INTRODUCTION: This activity deals with Piagets view of intelligence. It will provide you with an in-depth understanding of the stages of cognitive development as outlined in his theory of cognitive growth.
INSTRUCTIONS: Using the lecture material, your textbook, and other sources of information, read through Piagets Theory of Cognitive Development and make note of his key ideas.
When you are done, review the chart provided below. The left side of the chart describes what should be done to explain a new concept and the right side of the chart gives some examples of how that can be accomplished.
Using the suggestions in this section, design one specific classroom exercise that a preschool teacher could use to teach a concept to their students You must come up with your own exercise and not just copy the suggestions in the chart below (you can use them and elaborate and build from them).
In your lesson plan write-up, be sure to list and address the following:
The key objective of the exercise.
What do you plan to teach? For example, the alphabet, identifying words, number sequence, a simple science concept such as plants and flowers, good manners, etc.
Be specific about what you want the students to learn from the lesson this is where you show us you understand Piagets theory and how it applies to this particular age group and developmental phase
How the exercise is guided by Piagets theory
Make sure to describe how the object and the execution of the exercise are actually based on Piagets theory
Be specific
The materials that will be required.
Are there props, pictures, objects to manipulate, paper and crayons?
Be specific make sure to describe the materials needed in detail; maybe even include pictures (can be added as an appendix that wont count towards your page limit)
A detailed explanation of how to conduct the exercise in a classroom setting.
Exactly what will the teacher do during the lesson?
Be specific give step by step instructions on how to conduct the lesson
Someone should be able to take your instructions and literally give the lesson
Teaching the Preoperational Child
(Toddler and Early Childhood)
Principle
Application
Use concrete props and visual aids to illustrate lessons and help children understand what is being presented.
Use physical illustrations.
Use drawings and illustrations.
Make instructions relatively short, using actions as well as words, to lessen the likelihood that the students will get confused.
After giving instructions, ask a student to demonstrate them as a model for the rest of the class.
Explain a game by acting out the part of a participant.
Do not expect the students to find it easy to see the world from someone else’s perspective since they are likely to be very egocentric at this point.
Avoid lessons about worlds too far removed from the child’s experience.
Discuss sharing from the child’s own experience.
Give children a great deal of physical practice with the facts and skills that will serve as building blocks for later development.
Use cut-out letters to build words.
Avoid overuse of workbooks and other paper-and-pencil tasks.
Encourage the manipulation of physical objects that can change in shape while retaining a constant mass, giving the students a chance to move toward the understanding of conservation and two-way logic needed in the next stage.
Provide opportunities to play with clay, water, or sand.
Engage students in conversations about the changes the students are experiencing when manipulating objects.
Provide many opportunities to experience the world in order to build a foundation for concept learning and language.
Take field trips.
Use and teach words to describe what they are seeing, doing, touching, tasting, etc.
Discuss what they are seeing on TV.