Chapter 2 QTC--Ciera Rinck

(2.1) One of the most cited theories of human development is that of Swiss biologist Jean Piaget.  After reading about Piaget’s basic assumptions (p. 27-32) look with particular attention at the stage of child development you would like to teach.  The other most cited theory of human development belongs to Russian developmentalist Lev Vygotsky.  Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development leads us to expect greater diversity among our same-aged students than Piaget.  Given these two influential theorists’ ideas on cognitive development, how might you accommodate students who are not yet working at the level of their peers? 

As a constructivist Piaget believed that children are active and motivational learners, that they construct rather than absorb knowledge, that their interactions with physical and social environments are essential for cognitive development, and that children think differently at different ages.  He believed that students go through developmental stages at specific ages.  On the other hand, Vygotsky expected more diversity among students at the same age.  I think on this aspect I agree with Vygotsky.  I believe that students come with a myriad of different backgrounds and environments.  It makes sense, at least to me, that they are going to have different views and opinions about certain aspects and that they will differ developmentally.  One example I can think of is when I was in a third grade classroom observing a few weeks ago.  The students were given a math problem about the proper unit of measurement to figure out the weight of a watermelon.  All of the students were the same age but they had different answers.  A couple of the students got the wrong answer because they had never held a watermelon or seen it compared to any other fruit.  This may be a simplified example, but I think simply shows that sometimes students of the same age can have different world views and perceptions about things.  I think the best way to accommodate students who may be behind compared to their peers is by exposing them to as much as you can.  For example, bringing in things to class (such as manipulatives), taking field trips, showing videos, using a high frequency of academic language, and presenting students with multiple perceptions and perspectives of the world is a great way to accommodate students who are not yet working at the level of their fellow peers.  Other ways to help students catch up with their peers could be done through group discussions and authentic learning activities (such as project-based and problem-based learning).  Through exposing students to the different opinions and wold views of others, those students who may be considered behind their peers could expand their horizons and potentially catch up to their fellow classmates.     

(2.2) Theories in educational psychology promote the idea that language plays a critical role in cognitive development.  Examine Table 2.2 (p. 51), paying particular attention to the age range that you are interested in teaching.  Consider how you might incorporate or adapt the strategies presented for use with your own students.

This question reminds me of the study done with students from professional backgrounds who heard millions of more words than students from non-professional families--I think this is one of many examples that clearly illustrates the sheer importance of language in cognitive development.  I strongly agree that language plays a critical role in the development and educational success of students.  I am interested in teaching third grade. Some of the strategies specific to third through fifth grade offered to incorporate language skills within the classroom setting include but are not limited to teaching irregular word forms, beginning instruction about the parts of speech, using group discussion as a way to explore academic subject matter, and having students create short stories that they present orally or in a written format.  I think these are all strategies that I will use in my future classroom.  One of my mentor teachers highly valued language--as a result she was constantly incorporating vocabulary and irregular verb forms in every subject.  She constantly had students thinking about the parts of speech, certain words and their meanings, and how the words applied to different subject students were studying.  For example, she would talk about math during stories as well as parts of speech when they ran across a simile or metaphor in their readings.  I think that using group discussion and modeling how to incorporate certain academic language within everyday language is a very useful tool for promoting language to students.  Also, I think students are more intrinsically motivated when they are choosing what they write about, I think I will give my future students much time to free write so they can enhance their academic vocabulary.  Also, as a teacher I will try to constantly model academic language in my everyday classroom speech so students are constantly exposed to language that will help their cognitive development.