Cognitive DevelopmentPiaget’s Theory Concrete Operational stage (7-11)- Logical- Flexibility - Think they know everything- Can’t think abstractly Conservation- Decentration - Reversibility- working backwards and forwards  Classification Seriation- Transitive inference- Putting things in order mentally Spatial reasoning- Directions- MapsLimitations Of Concrete Operational Mental observations work best with objects that are concrete Continuum of acquisition - Master concreteInformation Processing Perspective Between 6-12, increase in information processing speed and capacity (more directions) Gains in inhibition (start to block things out) Both may be related to brain developmentAttention Attention becomes more- Selective- Adaptable- Planful Children with ADHD - Cannot stay task focused for more than a few minutes- Often ignored social rules and lash out when frustrated- Originso Highly irritable, but also associated with environmental factorso Correlated with a stressful home lifeDevelopment of Memory Strategies Rehearsal: Early grade school - Repeating things to themselves over and over Organization: Soon after Rehearsal- Knowledge base helps organization Elaboration: End of Middle Childhood- Meaningful chunks of information Schooling promotes using memory strategies- But those in non-western cultures may not benefit from instruction in memory strategiesTheory Of Mind View mind as active, constructive Understand more about sources of knowledge Consider interactions of variables- Mental influences- False beliefs Schooling promotes developing theory of mind- Private speech- problem solving in their head rather than out loudPromoting Cognitive Self-Regulation Point out special demands of tasks Encourage use of strategies Emphasize value of self correction Self-regulatory skills help develop a sense of academic self efficiencyInformation Processing and Academic Learning Reading- Whole language approach- Phonological awareness- A combination of the two approaches along with excellent teaching practices shows the best results in literacy progress for 1st graders Math- Elementary education builds upon children’s informal knowledge of numbers and computations- Practices, experimentations with computations - Some processes become automatic, leading to more complex usageEmotional Intelligence Ability to process and adapt to emotional information Modestly associated with IQ Positively associated with self esteem, empathy, pro-social behavior and life satisfactionLanguage Development  Metalinguistic awareness increases Vocabulary- Increases fourfold during school years - 20 new words a day Grammar- Passive voice - Infinitive stage  Pragmatics- Communicating clear- NarrativeEducational Philosophies Traditional vs. Constructivist classrooms New philosophical directions- Social-Constructivists- Student-teacher partnership; Symbolic communication- Reciprocal teaching- Communities of learners Teacher-student interaction- Self-fulfilling prophecies Grouping Practices- Homogenous - Multitude Classroom- Cooperative learningMagnet Schools  Racial Divide in American Schools is deepening Inner-city schools tend to be disadvantaged in funding and educational opportunities Magnet schools: Regular curriculum plus specific areas of interest, such as performing artsChildren with Learning Disabilities Difficulties include- Mild mental retardation- Learning disabilities Law requires “least restrictive replacement”- Mainstreaming- Full inclusionGifted and Talented Children Gifted- Exceptional intellectual strength - Usually measured by high IQ  Talented- Outstanding performance in a specific field - Measured by divergent thinking and creativityHow Well- Educated are US Children? Factors inside/outside of schools affect educational quality- Societal values- School resources- Quality of teaching - Parental support US students perform at or below international average- Instruction can be less challenging, more fact-focused and lower in critical thinking- US is less equitable in reaching all