Cognitive Development in Middle Childhood: 6-11 Years

Chapter 9

I. Concrete OperationsI. Concrete Operations

II. MemoryII. Memory

III. IntelligenceIII. Intelligence

IV. SchoolingIV. Schooling

Cognitive DevelopmentConcrete Operational Thinking

Can focus on more than one attribute Can focus on more than one attribute when doing a task.when doing a task.

Hinting.Hinting.

Storing and Retrieving InformationRead and List

Tell me your strategies Cake Cake bb

Book Book Shoe Shoe CarCar Ball Ball DishDish

ClockClockbb

FishFish TreeTree Chair Chair Bike Bike EggEgg

Part 2 Retrieving and Storingread and write

Tell me your strategies DogDog Cat Cat Pig Pig CowCow Grape Grape PearPear

Orange Orange PeachPeach ShirtShirt PantsPants Shoe Shoe SocksSocks

Spelling Test

List of wordsList of words Study: 5 minutesStudy: 5 minutes Administer testAdminister test Reflection:Reflection: What you had to be able to do.What you had to be able to do.

METACOGNITION

Thinking about your thinking. I know or Thinking about your thinking. I know or I don’t know…therefore. MetacognitionI don’t know…therefore. Metacognition

I know.I know. I know that you know.I know that you know. I know that you know that I know…od I know that you know that I know…od

don’t knowdon’t know

A Plan of Action

Make a plan…Why am I doing this? What do I Make a plan…Why am I doing this? What do I already know (prior knowledge)? Time to already know (prior knowledge)? Time to complete?complete?

Maintain and monitor…How am I doing?Maintain and monitor…How am I doing?What do I need to change? What do I What do I need to change? What do I

remember? If I do not understand, what do I remember? If I do not understand, what do I do?do?

Evaluate the plan… How did I did? What Evaluate the plan… How did I did? What would I do different? Did my thinking would I do different? Did my thinking strategies thinking work? How might I use strategies thinking work? How might I use this information in other situations?this information in other situations?

Metacognitive Knowledge When you try to remember things, do When you try to remember things, do

you remember some things better than you remember some things better than others? What kings of things are hard others? What kings of things are hard to remember? What ones are easier to to remember? What ones are easier to remember? Why?remember? Why?

If you wanted to call a friend on the If you wanted to call a friend on the phone and someone told you the phone phone and someone told you the phone number , would it make a difference if number , would it make a difference if you called right away or if you got a you called right away or if you got a drink of water first? Why?drink of water first? Why?

Metacognitive Knowledge, Cont. Suppose you want to go skating with Suppose you want to go skating with

your friend after school tomorrow. You your friend after school tomorrow. You want to be sure to bring your skates. want to be sure to bring your skates. What can you do to be certain that you What can you do to be certain that you won’t forget to bring your skates to won’t forget to bring your skates to school? How many ways can you think school? How many ways can you think of?of?

Suppose you lose your jacket at Suppose you lose your jacket at school. How would you go about school. How would you go about finding it? How many ways?finding it? How many ways?

Metacognitive Knowledge, Cont

Suppose I tell you a story and ask you Suppose I tell you a story and ask you to remember it. Would it be easier to to remember it. Would it be easier to remember it word for word or in your remember it word for word or in your own words? Why? Other ways? own words? Why? Other ways?

Memory Strategies

Deliberate strategies to store and retain Deliberate strategies to store and retain information.information.

Rehearsal of information: repeat information.Rehearsal of information: repeat information. Organizing information: grouping ideas Organizing information: grouping ideas

together.together. Elaboration of information (can practice at this Elaboration of information (can practice at this

point; still difficult): creating meaning and point; still difficult): creating meaning and shared relationships. shared relationships.

Chunking information.Chunking information. Children need hintsChildren need hints

I. Concrete Operations

““Operations” are mental actions that obey Operations” are mental actions that obey logical rules, including:logical rules, including:– Reversibility Reversibility (the most important one), (the most important one),

perspective—1,2,3…3,2,1perspective—1,2,3…3,2,1– ““Arithmetic” functions add /sub commonArithmetic” functions add /sub common– Serial orderingSerial ordering– CompensationCompensation

Each is an internal rule (or scheme) about Each is an internal rule (or scheme) about objects and their relationshipsobjects and their relationships

Areas of development:Areas of development: IdentitiesIdentities (conservation) (conservation)

– Decentering on tasksDecentering on tasks ClassificationClassification (class inclusion) (class inclusion)

– 20 Questions task20 Questions task LogicLogic

– Preschool: Transductive logic (preop.)Preschool: Transductive logic (preop.)– Middle childhood: Inductive logic (concrete Middle childhood: Inductive logic (concrete

operations)operations)– Adolescence: Deductive logic (formal Adolescence: Deductive logic (formal

operations)operations)

Beyond Piagetian research:Beyond Piagetian research:– Expertise (specific knowledge) due to Expertise (specific knowledge) due to

culture and schooling plays an important culture and schooling plays an important role.role.

– Much support for Much support for sequencessequences, but not for , but not for discontinuous discontinuous stagesstages

II. Memory

What changes is efficiency in terms of:What changes is efficiency in terms of:– RT: gets faster with ageRT: gets faster with age– StrategiesStrategies

RehearsalRehearsal OrganizationOrganization ElaborationElaboration

Development of memory strategies Development of memory strategies – Available schemes Available schemes to use as mnemonicsto use as mnemonics– Spontaneous use Spontaneous use of mnemonics: of mnemonics:

MetacognitionMetacognition Children need hints.Children need hints.

Intelligence Binet’s taskBinet’s task IQ = MA/CA x 100IQ = MA/CA x 100 WISCWISC Stability and predictive valueStability and predictive value Reaction rangeReaction range RaceRace Sternberg’s triarchic theorySternberg’s triarchic theory Gardner’s multiple intelligencesGardner’s multiple intelligences

Triarchic Theory: Sternberg Intelligence is more complex than a score. There are many Intelligence is more complex than a score. There are many

facets to consider in any situation. facets to consider in any situation. Analytical intelligence—critical thinking skills, effective memory Analytical intelligence—critical thinking skills, effective memory

strategies, general knowledge and self regulationstrategies, general knowledge and self regulation Creative intelligence—ability and skills to solve problems, quick Creative intelligence—ability and skills to solve problems, quick

at assessing perspectives. The learn quickly and deal with new at assessing perspectives. The learn quickly and deal with new experiences as challenges. experiences as challenges.

Practical intelligence, ability to apply intellectual skills in Practical intelligence, ability to apply intellectual skills in everyday life.everyday life.

Overall—intelligent people are able TO ADAPT their thinking Overall—intelligent people are able TO ADAPT their thinking and skills to accommodate their personal goals; they have the and skills to accommodate their personal goals; they have the ability to change situations to meet their needs. They can make ability to change situations to meet their needs. They can make situations work. They know how to match their own skills to a situations work. They know how to match their own skills to a given situation given situation

Gardner’s multiple intelligencesGardner’s multiple intelligences

ORGANIZING A LESSON

Gain student’s attentionGain student’s attention Bring to mind relevant prior to learningBring to mind relevant prior to learning ( e.g., review information from previous unit or field trip)( e.g., review information from previous unit or field trip) Point out important information. Point out important information. (e.g., handout, PP)(e.g., handout, PP) Present information in an organized manner.Present information in an organized manner. Show students how to categorize (chunk) Show students how to categorize (chunk)

related information.related information. Provide opportunities for students to Provide opportunities for students to

elaborate on the new information. elaborate on the new information. (e.g., look for (e.g., look for similarities and diffrences among ideas and concepts)similarities and diffrences among ideas and concepts)

Organizing Information—pt 2

Show students how to use coding when Show students how to use coding when memorizing lists memorizing lists ( e.g., make up silly sentences with first ( e.g., make up silly sentences with first

letter of each word)letter of each word)

Provide for repetition of learning (from Provide for repetition of learning (from short term to long term memory).short term to long term memory).

Provide opportunities for overlearning of Provide opportunities for overlearning of concepts and skills (repeated concepts and skills (repeated exposure).exposure).

Group Exercise: Running for School Board

You are running for election to the school You are running for election to the school board.board.

Prepare a Prepare a position statementposition statement on one of these on one of these issues (I’ll assign to your group):issues (I’ll assign to your group):– How to make schools more effective.How to make schools more effective.– Ways to measure intelligenceWays to measure intelligence