THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

KASAMA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

NAME : MAKWENDA MICKYSON

COURSE CODE : PSYCHOLOGY

PROGRAMME : BEDP 2

ID NUMBER : BEDP 21011

LECTURER : MR CHABINGA

ASSIGNMENT : TWO

DUE DATE : SECOND MONDAY AFTER RECESS

QUESTION : ATTACHED

LECTURER’S COMMENT MARKS SCORED (%)

The concept of development remains to be a point of interest in various fields especially in
psychology. The term “development” in most general psychological sense refers to certain changes
that occur in organisms between conception and death. The term does not apply to all changes, only
to those that appear in orderly manner and remains for a necessarily long period of time. Human
development can be categorized to several types such as Physical, Personal, Social and Cognitive.
However, this essay will discuss the brief basis of Piaget’s theory, the detailed discussion of
preoperational stage under its two sub stages and it will further discuss the educational implication
of preoperational.

This aspect of development has been the concern of a Swiss Psychologist- Jean Piaget. By trying to
understand how humans changes in terms of thinking, he came up with a description on how
humans go about making sense of their world by gathering and organizing information (Woolfolk,
2009).

Piaget offered a framework that has neatly categorized the development of children’s thinking. The
impact of Piaget’s thinking upon present day psychology and education is widely evident (Elkind,
1970). Piaget was the first psychologist to make a systematic study of cognitive development. In
the past the common notion in psychology was that children are simply less competent thinkers
than adults.

Piaget on the other hand presented that young children think in unusually dissimilar habits
compared to grown-ups. From his observation of children, Piaget assumed that children were
generating ideas. They were not limited to merely accepting information from parents or teachers;
they dynamically constructed their own knowledge. Piaget's work provides the foundation on which
constructionist theories are based (Wood, 2001).

Piaget stresses that as children mature mentally, they pass sequentially through four major stages of
cognitive development, each stage having several sub stages. He also hypothesized that children
progress through four stages of cognitive development, each building on the prior stage. Each stage
in this structure of development offers the base for the next stage permitting increasingly complex
and operative adaptations to the environment (Simatwa, 2010).

The Preoperational Stage, as defined by Jean Piaget, is a period of cognitive development that
occurs between the ages of two and seven years. During this stage, children exhibit a significant
growth in symbolic thinking and imagination, which allows them to represent objects and events
through mental symbols. Piaget further subdivides this stage into two phases, symbolic and
intuitive, based on the different cognitive abilities and limitations that children exhibit during these
periods (Ataei, 2012)

The symbolic stage is the first sub-stage of the preoperational stage, which typically occurs between
the ages of two to four years. During this stage, children's cognitive development is characterized
by the use of symbols, such as language, mental imagery, and drawings, to represent objects and
events in their environment. This stage is considered a significant milestone in the development of
language, as children begin to use words to represent objects, ideas, and actions. In this stage,
children are still limited by egocentrism, which means that they have a difficult time understanding
the perspectives of others.

In a classroom setting, the symbolic stage is evident in various ways. For example, children in this
stage might engage in imaginative play, where they use objects around them to create a make-
believe world. They may also begin to use pictures and drawings to represent objects and ideas,
such as drawing a picture of a family or their home. Teachers can encourage this symbolic thinking
by providing opportunities for children to engage in imaginative play, such as creating a dress-up
corner or building blocks. Teachers can also encourage children to use their imagination and
creativity by providing open-ended art materials, such as markers, crayons, and paints (Muller, et al
2009).

In addition to imaginative play and art activities, the symbolic stage is also a critical period for
language development. Children in this stage are learning to use words to represent objects and
events in their environment, and they are beginning to understand the meaning of words. Teachers
can support language development by providing opportunities for children to engage in
conversation and storytelling. Teachers can also use books and read-alouds to help children learn
new words and concepts. Using visual aids, such as pictures and videos, can also help children
understand the meaning of new words and concepts.

The intuitive stage is the second sub-stage of the preoperational stage, which typically occurs
between the ages of four to seven years. During this stage, children's cognitive development is
characterized by a rapid growth in mental operations, which allows them to solve problems and
think logically about the world around them. However, children in this stage are still limited by
their egocentrism, which means that they have a difficult time understanding the perspectives of
others.

In a classroom setting, the intuitive stage is evident in various ways. For example, children in this
stage may begin to ask a lot of questions about the world around them, such as "why does the sky
turn red at sunset?" or "how does the body digest food?" Teachers can encourage this curiosity by
providing opportunities for children to explore and discover the world around them, such as science
experiments and nature walks.

The intuitive stage is also a critical period for the development of mathematical thinking. Children
in this stage are learning to understand the concept of numbers and can begin to count and perform
simple arithmetic operations. Teachers can support mathematical thinking by providing
opportunities for children to engage in hands-on activities that involve counting and measuring. For
example, teachers can provide blocks or other manipulatives for children to count and group, or use
measuring cups and scales in cooking activities.

One of the most significant educational implications of the preoperational stage is the importance of
hands-on learning experiences. According to Piaget, young children in the preoperational stage are
still learning how to understand and manipulate their environment. They are actively constructing
mental representations of their experiences and learning through exploration and experimentation.
For this reason, it is critical that educators provide children with a range of concrete experiences
that allow them to interact with the world around them. This could include activities such as
building with blocks, creating art, or participating in sensory play.

Another educational implication of the preoperational stage is the importance of scaffolding. As

children begin to develop more complex mental representations, they may struggle with certain
tasks or concepts. Teachers and parents can help support their learning by providing appropriate
levels of support and guidance. This might include breaking tasks down into smaller, more
manageable steps or providing additional resources such as visual aids or prompts. By scaffolding
children's learning, educators can help ensure that they are making progress and developing their
cognitive abilities.

Furthermore, the preoperational stage is also characterized by significant advances in language

development. Children in this stage begin to develop more complex vocabularies and are able to
communicate their ideas and thoughts more effectively. As a result, educators should prioritize
activities that encourage children to develop their language skills. This might include reading books
together, engaging in conversations, or participating in storytelling activities. By fostering language
development, educators can help children to more effectively communicate their thoughts and ideas
and develop their cognitive abilities (McLeod, 2015).

In addition to language development, the preoperational stage is also marked by significant

advances in symbolic representation. Children in this stage become increasingly proficient at using
symbols, such as numbers or letters, to represent objects and ideas. Educators can support this
development by providing opportunities for children to engage in symbolic play and activities that
involve using symbols. For example, educators might use manipulative or other materials to help
children learn basic math concepts or provide opportunities for children to practice writing letters or
words (McLeod, 2015).

While there are many positive aspects of the preoperational stage, there are also some challenges
that educators should be aware of. One of the primary challenges is that children in this stage may
struggle with conservation tasks. For example, they may have difficulty understanding that the
amount of water in a tall, narrow glass is the same as the amount of water in a short, wide glass.
This can make it challenging for children to understand certain concepts, such as volume or mass.
To support children's learning, educators may need to use concrete materials or visual aids to help
them better understand these concepts (Simatwa, 2010).

Another challenge of the preoperational stage is that children in this stage may have difficulty
taking the perspective of others. They may struggle with tasks that require them to understand how
someone else might be thinking or feeling. This can make it challenging for children to engage in
cooperative activities or to work effectively in groups. To support children's social and emotional
development, educators may need to provide opportunities for children to practice empathy and
perspective-taking skills.

In conclusion, the preoperational stage is a critical period in children's cognitive development.

While there are many positive aspects of this stage, there are also several educational implications
that teachers and parents should be aware of. By providing hands-on learning experiences,
scaffolding children's learning, and fostering language and symbolic development.
 REFERENCES

Woolfolk, Anita (2009), Educational Psychology, Global Edition, 11th Edition, Pearson
Educational South Asia, Pg 24-63

Muller, U. et al (2009). The Cambridge Companion to Piaget, Cambridge University Press.

Wood, K. C., Smith, H., Grossniklaus, D. (2001). Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development. In
M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology.Retrieved , from
http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Simatwa, Enose M. W. (2010). Piaget’s theory of intellectual development and its implication
for instructional management at pre secondary school level, Can be accessed at:
http://www.academicjournals.org/article/article1379610138_Simatwa.pdf

McLeod, S. A. (2015). Jean Piaget. Retrieved fromwww.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html

Ataei,Saeid (2012) Jean Piaget Cognitive Development, Multimedia University, can be accessed
at: file:///D:/Downloads/JEAN_PIAGET_COGNITIVE_DEVELOPMENT%20.pdf.