Cognitive Development the Objective of Term Paper

____Age

Characteristic

Infant 0-2 years Affiliation

Early Childhood (2-7 years) Play

Middle Childhood (7-12 years) Learning

Adolescence (12-19 years) Peer

Adulthood Work

Source: Thomas (2008)

III. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PIAGET and VYGOTSKY

According to Dr. Michael Thomas in the work entitled: "Cognitive Language and Development" while Piaget was reliant upon the clinical method of using questions that probed and uncovered the understanding of children, Vygotsky was concerned "with historical and social aspects of human behavior that make human nature unique." (Thomas, 2008) Vygotsky held that a close link existed between the child's language acquisition and thinking development and that "speech carries culture in that it stores the history of social experience and is a 'tool' for thought."(Thomas, 2008) Piaget, on the other hand, "outlined a theory that states that the precursors of thinking and language lie in the elementary actions, perceptions, and imitations of babies." (Thomas, 2008) While Piaget held that the child's speech is egocentric while preschool age and that "as the child approaches school age, ego centric speech atrophies." (Dahl, nd) Vygotsky holds that ego centric speech "has a very specific function." (Dahl, nd) Vygotsky stated: "Our findings indicate that egocentric speech does not long remain a mere accompaniment to the child's activity. Besides being a means of express and of release of tension, it soon becomes an instrument of though in the proper sense - in seeking and planning the solution of a problem." (Vygotsky, 1962; p.16)

IV. APPLICATION of PIAGET and VYGOTSKY in the CLASSROOM

Vygotsky's theory can be incorporated into classroom activities through scaffolding the learning of students using the tools of dialogue and through allowing more able students to assist students who are not as adept. Social interactions in the classroom allow children to develop their language skills, which aids in their cognitive development.Within this framework, which is constructivist, the teacher asks student questions and encourages the students to ask their own questions. Vygotsky's 'zone of proximal' development theorizes that the child is able to learn beyond their own level of capability when they are engaging in social behavior while learning and that this social interaction, whether it be through adult guidance or collaboration among peers allows children to better learn. Another technique in the classroom that can be utilized is peer-group reading wherein children take time about reading aloud to the class which is a form of collaborative learning in which students are able to assist other students in learning new words and pronouncing them with is a form of scaffolding knowledge in the classroom.

SUMMARY and CONCLUSION

Both Vygotsky and Piaget acknowledge the importance of social learning however, Vygotsky places great importance on language development and the role it plays in the development of individual cognition.

Bibliography

Dahl, Bettina (nd) a Synthesis of Different Psychological Learning Theories? Piaget and Vygotsky. Norwegian Center for Mathematics Education

DeVries, Rheta (nd) Vygotsky, Piaget, and Education: A Reciprocal Assimilation of Theories and Educational Practices. Regents' Center for Early Developmental Education.

Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim. Online available at http://www.people.ex.ac.uk/PErnest/pome17/pdf/bdahl.pdf

Piaget, J. (1962) Comments on Vygotsky's critical remarks concerning 'The Language and Thought of the Child', and 'Judgment and Reasoning in the Child' (Cambridge Massachusetts, the M.I.T.).

Piaget, J. (1969) Psykologi og paedagogik (Copenhagen, Hans Reitzel).

Piaget, J. (1970) Genetic Epistemology (New York, Columbia University).

Thomas, Michael (2008) Cognitive and Language Development. Psychology BBC. Online available at http://www.psyc.bbk.ac.uk/people/academic/thomas_m/MRCPsych_thomas_cogdev_140305.pdf

Vygotsky, L.S. (1962) Thought and Language (Cambridge Massachusetts, the M.I.T.).

Cognitive Development.....