Jean Piaget

(1896 1980)
Swiss Psychologist and Educator, educated
at the University of Neuchatel
and studied briefly at
the University of Zurich.
The most famous of the

cognitive theorists.
His constructivist learning theory Children's development occurs through
interaction with the environment.

Working in developing standardized reasoning tests at Geneva University led him to ask...

How do children learn?

Piaget's constructivist

THINKING

theory of cognitive development focuses on the

development of

REASONING

Piaget discovered there to be 4

MEMORY

LOGIC

stages of mental growth children.

Progess through each stage is biologically predetermined, gradual and predictable

and involves long periods of transition.

Symbols in language,
fantasy, play &
dreams are learned

Classification, relationships,
numbers & ways of
reasoning about them
are mastered

Independent thought &

other people's thinking
are mastered

Age 0-2

Preoperational
Stage

Age 2-7

Concrete
Operational
Stage

Preconceptual
phase

Age 2-4

Intuitive
phase

Age 4-7

Egocontric
have difficulty sharing

Moral feeling &

Moral reasoning

Age 7-11
Formal
Operational
Stage

Age 11 and on

Scientific thought,
then, is not momentary;
it is not a static instance;
it is a process.

4 stages

- Mental concentrate
on concrete objects
- the ability to explore &
use all senses

Sensorimotor
Stage

Child have the ability to

explore & use all senses
HEARING

TASTE

SIGHT

TOUCH

Educator : 1) Responsive both verbally & physical

2) Redirection as an appropriate strategy

SMELL

Sensorimotor Stage

Age 0-2

'CONCRETE LEARNING'

egocontric

Have difficulty
sharing
with others

Educator : Becomes child's 'ally'

with trusting relationship

egocontric

During the earliest stages

the child perceives things like
a solipsist who is unaware
of himself as subject and
is familiar only with his
own actions.

Preoperational Stage

Age 2-7

Symbols in language, fantasy, play & dreams

are learned

Keys ideas that inform early childhood programs

Children construct their own knowledge through independent and
active exploration of the environment
(eg. Free-choice play and discovery learning)

New knowledges is built on existing knowledge

Children adjust their existing idea to accommodate the new knowledge

Children use schemes to assimilate experiences from external world into their
existing understandings.

Children think differently and distinctively from adult

Development leads learning

Language is an expression of thought

Development occurs in FOUR sequential, age-related stages.

Piaget's theory can be seen in action in early childhood services when programs:

Emphasise the child as an active learner

Recognise the role of the Educator
- to follow the lead of the child
- provide interesting experiences and materials for exploration,
discovery and interaction

Facilitator
Observer
Resource

Environments
&
experiences

It is with children that we

have the best chance of
studying the development
of logical knowledge,
mathematical knowledge,
physical knowledge,
and so forth.

Environments and experiences

Use FREE play &

Discovery learning.
Provide an

ENVIRONMENT

rich in sensory experiences

& materials for 'hand-on'
learning.

Provide

EXPERIENCES that are

developmentally
appropriate & allow children
to make choices.

PLAY

Theory to Practice
We put Piagets theories into practice when we:
see children as active learners, listen to their ideas, help them find their
own answers
provide materials that are stimulating, and are right for the
childs age and stage of development
know that babies will use materials in a different way to toddlers;
toddlers differently to preschoolers
look for childrens interest and plan to build on them

PRACTICE

Holistic approaches
Responsiveness to children
Learning through play
Intentional teaching
Learning environments
Cultural competence
Continuity of learning & transitions
Assessment for learning

let children repeat an activity, sometimes

many times, when we can see that it is
still interesting to them.

What
We DO.

Through play, babies and young children

explore and learn to understand the world
around them as they come to communicate,
discover, imagine and create.
When children play they are showing
what they have learned and what they
are trying to understand.
This is why play is one of the most important
things children will do at this centre.

BELONGING
BEING
BECOMING

PLAY

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