Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood

Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood Dr. Arra Chapter 7

Cognitive Development in Early Childhood PIAGET’S COGNITIVE THEORY 2nd Stage: Preoperational Thinking is…… • Unsystematic • Illogical • Irrational • egocentric

Cognitive Development in Early Childhood • Inability to Decenter • Fail conservation tasks • Speech is egocentric: one-way, monologues • Don’t understand theory of mind • Animism • Are not cause and effect thinkers (precausal thinkers)

Cognitive Development in Early Childhood • Recent research has shown that there is more variation to children’s thinking abilities than Piaget thought • Recent research has shown: • Children can decenter

Cognitive Development in Early Childhood • Can think ‘causally’ • Can pass conservation tasks (w/ less #’s) • Can differentiate between appearance and reality

Cognitive Development in Early Childhood Some New Theories based on Piaget’s Work: • Information Processing Approach • Behavioral Approach • Cognitive development due to experiences • The more you know, the greater ability to reason

Cognitive Development in Early Childhood 3) Biological/Genetic: brain growth, mylenation of axons = speed of neuronal transmissions increase • Therefore, better thought processes (memory, problem-solving)

Cognitive Development in Early Childhood Culture and Cognitive Development • According to cultural theories, children, due to social experiences/interactions, develop scripts • SCRIPTS: similar to schemas mental representations guide action in social settings scripts change/modified over time EX: script for behavior in a restaurant SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

Physical Development in Early Childhood Nutrition: • 1700 calories/day Eating Milestones: • 3: small servings, can use spoon, alright with fork, drink milk • 4: use all utensils, have strong likes and dislikes • 5: help prepare breakfast and lunch

Physical Development in Early Childhood Eating habits are engrained early in life • Fast food, diets high in fat • American Heart Assoc. 35% of calories from fat • Instead use low fat, low sugar, low salt snacks • Give healthy snacks at snack time, not sweets

Physical Development in Early Childhood Excessive sugar consumption: • Dental problems • Obesity • Could increase hyperactive behavior (ADHD)

Physical Development in Early Childhood Health and Illness • Shots and immunizations for measles, rubella, mumps, diphtheria, polio • Diarrhea: leading cause of death use oral rehydration • Pneumonia: prevent deaths with antibiotics or flu shot

Physical Development in Early Childhood • Under/Mal Nutrition • Hygiene: areas with unsafe water supply and sanitation (e.g., ecoli) MORTALITY RATES (1990) Highest: Angola, Afghanistan Lowest: Sweden U.S.: 22nd

Development of Reading/Spelling Skills • Phoneme Awareness Training Programs -Lindamood & Lindamood • Word Recognition • Decoding vs. Sight-word Reading • Reading Comprehension - attention problems (inattentive types)

Reading & Spelling WHOLE LANGUAGE APPROACH VS. PHONICS

Reading • Component Model of Reading Word Recognition + Comprehension (Sight Word, decoding)

READING INTERVENTIONS • Pictures • Outlines • High interest material • Story Grammar • Parents read to children • Paired reading (4th grade/2nd grade) • Frequent questions (comprehension)

Spelling Stage Theory • Prephonemic • Phonemic • Transitional (wave) • correct

English Orthography • Morpho-phonemic • Regressive • Use many skills to spell (e.g., visual, phonetic, morphological, linguistic, memorization)

Writing Interventions • High interest topics • Outline the process • Introduction>Body>Conclusion • Peer groups edit, modify, and evaluate other students’ work • Multiple drafts • Teacher editing

Assessing Intelligence • WJ-III • SB-IV • Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intellegence (WPPSI) • DAS

Assessing Achievement • WJ-III • Wechsler • TOWL • Kaufman

Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood