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REFLECTION ESSAY CHAPTER 2: COGNITIVE AND LINGUISTIC DEVELOPMENT By Ahmad Z. Al Khatib 201080033 Reflection Essay Ch:2 Human Development and Individual Differences Dr. Yaser Natour

A reflection essay on Chapter 2 "Cognitive and Linguistic Development" in Ormrod (2011)

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A reflection essay on Chapter 2 "Cognitive and Linguistic Development" in Ormrod, J. E. (2011). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners, 7/E, Pearson: Prentice Hall.

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Page 1: A reflection essay on Chapter 2 "Cognitive and Linguistic Development" in Ormrod (2011)

REFLECTION ESSAY

CHAPTER 2: COGNITIVE AND LINGUISTIC DEVELOPMENT

By

Ahmad Z. Al Khatib

201080033

Reflection Essay Ch:2

Human Development and Individual Differences

Dr. Yaser Natour

United Arab Emirates University

March, 2012

Page 2: A reflection essay on Chapter 2 "Cognitive and Linguistic Development" in Ormrod (2011)

CH 2: REFLECTION ESSAY 2

©2012

Ahmad Z. Al Khatib

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Abstract

This essay is a reflection on chapter two in Ormrod’s (2011) Educational Psychology. It

summarizes the main points, analyzes them and then reflects on them in the light of professional

experiences and classroom discussions.

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Introduction

What is cognition?

Cognition is a very difficult term to define. According to the American Psychological

Association, Cognition is the “processes of knowing, including attending, remembering, and

reasoning; also the content of the processes, such as concepts and memories” (APA, 2012). This

is an extremely difficult and long definition.

In an attempt to reach a conclusive definition, the writer of this essay decided to get back

to the roots of the term. Webster dictionary on-line (2012) mentions that the term is derived from

the Latin cognition-, cognitio, from cognoscere which means to become acquainted with, know,

from co- + gnoscere to come to know. All through this essay, the term cognition shall be defined

as to come to know, i.e. the process of knowing or building knowledge, which brings us back to

APA definition still, with a much clearer perspective.

Cognitive development

As children grow, they change physically; that is, they become stronger, taller and bigger.

Their physical abilities develop, a matter which is very much observable. With each phase of

growth we can ask the child to perform certain tasks he was not able to achieve. Many internal

changes also happen as he grows up; developments in the way of thinking, reasoning and

language or what scientists call “Cognitive development”. Cognitive development is a very

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important aspect of teaching and learning. Consequently, classroom instruction needs to be

developmentally appropriate (Ormrod, 2011).

There appear to be four general principles of cognitive development: 1) there are

universal, predictable, and developmental. 2) Children reach these milestones at different rates,

so age should not be the only determinant of what a child can or cannot achieve. 3) The rate of

development does not proceed at a constant rate; in some children it is rapid growth (spurts),

while in others it is slow (plateaus). This can be observed when a child temporarily takes a step

backwards, prior to taking a major leap forward (Ormrod, 2011). 4) Heredity and environment

interact in their effects on development; heredity guides the child’s growth through the process

of maturation, in addition, these maturational processes seem to be characterized by sensitive

periods in which the environment plays an important role. It is worth mentioning that children

are never passive recipients of their environmental legacy, rather, they are active participants to

the point that they succeed in altering and affecting these environments significantly. Educators

and parents should not push children to produce outcomes unparalleled to their cognitive

development stage, or compare them to others who are going at faster or slower rates. Failing to

observe this might cause severe cognitive and psychological impairments that are very difficult

to repair (Ormrod, 2011).

Bronfenbrenner’s Theory

There are other layers that influence cognitive development of a child, in addition to the

immediate surroundings, i.e. the family, community and culture. The cultural aspect is highly

important since it provides the framework by which the child determines what is right and what

is wrong, what is good and what is bad, what is rational and irrational. Teachers in the UAE need

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to be aware of this as they get to deal with children from different cultures and different

backgrounds. The other way round is a possible case in public schools in Abu Dhabi where

teachers come from cultures different from that of the children they teach. Training educators on

how layers of environment influence them and their students, and how both interact with each

other is significantly important. Ignoring this can lead to stereotyping and issuance of judgments

that might impede learning and instruction.

Role of the Brain in Learning and Development

It is important if we want to learn about human learning and cognitive development to

look at what both neurologist and psychologists say. Ormrod (2011) mentions four key points

about the brain’s role in learning and cognitive development. In short, it appears that the brain is

an ever-changing organism. Despite the fact that neuron begin to form synapses long before a

child is born, the brain continues to do so by generating new ones and illuminating (pruning)

unnecessary ones which are inconsistent with the environmental events and behavioral patterns. .

Another important aspect is the harmony in which parts of the brain work together in terms of

left and right hemispheres. There is no such thing as left-brain or right-brain thinking as both

hemispheres constantly collaborate with each other to perform daily tasks from the simplest to

the most complex operations. The brain is an ever adaptable organ, this ability of the brain to

change with learning is known as neuroplasticity. Plasticity, or neuroplasticity, is the lifelong

ability of the brain to reorganize neural pathways based on new experiences. By learning we

obtain new knowledge and skills either through instruction or through experience. It is worth

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mentioning that in addition to genetic factors; the brain is formed by the characteristics of a

person's environment and by his/her actions (Hoiland, 2012).

Piaget & Vigotsky

Developmental stage theory (Individual oriented approach)

Piaget aimed at bringing a rational perspective on human thinking and communication,

with the purpose of creating a theory of cognitive development of mankind. According to Piaget,

development is a process from inside out where there is continuing reciprocity between a child

and his/her environment. Children are natural learners who tend to accommodate to the

environmental demands by assimilating what the environment has to offer. Learning occurs

because their minds are made to learn. When they cannot assimilate new events, cognitive

conflict arises leading to a state of “disequilibrium”. The learner according to Piaget is an active

constructor of knowledge, who takes an active role in his/her learning, and uses prior experience

to develop knowledge. This theory focuses more on cognitive development of individual learner

and not as much on social and cultural aspects of learning. The constructing individual is

considered the prime factor in a learning process where knowledge arises at the interface

between subjects and objects (Streitlien, 2011).

Social Development Theory (The sociocultural approach)

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Vigotsky places primacy on social and cultural aspects when human beings develop

cultural identity by participating in cultural activities. By doing so, they acquire the instituted

meaning of the activity gradually. The basic unit of analysis here is the mediated action. The

difference between what a learner is capable of doing alone and what he/she is capable of doing

in collaboration with others, known as the zone of proximal development (ZPD). The theory

emphasizes the importance of language activities where knowledge is socially constructed and

language is viewed as the medium of this construction. Language starts as a means for a child to

communicate, which then evolves to internal mental functions when more sophisticated

processes arise. Vigotsky distinguishes between concepts a child develops through informal

interactions with people in everyday life, and scientific concepts he/she learns at school. The

spontaneous concepts are inductive generalizations while the scientific ones go from general to

concrete (Streitlien, 2011).

Compatibility issues

Streitlien (2011) mentions that some researchers claimed these two theories as

incompatible, while others viewed them as complimentary to each other. The teacher/ researcher

should alter the focus between the two views depending on the situation. Neither Piaget nor

Vigotsky believed in the possibility of verbal transmission of knowledge, however, both viewed

learning as an active process in which learners construct knowledge in their own way, and the

learner as an active operator in his/her own learning process. Both theories have strong influence

on education research and teaching practices (Streitlien, 2011).

Constructivism Theory

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Developmental stage theory and Social Development Theory form the foundation of

constructivism theory; a model or a theory that views learning as an active, contextualized

process of constructing knowledge rather than acquiring it. Knowledge is constructed based on

personal experiences and hypotheses of the environment. Since no learner is a blank slate (tabula

rasa), new information is connected to prior knowledge, leading to consequently subjective as

opposed to objective mental representations. Learners continuously test these hypotheses through

social interaction (Streitlien, 2011).

Language Development

Both Piaget and Vigotsky share the belief that language development is perhaps the most

important factor in cognitive development (Ormrod, 2011). Scientists were able to define the

linguistic characteristics and abilities at different grade levels. Teachers need to be aware of

these and adapt their instruction accordingly.

Final Words

A carpenter, a blacksmith, or a mechanic, cannot function well without the tools of the

trade. So, why teachers sometimes go to classes without being prepared with the tools of their

trade? Advancements in education psychology have opened the doors to a deeper understanding

of the cognitive development of children. Ignorance is not an excuse anymore in the era of

internet and speedy communication. Myths and misconceptions such as those related to the right

and left hemispheres of the brain, causes of stuttering, brains not being able to regenerate itself,

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etc, should not be allowed to prevail among educators and govern teaching practices of teachers

today.

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References

APA (2012). Glossary of Psychological Terms. Retrieved on 21 March, 2012

http://www.apa.org/research/action/glossary.aspx

Cognition. 2011. In Merriam-Webster.com.

Retrieved March 21, 2012, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cognition

Hoiland, E. (2012). Brain Plasticity: What Is It? Learning and Memory. Retrieved March

22, 2012, from http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/plast.html

Ormrod, J. E. (2008). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners, 6/E, Pearson:

Prentice Hall.

Streitlien, A. (2011). Learning through interaction. Telemark Centre for Educational

Research, Norway