Chapter Introduction

CHAPTER 9
Early Childhood: Cognitive Development

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What Will You Know?

  1. Are young children selfish or just self-centered?

    Piaget labeled children in the preoperational stage of development “egocentric,” which literally means “self–centered.” He meant that they understand the world through their own personal perspective. This does not mean that they're selfish; they just don't understand that other people have different perspectives, needs, and wants.

  2. Do children get confused if they hear two languages?

    The earlier a child learns a second language, the more easily and quickly the learning occurs. Neuroscience demonstrates that young bilingual children manage to keep the languages separate, even though they use the same area of their brain to learn both languages. Proficiency is directly related to how much language the child hears. Bilingual children who don't know a word in the language they are speaking often insert a word from the other language. Soon, they realize which listeners understand which language and avoid substitutions when speaking to a monolingual person. There is no evidence that children get confused if they learn two languages.

  3. Is preschool for play or learning?

    Both. In fact, play is directly related to preschoolers' learning and development. Many programs are called child–centered or developmental because they stress each child's development and growth. Teachers in such programs believe children need to follow their own interests rather than adult directions. For example, they agree that children should be allowed to select many of their own activities from a variety of learning areas that the teacher has prepared. The physical space and the materials (such as dress–up clothes, art supplies, puzzles, blocks, and other toys) are arranged to allow exploration. Most child-centered programs encourage artistic expression. That does not mean that academics are ignored. Advocates of math learning, for instance, believe that children have a natural interest in numbers and that child-centered schools can guide those interests as children grow.

    Teacher-directed preschools stress academics, often taught by one adult to the entire group. The curriculum includes learning the names of letters, numbers, shapes, and colors according to a set timetable; every child naps, snacks, and goes to the bathroom on schedule as well. Children learn to sit quietly and listen to the teacher. Praise and other reinforcements are given for good behavior, and timeouts (brief separation from activities) are imposed to punish misbehavior. Most developmentalists advocate child-centered programs. They fear that the child's joy and creativity will be squashed if there are specific goals set for all children.

  1. Thinking During Early Childhood

    Piaget: Preoperational Thought

    a case to study: Stones in the Belly

    Vygotsky: Social Learning

    Children’s Theories

    a view from science: Witness to a Crime

    Brain and Context

  2. Language Learning

    A Sensitive Time

    The Vocabulary Explosion

    Acquiring Grammar

    Learning Two Languages

  3. Early-Childhood Schooling

    Homes and Schools

    Child-Centered Programs

    Teacher-Directed Programs

    Preparing for School

    Long-Term Gains from Intensive Programs

Asa, not yet 3 feet tall, held a large rubber ball. He wanted me to play basketball with him.

“We can’t play basketball; we don’t have a hoop,” I said.

“We can imagine a hoop,” he answered, throwing up the ball.

“I got it in,” he said happily. “You try.”

I did.

“You got it in, too,” he announced and did a little dance.

Soon I was tired and sat down.

“I want to sit and think my thoughts,” I told him.

“Get up,” he urged. “You can play basketball and think your thoughts.”

Asa is typical. Imagination comes easily to him, and he aspires to the skills of older, taller people in his culture. He thinks by doing, and his vocabulary is impressive, but he does not yet understand that my feelings differ from his, that I would rather sit than throw a ball at an imaginary basket. He does know, however, that I usually respond to his requests.

This chapter describes these characteristics of the young child—imagination, active learning, vocabulary, and some difficulty understanding another person’s perspective. I hope it also conveys the joy of understanding the thinking of young children. When that happens, you might do what I did: Get up and play.