Jean Piaget’s work on children’s cognitive development, specifically with the early children, has

garnered much attention within the field of education. One contribution of Piagetian theory
concerns the developmental stages of children’s cognition. His work on children’s cognitive
development has provided pre-academic learners teachers with crucial insights into how children
learn concepts and ideas. This assignment looks at Piaget’s theory of cognitive development with
emphasis on the pre operational stage which concerns the pre academic learners. The approach of
this paper will be to provide an analysis of the assertion that Piaget’s theory of cognitive
development is relevant to the teaching and learning at pre academic level. The key terms are pre
academic, teaching and learning.

According to Fuson (2008) the term pre-academic level refers to the stage where children from
the age of 4 to 5 incorporate new skills before they enroll into formal school. Meanwhile (Hill,
2011) views pre academic level as a stage of education the children learn before they begin
compulsory education at primary school. It can be deduced therefore that pre academic level is a
stage where learners of age 4 to 5 are learning.

According to Anderson (2010) Teaching and learning is a process where learners interact and
work towards their goals and incorporate new knowledge, behaviors, and skills that add to their
range of learning experiences. On the other hand, Martin (2000) defines teaching and learning as
the impartation and acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught.
Therefore, teaching and learning is the interaction, impartation and acquisition of knowledge or
skill that add to the learning experiences.

Piaget in Papila and Olds (2006) believed that the development of a child occurs through a
continuous transformation of thought processes. A developmental stage consists of a period of
months or years when certain development takes place. Piaget has identified four primary stages
of development: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. In
the pre-operational stage, which is the stage of the pre academic learners, t he characteristics of this

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stage include an increase in language ability (with over-generalizations), symbolic thought,
egocentric perspective, and limited logic (Zimmerman and Whitehurst, 2009).

Piaget’s theory is still relevant to the teaching and learning at pre academic level. According to
Berk (2007), Piaget proposed that all people follow a fixed sequence through a series of
universal stages of cognitive development. Knowledge of the learners’ different stages of
development helps the teacher to be sensitive to children’s readiness to learn. Since the teacher is
now aware that cognitive development proceeds through stages, the teacher has to teach children
matter that is within their operational level. During Teaching Practice (TP), for example. the
teacher observed not all learners in a class are necessarily operating at the same level. The theory
benefited the teacher to understand the levels at which her learners are functioning and to
ascertain their cognitive levels so as to adjust her teaching accordingly. Thus it can be seen that
Piaget’s theory is relevant.

Piaget’s cognitive theory of cognitive development is relevant to the teaching and learning at
pre-academic level as it benefits the teachers to understand what the learners know and what they
don’t know, which helps the teacher on how to organise the content for teaching and learning.
According to Piaget’s theory pre academic learners need to encounter a gap between what they
already know, and some new material that they have so far not been able to grasp (Thompson,
2010). This is done through the process of assimilation and accommodation. At preschool level,
the information that teachers try to impart to learners may be either too close to what the learners
already know, or too far from what they already know (Gelman et al, 2016). Teachers can then
adopt instructional strategies that make children aware of conflicts and inconsistencies in their
thinking. (ibid) stressed that this creates disequilibration in their minds which necessitates
assimilation and accommodation which is the basis for learning according to Piaget. Finding the
right balance for all learners is therefore the key to encouraging cognitive development at pre
academic level.

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According to Piaget, knowledge is created through experiences and interactions that occur within
one's environment (Thompson, 2010). Knowledge is a process, not a product, and occurs
continuously. One experience, such as going to the park, can bring in millions of bits of
information with each experience through new social interactions, finding a new way of playing
with equipment, experiencing new weather patterns, and much more (Zimmerman and
Whitehurst, 2009). Without new environmental interactions, knowledge would remain static and
therefore a person's social and physical environment is vital in cognitive development. The
learning environment should support the activity of the child. As a teacher during TP, the teacher
noted that letting preschool learners find answers for themselves through self-discovery gave
children experiences and opportunities to widen their schemes. So the theory is relevant as it
helped the teacher to understand that learners need to interact with their environment in order to
increase their knowledge.

Piaget believed that children’s interactions with their peers are an important source of cognitive
development (Piaget, 1970). This is especially relevant for children in the pre operational stage.
In view of the importance children’s interactions, the teachers should encourage students to learn
from their peers. During TP for example, the teacher would give activities such as dramas, games
that promoted peer teaching and social negotiation in class so that children can share
experiences. Fuson (2008) says, learning to listen thoughtfully and sensitively to their peers and
respect a variety of different viewpoints will provide lifelong benefits for the students. Since
different students excel at different areas of knowledge, learning from peers also provides a
thorough education, thus Piaget theory is essential in helping learners to understand that child
interaction is important, so it is relevant.

In addition, the knowledge of Piaget’s theory helps the teacher to allow learner to learn from
their mistakes. Piaget believed that children develop knowledge about the world through trial and
error (Papila and Olds, 2006). Mistakes can be frustrating for the students as well as the teacher,
but teachers should try to model patience and guide the student toward a different conclusion
(Martin, 2010). Mistakes show that the student is actively interacting with the world around her
and trying out new ideas for herself Furthermore the teachers should respect each learners’

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individual interests, abilities and limits. According to Piaget different children reach
developmental stages at different times. Rather than pressuring every child to adapt to one
learning style, the teacher should pay attention to each child's developmental stages and adapt the
lessons accordingly.

Critics of Piaget’s work argue that his proposed theory does not offer a complete description of
cognitive development (Eggen and Kauchak, 2000). For example, Piaget is criticized for
underestimating the abilities of young children. Abstract directions and requirements may cause
young children to fail at tasks they can do under simpler conditions (Gelman et al, 2016).
Perhaps the greatest challenge to Piaget’s theory is his insistence that young children learn only
through acting on the environment. According to Berk (2007), research and other theories have
since established that other factors such as hereditary and sociocultural aspects also influence the
children’s development.

In a nut shell, Paget’s theories and works are relevant to pre academic level and the people who
work with children, as it enables them to understand that children's development is based on
stages. The construction of identity and knowledge as one predicated upon the development of
stages helps to explain the intellectual growth of children of all ages. Piaget's ideas have helped
to construct the notion of learning as an element that must be understood in accordance to the
cognitive stage of the child. This is essential for pre academic stage and those who work with
children as it helps to explain some of the most fundamental issues behind why children learn
and how to proceed with instruction of children. Despite some challenges Piaget theory is still
relevant at pre academic level. Today many teachers still use Piaget's theories to enhance
students' educations. Applying Piaget's theories to the curriculum is simple, effective and
beneficial for learner and teachers alike.

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References

Anderson, J. R. (2010). Cognitive psychology and its implications (3rd ed.). New York:
Freeman.

Berk, L. E. (2007). Child development (4th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Eggen, P. D. Kauchak, D. P. (2000). Educational psychology: Windows on classrooms (5th ed.).

Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Fuson, K. C. (2008). Children’s counting and concepts of numbers. New York: Springer.

Gelman, R. Meck, E., Merkin, S. (2016). Young children’s competence. Cognitive

Development, 1, 1–29.

Martin, D. J. (2010). Elementary science methods: A constructivist approach (2nd ed.). Belmont,
CA: Wadsworth.

Papila, D. E. Olds, S. W. (2006). A child’s world: Infancy through adolescence (7th ed.). New
York: McGraw-Hill.

Piaget, J. (1970). Science of education and the psychology of the child. New York: Viking.

Thompson, C. S. (2010). Place value and larger numbers. In J. N. Payne (Ed.), Mathematics for
young children (pp. 89–108).

Zimmerman, B. J. Whitehurst, G. J. (2009). Structure and function: A comparison of two views

of the development of language and cognition. In G. J. Whitehurst and B. J. Zimmerman
(Eds.), The functions of language and cognition (pp. 1–22). New York: Academic Press