Cognitive Development in Middle Childhood: 6-11 Years Chapter 12 THE THINKER,,,,of sorts I. Concrete Operations II. Memory--METACOGNITION III. Intelligence IV. Schooling

GOOD MORNING! n LITERACY DISCUSSION n INFORMATION FOR CLASS TODAY WILL BE ON THE FINAL EXAM—SEE STUDY GUIDE n *KNOW EXAMPLES TO EXPLAIN POTENTIAL AND RESILIENCY

METACOGNITION n Thinking about your thinking. I know or I don’t know…therefore. Metacognition! n I know. n I know that you know. n I know that you know that I know.

Storing and Retrieving Information Read and List (need paper) n Cake n Book n Shoe n Car n Ball n Dish n Clock n Fish n Tree n Chair n Bike n Egg Tell me your strategies

Part 2 Retrieving and Storing read and write n Dog n Cat n Pig n Cow n Grape n Pear n Orange n Peach n Shirt n Pants n Shoe n Socks Tell me your strategies

Metacognitive Knowledge n When you try to remember things, do you remember some things better than others? What kings of things are hard to remember? What ones are easier to remember? Why? n If you wanted to call a friend on the phone and someone told you the phone number, would it make a difference if you called right away or if you got a drink of water first? Why?

COGNITION—Thinking Strategies n EXAMPLES OF HOW CHILD THINKS n Can do cognitive self-regulation (monitoring) of their thinking. ****they will continually monitor progress of an activity, checking how they are doing, redirecting or redoing unsuccessful efforts. ****they will continually monitor progress of an activity, checking how they are doing, redirecting or redoing unsuccessful efforts. n Examples are: reread a sentence she does not understand, attends to directions of the teacher or her mother, **relate new information to what they already know.. n In the early stages, may not always monitor on own, need hints and training and reminders. n Children who can use these thinking strategies, do well in school.

Cognitive Development Concrete Operational Thinking n Can focus on more than one attribute when doing a task. n Less as self-centered. n Likes to solve problems n Focus is more on solving problems— likes puzzles. n Like to make and do things.

Piaget’s Theory: Achievements of the ConcreteOperational Stage ( logical, flexible, & organzied—need to know with examples n Conservation—ways to understand mental operations; obey logical rules of thinking. –Decentration- focusing on several aspects at a time –Reversibility- work through steps, backwards n Classification—putting a set of objectives into categories—similarities and differences pg 428 & 321 n Seriation- put a set of sticks in order from smallest to largest n Spatial Reasoning pg 429 –Directions move from using their own orientation, to looking at from other perspectives –Maps—landmarks a drawn in a logical order, can read from different persectives.

Piaget’s Theory: Limitations of Concrete Operational Thought n Operations work best with objects that are concrete— that is objectives and manipulatives –Problems thinking about abstract ideas n Horizontal décalage –Master concrete operational tasks gradually--- learn in steps

Attention in Middle Childhood Attention becomes more: n Selective n Adaptable n Planful

Promoting Cognitive Self-Regulation in Children n Point out special demands of tasks n Encourage use of strategies n Emphasize value of self-correction

Language Development in Middle Childhood n Meta-linguistic awareness increases n Vocabulary –Increases fourfold during school years –20 new words a day n Grammar –Passive voice –Infinitive phrases n Pragmatics –Adjust to people and situations –Phrase requests to get what they want

Spelling Test n List of words n Study: 5 minutes n Administer test n Write Reflection—your thinking n What monitoring strategies did you use? n What were you saying to yourself? n Self-talk

Metacognitive Knowledge, cont. n Suppose you want to go skating with your friend after school tomorrow. You want to be sure to bring your skates. What can you do to be certain that you won’t forget to bring your skates to school? How many ways can you think of? n Suppose you lose your jacket at school. How would you go about finding it? How many ways?

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

Memory Strategies n These are deliberate strategies to store and retain information. n Rehearsal of information: repeat information. n Organizing information: grouping ideas together. n Elaboration of information (can practice at this point; still difficult): creating meaning and shared relationships. n Chunking information. n Children need hints. n Should we be teaching these strategies to children as a part of the school curriculum?

I. Concrete Operations n “Operations” are mental actions that obey logical rules, including: –Reversibility (the most important one) –“Arithmetic” functions –Serial ordering n Each is an internal rule (or scheme) about objects and their relationships

n Areas of development: n Identities (conservation) –Decentering on tasks n Classification (class inclusion) –20 Questions task n Logic –Preschool: Transductive logic (preoperational) –Middle childhood: Inductive logic (concrete operations) –Adolescence: Deductive logic (formal operations)

n Post-Piagetian research: –Expertise (specific knowledge) due to culture and schooling plays an important role.

II. Memory n Changes in “thinking” efficiency in terms of: –gets faster with age –Strategies become more efficient and elaborate—more ways to choose from. n Rehearsal n Organization n Elaboration

n Development of memory strategies –Available schemes to use as mnemonics –Spontaneous use of mnemonics: Metacognition n Children need hints. n Children need to learn mnemonics

K2nd6th Grade Recall Mnemonic hint No hint DEVELOPMENT OF MEMORY SKILLS D. Dietrich 11/96

ORGANIZING A LESSON n Gain student’s attention n *Bring to mind or “review” relevant prior to learning ( e.g., review information from previous unit or field trip) ( e.g., review information from previous unit or field trip) n Point out important information. (e.g., handout, PP) n Present information in an organized manner. n Show students how to categorize (chunk or webbing or outlining) related information. n Provide opportunities for students to elaborate on the new information. (e.g., look for similarities and differences among ideas and concepts) (Practice) n Assignments: Children think, write, draw, diagram, create rather than complete a 1 minute worksheet to show they have learned information. Create

Organizing Information—pt 2 n Show students how to use coding when memorizing lists ( e.g., make up silly sentences with first letter of each word) n Provide for repetition of learning (from short term to long term memory). n Provide opportunities for overlearning of concepts and skills (repeated exposure).

Group Exercise: Running for School Board n You are running for election to the school board. n Prepare a position statement on one of these issues (I’ll assign to your group): –The use of IQ tests in the schools. –How to make schools more effective. n Be prepared to defend your position (using text concepts) against me, your election opponent.

Intelligence n Binet’s task n IQ = MA/CA x 100 n WISC n Stability and predictive value n Reaction range n Race n Sternberg’s triarchic theory n Gardner’s multiple intelligences

IQ and Race Debate Black White 10085

n Sternberg’s triarchic theory n Gardner’s multiple intelligences

Find Examples: Parents/Daycare and Teachers 1. Example of conservation: –A.Decentration- –B.Reversibility- n Seriation- n Classification n Spatial Reasoning