1. Intellectual Development from 7 to 12
Chapter 18
Intellectual Development from 7 to 12

2. Chapter Objectives
Identify 4 signs of intellectual development in children ages 7 to 12
Explain 4 thinking skills that build a foundation for mastering schoolwork
Describe 3 learning methods that are effective for children ages 7 to 12
Identify characteristics of the middle school experience that make it well suited to preteen learning
Compare and contrast 3 types of standardized tests

3. The Developing Brain from 7 to 12
Chapter 18.1
The Developing Brain from 7 to 12

4. Signs of Increased Intellectual Growth
Intellectual development improves steadily as children become capable of new ways of thinking
Emotional and intellectual needs of preteens differ from those of younger and older children
Educators created middle or junior high schools in an effort to address these special needs
4 signs of intellectual development for this age occur in memory, awareness, idealism, and attention span

5. Memory People use both short-term and long-term memory
Improvements in the way the brain functions allows older children and preteens to learn more and to use their knowledge more efficiently
EXAMPLE:
We don’t count on our fingers. We are able to recall and apply basic mathematical functions

6. Awareness and Curiosity
More intense awareness of themselves and those around them
Better at understanding their abilities and those of others
8 years or older, children can begin to see another persons point-of-view
More concern about what people think of them
We begin to think of ourselves in terms of qualities we have versus our appearance
Strive to achieve goals
At school:
Increasingly independent in their learning
Develop their own learning styles
Develop interest that can last a lifetime

7. Idealism and Abstract Thinking
Young children judge whether something is right or wrong by how much pleasure or pain it involves
Older children and teens adopt moral standards that authority figures will approve of
Preteens can recognize complex social problems such as prejudice and crime
Do not understand why the problem is difficult to solve
Cannot analyze their ideas to see if they are realistic
Parents can encourage preteens to be involved in the community through volunteer work

8. Attention Span
For reasons that are not yet understood, children around age 12 loose their longer attention spans
They learn less, because they cannot concentrate as long
Test scores and grades may drop at school

9. Theories About How Children Learn- Piaget’s Theory
Concrete Operations Stage: (7 to 11)
Thinking works effectively on concrete, or actual, objects and tasks
Generalize from their own experiences
Cannot understand abstract ideas
During this stage children develop several important thinking skills
Classifying objects
Placing objects in series
Extending relationships
Conservation
Placing Objects in a Series:
Arrange objects in ascending or descending order
Requires the ability to compare objects mentally and to make logical connections between what they know and what they are learning
Extending Relationships
Transitivity is the concept that a relative relationship between two objects can extend to a third object
EX: If 3 is greater than 2 and 2 is greater than 1, than 3 is greater than 1
Conservation
An object has the same characteristics even if there is a change in the way it looks

10. Theories About How Children Learn- Piaget’s Theory
Formal Operations Stage:
Starts at about age 11
Develop the ability to think abstractly and to see different sides of an issue
A preteen will use these abstract ways of thinking selectively at first
As they gain more experience they will begin to use abstract thinking more
Abstract Thinking:
Imagining hypothetical situations
Solving problems by anticipating and preparing for different situations
Debating issues
Using “if….then” formulas
Recognizing societal problems and understand the complex reasons for them

11. Theories About How Children Learn- Vygotsky’s Theory
Biological development and cultural experiences both influence the child’s ability to learn
Children learn best from one another
Children ages 7 to 11 are learning to evaluate themselves and others
Peer and small group activities are vital in the classroom
Social activities like clubs, sports teams, and other events are essential

12. Theories About How Children Learn- Montessori’s Theory
Montessori’s theory stresses the importance of self-directed learning
Teachers should:
Provide the needed tools
Intrude on learning as little as possible
In a Montessori classroom, 7 to 12 year olds, might offer a combination of language, history geography, the sciences, and the arts
Group lessons are kept at a minimum as teachers allow children to explore learning in their own way
Real-life experiences are stressed

13. Theories About How Children Learn: Gardner’s Theory
Believes learning is multifaceted or many-sided
Educators who have supported Gardner’s way of thinking see their students learning and thinking in different ways every day
The more students develop their own intelligences, the greater their skills and knowledge will become
What are some ways you could help students learn from each intelligence?
Verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist

14. Theories About How Children Learn- Sternberg’s Theory
Sternberg’s research suggests an answer to why some students who did well in school do not excel in the working world or vise versa
The theory proposes that people have varying degrees of analytical, creative, and practical intelligence
When parents or caregivers encourage all three kinds of intelligences, then all children can show their talents

15. Analytical Intelligence Creative Intelligence
Sternberg’s Theory
Analytical Intelligence
Creative Intelligence
Abilities to recall, recognize, analyze, compare and contrast, evaluate, and explain problem-solving strategies
High analytical children are often considered to be smart because they are good at those types of activities and tests
Schools that are too focused on improving student knowledge can hinder creativity
Is required when children imagine, pretend, invent, and design
May not follow directions well and score lower on tests
Allow children plenty of free play time
Encourage children to be creative

16. Practical Intelligence
Sternberg’s Theory
Practical Intelligence
“Street Smarts”
Quickly assess a problem and the available resources
They can figure out the fastest and most practical way to solve a problem
Might not be top performers at school but they have the potential to become tomorrows leaders, businesspeople, and politicians
Encourage those to volunteer in the community, lead a group project, etc.

17. Chapter 18.2
Learning from 7 to 12

18. Learning Methods A learning method is a way to learn
In order to meet different needs of children, teachers use a variety of learning methods
The 3 most common learning methods are
Direct
Peer
Independent

19. Direct Learning
Language-based, or direct learning, is a common learning method for older children
Children capable of direct learning can get facts and ideas from listening and reading
Must learn to take notes and read their textbooks on their own
Progress in mastering these skills are gradual
Can be measured through tests, quizzes, and essays

20. Peer Learning
Peer learning is a learning method in which students interact with one another
Work together in pairs, small groups, or as a class
One advantage to peer learning is that it provides an environment in which students may feel less awkward about asking questions or expressing confusion
Working on group projects helps students learn to work together cooperatively, to communicate, and to build time- and resource-management skills

21. Independent Learning
Independent learning allows students to work on their own
Lets them use information they gather in a variety of ways
Prepares them for long-term assignments common in high school, college, or the working world

22. Middle School- A Time of Transition
A 4th and 9th grader are not at all alike
A 4th grader works best in small classroom settings with one teacher who is almost like a parent
Leads them through most of their class work and gives them personal, individual care, and guidance
Know all their classmates and are familiar with their surroundings
High school students rotate from class to class all day, changing teachers and classmates
Learning environment is more impersonal and more independent work

23. Middle School- New Independence and Social Skills
Summarize the paragraph into once sentence. Write below.

24. Middle School- Effective Middle Schools
Read the paragraph and summarize in one sentence. Write below.

25. The Importance of Parent Involvement
Meet the Staff
Talk to the teachers personally
Read messages sent by the school
Review the child’s homework
Help out with school activities
Join the parent’s group
Talk to the child

26. Intellectual Development
Schools often rely on tests to evaluate how well students are developing intellectually and how much knowledge they are gaining. Schools periodically may give standardized tests, which is a test that lets educators see how students are performing compared to thousands of other students who have taken the same tests. What is your feeling or belief of standardized tests? Why?

27. Creating Standardized Tests
Teams of scientists and educators design standardized tests for schools
Instructions for giving and scoring tests too
Before they are used with the masses, they are tested on students and revised.
Validity
It measures what it is supposed to measure
Reliability
Tests must be consistent, given to the same age group, again and again with similar results
Practicality
Cannot be difficult to give, easy to score, affordable

28. Types of Standardized School Tests
There are 3 types given to 7 – 12 year olds to measure how well they can learn, how much they have already learned, and what they might have a special ability or interest in learning
These types include:
Learning Ability Test
Achievement Tests
Aptitude Interest Tests

29. Learning Ability Tests
Designed to help educators predict how well as student might do in a particular learning situation
All students take the same tests, tests are scored, then results compared
Go by several names
Intelligence tests, mental ability tests, scholastic aptitude tests (SAT), academic aptitude test
More tests require students to read and write

30. Achievement Tests
Used to help measure what students have actually learned about a particular topic or subject
SAT are the most common prevalent standardized tests in schools
Given once per school year
Helps lessen anxiety when taking the test for real
A certain score on these types of tests may be required for graduation

31. Aptitude and Interest Tests
Offer important measures of people’s talents and preferences
A student who scores high in mathematical aptitude might want to become an engineer or a scientist
Another tests is an interest test which take an interest inventory
Students select what they like best from different groups or ideas
Patterns in their answers are analyzed to see where their interests are strongest
May give a student an idea of what to go into professionally