Piaget's Stages Of Child Development

Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was a biologist but moved into the study of the development of children's understanding, through observing them as well as talking and listening to them while they worked on exercises that he had set.

Piaget proposed that children were active participants in their own learning. He compared children to scientists in that children were actively involved in exploring their environment and being responsible for their learning. This means children need hands on experiences to learn, this involves investigation, exploration and experimentation. Piaget noted that human infants are born with reflexes which enables us to survive the first few months and years. A reflex is any action triggered by stimulus, they are results

She initiated studies into schemas in young children in the 1970’s. Athey considered that children develop patterns of behaviour which lead to the assimilation and co – ordination of experiences. Athey identified a wide range of schemas that children use in their development and learning. This relates to Piaget’s theory as Chris Athey implemented his work into practice and believed that children learned through schemas and follow the four stages of learning. Lev Vygotsky is another influential theorist of cognitive developmental theory. Vygotsky’s views were similar to Piaget’s in that they both saw children as active participants in their learning. Both Vygotsky and Piaget shared the view that children’s cognitive development depended on their active participation in the gaining of knowledge and skills. However, although Vygotsky was a supporter he was also a critic, Vygotsky suggested that language was more important than Piaget implied by taking on a cognitive role rather than being just for social interaction. He highlighted the importance of a child’s cultural background in effecting the stages of development. (Atherton,

A lot of his experimental work was carried out on his own children, which would have made it hard for him to be objective and fair. It is also felt that he asked leading questions instead of open ended questions which produced the answers that Piaget wanted to hear. His interviews included both prepared questions and on the spot questions, these questions differed according to the children’s response. Jerome Bruner was a critic of Piaget’s, Although Bruner believes in stages of cognitive development, he doesn’t see them as representing different separate modes of thought at different points of development (like Piaget). Instead, he sees a gradual development of cognitive skills and techniques into more combined cognitive techniques. Bruner felt that there was a link between language and thought. Margaret Donaldson challenged Piaget’s theory of children having a ceiling on their thinking. She encouraged practitioners to seek out what children are able to do rather than focusing on the things they cannot do. She believed that in order to educate young children effectively, practitioners must ‘decentre’ and try to present things from a child’s point of view. Whereas Piaget encouraged children to take responsibility rather than being just children and expected a lot from them. (McLendon,