I.

Topic: Cognitive Stages of Development

II. Objectives
At the end of the 60-minute session, the students should be able to:
a. identify the meaning of cognitive development
b. identify the different stages of cognitive development and the different limitations
and achievements of a child during a certain stage
c. describe how culture and social interaction affect the cognitive development of a
child
d. explain how can language affect a childs cognitive development
e. appreciate the different stages of cognitive development and other factors
affecting a childs development
f. apply these knowledge in observing and handling situations regarding a child
under a certain stage of cognitive development
III. Materials
a. References
1. Cook, J.L., & Cook, G. (2005). Child Development: Principles and
Perspectives. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
2. Gleitman, H., Gross, J., & Reisberg, D. (2011). Psychology (8th ed.). Canada:
W.W. Norton & Company.
3. Myers, D.G. (2010). Psychology (9th ed.). USA: Worth Publishers.
4. Parsons, R.D., Hinson, S.L., & Brown, D.S. (2001). Educational Psychology:
A Practitioner Research Model of Teaching. Canada: Wadsworth.
5. Santrock, J.W. (2009). Educational Psychology (4th ed.). NY: The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.
b. Visual/Audio
1. Powerpoint presentation
2. Laptop & Projector
3. Marker
4. Cut-out pictures
IV. Lesson Proper
A. Activity
1. Prayer
2. Motivation: Color Game
3. Discussion
Outline:
I.
Cognitive Development
II.
Jean Piaget
III.
Basic Cognitive Concepts
A. Scheme/Schema
B. Assimilation
C. Accommodation

D. Equilibrium
IV.
Stages of Cognitive Development
A. Sensorimotor Stage (Birth 2 years)
1. Object Permanence
2. Problem-solving ability
B. Pre-operational Stage (2-7 years)
1. Use of Symbolic function
2. Egocentrism
3. Centration
4. Inability to reverse operations (Conservation)
5. Animism
6. Transductive Reasoning
C. Concrete Operational Stage (7-12 years)
1. Decentering
2. Reversibility
3. Conservation
4. Classification
5. Seriation
D. Formal Operational Stage (12 years & up)
1. Hypothetical Reasoning
2. Analogical Reasoning
3. Deductive Reasoning
4. Reflective Abilities
V.
Criticism to Piagets Theory
A. Estimate of Childrens Competence
B. Stages
C. Training Children to Reason at a Higher Level
D. Culture and Education
VI.
Lev Vygotsky
VII. Lev Vygotskys Theory
A. Zone of Proximal Development
B. Private Speech
C. Scaffolding
B. Processing Questions
1. What is cognitive development?
2. What are the different stages of development?
3. What are the main limitations in cognitive development at each stage?
4. What new cognitive structures, forms of logical thought, or other cognitive
advances appear during each period?
5. What is the practical usefulness of understanding the stages of cognitive
development?

C. Abstract

Cognition refers to all mental activities associated with thinking, knowing,

remembering, and communicating (Myers, 2010). In cognitive development, as a
child grows up, larger cognitive structures appear and change (Cook & Cook,
2005). Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist, describes how humans gather and
organize information and how this process changes developmentally. He used a
clinical-descriptive method to collect his research. Since he was a biologist, his
conceptualization of cognitive development was greatly influenced by science.
Some concepts he used were schema, assimilation, accommodation, and
equilibration (Parsons, Hinson, & Brown, 2001). According to his study, he
introduced the four cognitive stages of development. First, during the
sensorimotor stage (birth-2 yrs), there is development of object permanence and
problem-solving ability. Second, during the preoperational stage (2-7 yrs) there
are use of symbolic function, egocentrism, centration, inability to reverse
operations (Conservation), animism, and transductive reasoning. Third, during
the concrete operational stage (7-12 yrs), a childs logic became concrete, but
only limited to tangible materials and experiences. There are decentering,
reversibility, conservation, classification, and seriation. Lastly, during the formal
operational stage (12 & up), there are hypothetical reasoning, analogical
reasoning, deductive reasoning, and reflective abilities being shown by the
individual (Gleitman, Gross, & Reisberg, 2011). Still, Piagets study has not gone
unchallenged. There are still criticisms such as estimates of childrens
competence, stages, training children to reason at a higher level, and culture and
education (Santrock, 2009)
So, some researches added more information to consider in studying the
cognitive development of an individual. Lev Vygotsky gave further explanations
wherein he focuses on the effect of culture and social interactions, primarily by
listening to the language they hear around them, to a childs cognitive
development. He then explained different concepts such as zone of proximal
development, scaffolding, and language and thought or private speech. All these
things played an important role to an individuals cognitive development (Cook &
Cook, 2005).
D. Application: Picture Analysis
The students will be shown pictures about the different stages of cognitive
development. Then, they will be asked to identify what stage of the cognitive
development the picture is showing.
E. Evaluation
1. Let the students identify the different stages of cognitive development.
2. Let them explain the effects of culture and social interactions to an individuals
cognitive development.
Prepared By:
CYRA GERINA R. CASTRO