulk and so is he!” Child A points to other child indicating that they are both engaging in make believe play. Make believe play is a major means through which children extend their cognitive skills and learn about important activities in their culture. Vygotsky’s theory (Berk, 2006) and the findings that support it, show that providing a stimulating environment is not enough to promote early cognitive development meaning even though child A’s surroundings were presented in a way to be stimulating to children at the nursery, who were playing in the current environment, he found more stimulation in make believe play. Child A attends nursery five days a week due to his mother being a full-time worker, the nursery is based on free flow play and accepts individual differences, all while providing opportunities for children’s active participation. Equipment is placed out for children and they are not told what or how to play, they make a decision as to how they want to play, very much like a Vygotskian classroom that promotes assisted discovery (Berk, 2006).
Child A laughs with his peers while role playing, then notices scissors, tape, paper and toilet roll tubes on a nearby table, child A approaches the table and picks up tube, he holds it to his eye and calls it his telescope. Child A asked one of his peers to help him cut the tube in half, he says “I want to make binoculars, we make them together” Piaget (Berk, 2006) viewed children as discovering or constructing virtually all
Child observed is male, four years and one month, he is the youngest child out of five sisters, and he comes from a single parent family, his primary carer being his mother.
This is an evaluation of child A’s cognitive development, linking the observation to theory and development according to Piaget and Vygotsky.
Child A enters room followed by another child, both ‘roaring’, when asked why they by a member of staff, child A replied “I am The Hulk and so is he!” Child A points to other child indicating that they are both engaging in make believe play. Make believe play is a major means through which children extend their cognitive skills and learn about important activities in their culture. Vygotsky’s theory (Berk, 2006) and the findings that support it, show that providing a stimulating environment is not enough to promote early cognitive development meaning even though child A’s surroundings were presented in a way to be stimulating to children at the nursery, who were playing in the current environment, he found more stimulation in make believe play. Child A attends nursery five days a week due to his mother being a full-time worker, the nursery is based on free flow play and accepts individual differences, all while providing opportunities for children’s active participation. Equipment is placed out for children and they are not told what or how to play, they make a decision as to how they want to play, very much like a Vygotskian classroom that promotes assisted discovery (Berk, 2006).
Child A laughs with his peers while role playing, then notices scissors, tape, paper and toilet roll tubes on a nearby table, child A approaches the table and picks up tube, he holds it to his eye and calls it his telescope. Child A asked one of his peers to help him cut the tube in half, he says “I want to make binoculars, we make them together” Piaget (Berk, 2006) viewed children as discovering or constructing virtually all