Philippine Normal University

Taft Avenue, Manila

Department of Early Childhood Education

A Research

on

The Relationship of Preschooler’s Economic Status to their Reasoning Abilities

using Jean Piaget’s Conservation Task in NCR

Submitted to:

Professor Victorina Pabalan

A Partial Fulfillment in the Requirement

In the Subject Behavioral Assessment in Early Childhood

1st Semester

A.Y. 2009 – 2010

Researchers:

The Class of IV-3 BECEd

October 20, 2009

 CHAPTER 1

Introduction

The main objective of this research is to know if the socio-economic status affects the
reasoning of the child. In this research the reader will know the researchers finding if the socio-
economic status really affect the child’s reasoning

Some of the exercises that the researchers conducted are: 1) the water task. In this task,
we were to begin with two identical cups filled with the same amount of water. Once the child
has confirmed that the water in both containers was the same, then we went on to the second
part of the task. Here, we took the water from each cup and poured them into two different cups,
one which was shorter and wider while the other was taller and narrower. 2) The clay task. In
this task, we are to begin with two equal-sized balls of clay. After the child confirms that the balls
are equal, we will smash one of them to change its appearance.

“The main reason is that by doing the conservation tasks and understanding their
abilities, she can then relate this back to development to see if the child is developing properly.
If everybody in her class knows and understands the conservation tasks she performs except
for a few children, then she will know that those children need extra help and can give that to
them. They will need special attention and one on one time with her. Also, she can use this
information to transfer it to the child’s parents and get them to work at home with the child to
catch him/her up with the rest of the class. On the other hand, if everybody except a few
children doesn’t get the conservation tasks, then the teacher can assume that those few
children that do understand it have developed more than the other children (cognitively). By
knowing that some children are further ahead than others, the teacher can use this information
to push them harder and give them extra work that will keep them occupied. Often, when things
are too easy for children, they get bored quickly and have behavioral problems. These problems
can be stopped if you give them a challenge. It’s like the zone of proximity in which you can
push a child a certain point with the help of another adult and improve their cognitive
development even more. Understanding a child’s development from conservation tasks is
important so that the teacher can treat the kids accordingly and understand the children better
and help those who need it.” ( -Marcea English and Maria Gennaro,)
 Chapter 2

Methodology

The study made use of the descriptive method of research. The participants of the study
included, students from public schools and private schools.

The instrument utilized included survey form (economic status), interviews and
systematic observation. The researchers accomplished the following steps:

(1) planning;

(2) administering the survey form;

(3) interview and observation and

(4) analyzing and interpreting the data.

The researchers’ class was divided into two groups, conducted separate conservation
tasks and conducted surveys. There will be two results from the two groups and it will be
compared accordingly.
 Chapter 3

Presentation and Analysis of Data

GROUP 1

Aldave, Lalaine Castillo, Patricia Cervo, Jeniffer

Corona, Rose Ann De Jesus, Joanna May Espiritu, Bea Salve

Gimeno, Dianne Mae Guanzing, Christal Camille Lim, Triza Helaine

Orenza, Cherry Ann Rojo, Keren Mae Sison, Amapola

Tuazon, Irish Zuñiga, Jonell

(See Appendices for Survey Tables)

Table 1-A shows us the each student’s family background in terms of the educational
attainment, occupation and size of family. These are the results:

• *68% of the parents are college graduate, 12% are college undergraduate, 4% are
high school graduate and that 4% are elementary graduate;
• 65.38% of the parents are employed while 30.77% are unemployed;
• 69.23% of the students have brothers and sisters, 23.08% have extended family with
them, and 46.15% have family members working.
•
Table 1-B which shows us the different family properties gives us the following data:

• 79.92% of the students own a house and lot while 23.08% don’t;
• 61.54% of their house are made of concrete materials, 30.77% are made of semi-
concrete materials and 7.69% are made of light materials;
• 30.77% are renting while 69.23% don’t rent;
• 23.08% of the student’s houses are apartment type, 69.23% are whole house type
and 7.69% are room type.
Table 1-C is about the different form of entertainment that the families do at home. Here are the
results:

• 53.85% of the family enjoys watching movies;

• 84.62% enjoys watching TV shows;
• 53.85% enjoys playing in the computer;
• 38.46% likes to listen to the radio;
• 30.77% prefers to listen to music; and
• 61.54% loves reading books.

Table 1-D is about the available reading materials that the families have at home. Given the
different materials, they are asked to check the following materials that they own at home. Here
are the results:

• 53.85% of the families have computer at home and that 30.77% of them have
internet access;
• 53.85% have washing machine;
• 92.31% have refrigerator;
• all families have radio and television;
• 69.23% have newspapers;
• 15.38% own a karaoke machine;
• 7.69% have VHS;
• 30.77 have microwave oven while 7.69% have oven toaster; and
• 84.62% have and read magazines.

Table 1-E gives us the results on the conducted experiment about conservation tasks. With the
legend of 2 (correct answer, correct reasoning), 1 (wrong answer but with reasoning) and 0
(with answer but has no explanation), here are the following results.

Number
• 38.46% had answered and reasoned correctly;
• 46.15% had given the wrong answer but was able to reason out; and
• 15.38% had given an answer but was not able to reason out.

Length

• 15.38% had answered and reasoned correctly;

• 69.23% had given the wrong answer but was able to reason out; and
• 15.38% had given an answer but was not able to reason out.

Liquid Amount

• 15.38% had answered and reasoned correctly;

• 69.23% had given the wrong answer but was able to reason out; and
• 15.38% had given an answer but was not able to reason out.

Area

• 53.85% had answered and reasoned correctly;

• 15.38% had given the wrong answer but was able to reason out; and
• 30.77% had given an answer but was not able to reason out.

Solid Substance

• 23.08% had answered and reasoned correctly;

• 69.23% had given the wrong answer but was able to reason out; and
• 7.69% had given an answer but was not able to reason out.

Weight

• 15.38% had answered and reasoned correctly;

• 69.23% had given the wrong answer but was able to reason out; and
 • 15.38% had given an answer but was not able to reason out.

Total of students who had:

a. Answered and reasoned correctly – 25.64%

b. Given the wrong answer but was able to reason out – 57.69%
c. Given an answer but was not able to reason out – 16.67%

Group 2

Bacalian, Vichelle Feliszza Cuttiyog, Rhodalyn Emnace, Rubelyn

Gumapos, Marilou Ignacio, Fleudelys Intia, Wileth

Malana, Davie Luh Marie Navarro, Karen Christine Nokom, Arianne

Pimentel, Ma. Bernadeth Rebadomia, Jenielyn San Juan, Marie Jennel

Viado, Danesa

(See Appendices for the Survey Tables)

From the survey (Quick Survey on the Socio-Economic Status of Students) we

conducted, the researchers have gathered the data that tells that there are thirteen (13) parents
who are college graduate, four (4) undergraduate and four (4) high school graduate. Eleven
(11) are employed and seven (7) have no work. The families have an average of two (2)
children and the table also revealed that there is only one (1) family that lives with other
members of the family. (Table 2-A)

From the data in the table, six (6) out of nine (9) families do not own their own house and
lot. There is a balance numerical data on the number of families that have concrete and semi-
concrete homes and only one (1) family has their home made out of light material. There are
five (5) families that rent their houses. The whole house type of home is famous among the
families of the respondents. (Table 2-B)

The table shows that 88.88% of the families spend their time watching television shows, 66.67%
read books during their spare time, some while listening to music and radio. 33.33% of the
families spend their time watching movies in movie houses or using DVD players. The least
form of entertainment for them is playing games in the computer. (Table 2-C)

Radio, television and washing machine are the famous appliances used in the homes of our
respondents. Microwave oven, oven toaster, and computer are the appliances that are quite
expensive for the families of the respondents so these got the low number of users. Newspaper
is the reading material that is available in 88.89% of the families while 44.44% have magazines
in their homes. (Table 2-D)

The table clearly shows the answers of the respondents we have gathered. There are a
total of nine (9) participants from NCR and from private and public schools.

The ages of the respondents we have gathered range from ages five (5) years old to
seven (7) years old with levels Kinder to Grade 3. The researchers have executed six (6) types
of conservation task activities namely number, length, liquid amount, area, solid substance and
weight. From their answers, we have gathered the mean result of the conservation tasks which
is 1.08. That means the children are in the stage where they have low level inductive reasoning
and they are classified as non-conserve children. As we can see, respondents G, H, and I gave
four (4) correct answers and correct reasoning but their scores turned out that they are still in
the level of non-conserve child, regardless of their economic status and situation in their homes.
It does not affect the child’s reasoning, however, the time when the development of their
cognition is different from each other. (Table 2-E)

Most of the researchers’ respondents are female students and enter a private institution while
there are only three (3) male students who study in public school. (Table 2-F)
 Chapter 4

Findings, Conclusion and Recommendations

Findings
In reference to the results of the survey made, the researchers have found out that:

• the respondents though they gave wrong answers gave their own reasoning about
the tasks given;
• the respondents are non-conserve regardless of their economic status;
• the respondents are non-conserve regardless of their situations in their homes;
• the respondents’ cognition developments are different from each other;
• the quality of living that the students have are average in terms of their family
background, size of family and occupation of their parents and it does not affect
much the reasoning abilities of the students;
• their family properties does not affect the thinking and reasoning abilities of the
students;
• the form of entertainment that the family has no effect at the reasoning abilities of the
students;
• the different reading materials that are available at their homes affects a small
percent of the students’ reasoning abilities; and
• majority of the students have given the wrong answer but was able to reason out
thus it reflects that their reasoning skills, based on their age, are the same to those of
other students their age and can be considered as average.
Conclusion

This research, aiming to know if the economic status of the family of the student will
have an effect on their reasoning abilities, shows that the students have average reasoning
abilities and depends mostly on what they really see rather than the facts that we really know.
They answer hastily and sometimes not even think carefully to give the correct answer because,
on their age, they have not been yet introduced to the different facts and concepts of number,
length, liquid substance, area, solid substance and weight. These concepts will be further
explained to them on a different grade level.

Children are even in terms of their cognitive aspect regardless on their family
background. In the task given to them, it shows that it only depends on how well the children
understand the task even though they go to different school. Children can reason out even
though their answer is wrong, but some of them can answer but they can’t explain their answer.
Children can formulate reason and defend their answer at such a young age without knowing if
their answer is correct or wrong. Children says what they believe is right.

In this research, we conclude or consider our respondents as non-conserve child. As we

tally our survey they fall in the level of non-conserve child for they show low level inductive
reasoning in every task that is showed to them.

Recommendations

For the students to increase their skills in reasoning, the researchers recommend the
following:

• let the students read different kinds of educational books, explaining to them the
different terms and objects seen there;
• let students experiment different objects;
• let students ask even the simplest questions and answer them truthfully and
patiently; and
 • let students explore the world for themselves, having the teachers and parents
alongside them to guide them.

Summary

We conducted a research with a respondents from NCR, from private and public
schools. The age range from five (5) to seven (7) years old with levels Kinder to Grade 3.we
also have our survey about the Socio-economic Status of our respective respondents, which
shows different results as we gathered the data we made.

From the survey we conducted, the data reveals that our respondents have different
background in terms in education. It comes out that some of them are college graduate and the
rest are high graduate. This employs that some of the parents are employed and the others are
unemployed. Most of them don’t own their own house and some of them rent a house.

In terms of entertainment, watching television got the highest percent (%) as their
chosen entertainment. Reading books, listening to music, and watching movies outside the
house are only least of their choice. Radio, television and washing machine are only some of
their primary appliances used on their house. Computer, microwave oven, and oven got the low
number of users due to the expense it will cost. Reading material like newspaper is available
among our respondents and some of them read magazines.

In the conservation task we made, the table shows that children have low level inductive
reasoning and classified as non-conserve children regardless of their economic status and
differences in the situation in their home.
 Bibliography

• http://everything2.com/title/Conservation+task

• http://www.cogs.indiana.edu/icogsci/vol2/Agger_IUJCS_Vol2_2007.pdf - Conservation of
Number Task with Small and Large Quantities on Male and Female Preschool Children

• www.youtube.com – For Conservation Tasks Demonstrations

• http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_current_economic_issues_in_the_Philippines
APPENDICES