Intellectual Development(4-6 years)

By: SBlock 1-2

Preoperational ThinkingChildren can understand simple Do’s and Don’ts Use of symbols: children learn that objects or words can

be symbols, they can represent something elseMake-believe play: children learn through

fantasy/creative play or dramatic play, which is imitating real life situations, games like house or school

Egocentric viewpoint: children view the world in terms of themselves, their actions show self-centeredness

Limited focus: in preop. Period kids find it hard to focus on more than one characteristic at once.Ex. Give a child 10 tennis balls, 3 white balls, and 7 yellow

balls. Ask if there's more yellow balls, they will say yes because they can’t focus on both color and type of ball at once

Measuring intelligenceWhen labeling a child “intelligent” or

“unintelligent” adults are often influenced by observations unrelated to intelligenceIts difficult to separate a child’s intellectual

ability from other characteristics like size, shyness, hair style.

Educators use formal intelligence testsThe first test was developed by Alfred Binet in

1905. In 1916 Lewis Tellman revised the Binet test. Today it’s called the Standford-Binet test. It

measures IQ average. A Child should be around 90-110. The test corresponds with a child’s ability and age level

Disadvantage of IQ TestPhysical or emotional state of a child can

affect the results of the testIt doesn’t tell much about a child’s specific

abilities. Two kids might have the same IQ but very different strengths and weaknesses

The test is more commonly used is a screening instrument, it measures level of development in all area’s, not just thinking skills

Everyday Learning OpportunitiesChildren learn in every experience, but they

learn more if a parent or caregiver shares the experience with them

Helping them learn:Talk with the child about what their doing.

Some positive comments can encourage their interest and asking questions helps them think in new ways, and organize their thoughts

Asking advice from a child promotes learning and shows a them their opinion is valued and improves their self-esteem

Everyday Learning Opportunities Cont.Children should be included in

household activities such as shopping, cooking, and cleaning – it will help them develop maturity and responsibility

At the age of 4, 5, or 6, children want to learn about their bodies and where babies come from. You have to answer all their questions in a simple way that they can understand and don’t be embarrassed

ReadingChildren love stories, if you encourage the

interest and read to them it’s likely they’ll enjoy books as they grow up

Kids appreciate humor and unusual (silly) situationsThey laugh over a horse in a bathtub = it shows

their learning reality from fantasyKids like colorful books that are easy for them

to understand

ArtArt helps children express feelings, learn to

control their body, and show creativityThey should be able to experiment. Don’t

correct their creativity

MusicChildren imitate the sounds they

hear. They respond naturally to rhythmic sounds. They love to sing and play rhythmic games

Kids are usually introduced to singing by finger plays, which are songs/chants that have hand motions.

Simple instruments like bells or drums they can bang on help develop their interesthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jotrjCfQ6N8

The School ExperienceIf children have a bad experience with a

teacher or classmate they might develop negative feelings towards school, this might keep them from learning as well

To make sure a child can adjust to kindergarten:They should have appropriate self-help skills

(putting on clothes and shoes)Should be able to listen well and follow

directionsYou should explain what they can expect at

school

Learning DisabilitiesThere’s four categories that they could have

a disability in:How a child receives info from his/her sensesHow the brain puts info togetherHow the info is stored in the brain as a

memoryHow the info is expressed as written or spoken

languageBeing blind is not a learning disabilityADHD is the inability to control one’s activity

or attention

Learning Disabilities Cont.Dyslexia prevents a person from handling

language in a normal wayIt causes problems in reading, writing,

spelling, and math Brain can’t process info, especially visually

Children with learning disabilities are often treated like they can’t learn, which is wrong they just learn differentlyThey need lots of encouragement and praise,

because they have to work extra hard

Gifted & Talented Children3-10% of students are “gifted” (IQ of 130 and

up)There are also children talented in areas that

don’t show up on IQ tests, like musicallyGifted children shouldn’t be treated

differently or specialThey easily become bored and frustrated, and

therefore get labeled “problem children” If they aren’t challenged they will become poor students

Speech DevelopmentA child’s language ability is the most

dependable indicator of intelligenceReveals what they think, their interests, and

personalityVocabulary continues to increase, as well as

articulation This improvement relies on physical growth 6 year olds should know 2 ½ times the words as the

average 3 year old

Speech DifficultiesYoung children who don’t talk a

lot usually are still uncomfortable with language and they won’t be able to read till they have more experience with speaking

Children should be encourage to use a rich vocabulary

Children who don’t speak English have many problems in school, have understanding problems, and other kids teasing the child can cause isolation

BibliographyBrisbane, H. E. (1994). The Developing Child. Glencoe

Division of Macmillan.

Child Development Guide. (2007). Cognitive Development: From 4-6 Years. Retrieved February 23, 2012, from Child-Development-Guide: http://www.child-development-guide.com/cognitive-development.html

Kidspot team. (n.d.). Cognitive Development in babies and children. Retrieved February 23, 2012, from Discovery Centre: http://www.kidspot.com.au/discoverycentre/Joy-of-discovery-Development-Cognitive-development-in-babies-and-children+5357+553+article.htm