Learner Record (2) Explore Intellectual Disability in Relation to the stages of cognitive development Introduction The following paper will seek to outline intellectual disability and its correlation with Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development. It is widely accepted that from the time you are born through to adulthood the human body and mind experiences growth and development at different stages of life’s cycle. In relation to mental development children with intellectual disability are slower at reaching some development milestones that a typical child with no such disability would be expected to reach. This could be evident where a child is significantly behind their peers of similar age when reading, learning new skills and or interacting …show more content…
This development is depended on both nature and nurture i.e. both biological and environment. Children’s cognitive ability grows, adapts and reorganises itself through its exposure to experiences and learning in addition to what mental ability it was born with. This according to Piaget alongside the use of schemas is how a child’s intellectual ability grows and develops. Schemas are a framework or a structure that assists children make sense of the world around them. According to Piaget children learn through experiences retaining the information or experiences they have been exposed to and then using it and adapting it through the process of assimilation and …show more content…
The child’s cognitive ability begins to really develop and incorporate a better understanding of how to think logically. They also develop a greater understanding of concrete events, in other words they begin to understand better the world around them and the events taking place. They have yet however to develop more adult cognitive ability such as sarcasm and abstract understanding. They do however form the ability to ‘conserve’ and understand that even when the appearance of something changes its size/quantity is the same. Children with intellectual disabilities may either not reach some or all of the the concrete operational stage at the same time as his or her peers with no disability. They may also whilst in this stage be unable to digest or process the information at the same speed or in the same way as a child without disability. FormaI Operational
The two movies I choose to compare and contrast are I Am Sam and Radio. In both of these movies the main characters expressed signs of being exceptional learners. In I Am Sam, Sam Dawson, is the main character that shows autistic tendencies accompanied by intellectual disabilities. “The most common syndromes associated with intellectual disability are autism, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).” (berns peter, 2016). (Nelson, 2002) (Tollin, 2003) (Taylor, 2015) Radio is a young man who is said to have ‘mental retardation’ a term that has been changed to intellectually disabled because of Rosa’s Law. Radio stumbles upon a football practice where his world about to change for the better.
Some people would argue that children with disabilities are not as smart as other children. One article titled Debunking Four Common Stereotypes About Kids with Special Needs proves this false. This is a stereotype that has been formed and the fact is, “Disabled children are usually of average or above intelligence” (National Network for Child Care 1). This expresses that kids with disabilities do not always struggle academically. The National Network of childcare is stating that putting these adolescents in a grouping of unintelligence is a false accusation. Also, in the article by the National Network for Child Care it explains a common misunderstanding. The misconception of disabled children not being as smart is widely misunderstood, “They usually understand what is being taught, but often do not understand the way it is being taught” (National Network of Childcare 1), which mentions that although they struggle that is not an effect
Piaget (1936) was the first psychologist to make a systematic study of cognitive development. Piaget placed great importance on the education of children. According to Piaget, children are born with a basic mental structure on which all learning and knowledge is based. They challenge the behaviourist theory as most of their research was done on animals and is missing knowledge. The implications of this theory are that not only should we be interest in the answer the learner gives but also the method of how they got there. I find that due to the gaps in the learner’s education, they may be missing important parts that they have had to find out for themselves these methods are not always the easiest ways of calculating. I try and make it as stress free as possible so will demonstrate other methods that may be easier for them. Piagets theory accepts that children go through the same development stages but that they may go through at different times, I ensure I make effort to cater for these different paces and ensure tasks are differentiated to accommodate this. I am aware however that this theory relates to children’s development, and I work with adults, I can still apply parts of this
How human children’s intelligence develops as they go through their adolescent stages in their early life has been a wonder to many researches and theorists. Jean Piaget is a stage theorists which means that he believes that there are a series of four main qualitatively different periods (or stages) that children go through in a certain and stable order and that any information or experiences that they gain in one stage is going to stay with them and prepare them for their next one. Piaget believes that children are active participants in their own development from stage to stage and that they construct their own mental structures through their interactions with their environments that begin just
Piaget’s developmental stages are the basis of normal intellectual development. There are four different stages. The stages start at infant age and work all the way up to adulthood. The stages include things like judgment, thought, and knowledge of infants, children, teens, and adults. These four stages were named after Jean Piaget, a developmental biologist and psychologist.
After many years of his career in child psychology Jean came up with four stages of mental development called a schema. Jean Piaget categories these stages by age but he has said ...
Piaget’s stage theory of cognitive development demonstrates a child’s cognitive ability through a series of observational studies of simple tests. According to Piaget, a child’s mental structure, which is genetically inherited and evolved, is the basis for all other learning and knowledge. Piaget’s
Sensory Impairments-Children with a sensory impairment, sight or hearing impaired, may not fully develop social skills, emotional maturity or physically, if theyâ€TMre unable to spend as much time out as other children because of their disability.
People with intellectual disabilities can and do learn new skills, but they learn at a slower process. There are varying degrees of intellectual disability, from mild to profound. In society today, mental retardation is no longer the appropriate political terminology when referring to people with an intellectual disability or developmental disability. Today the term used in the medical professional is intellectual disabled.
Jean Piaget is a Switzerland psychologist and biologist who understand children’s intellectual development. Piaget is the first to study cognitive development. He developed the four stages of cognitive development: the sensori-motor stage, preoperational stage, the concrete operational and the formal operational stage. Piaget curiosity was how children cogitate and developed. As they get mature and have the experience, children’s will get knowledgeable. He suggested that children develop schemas so they can present the world. Children’s extend their schemas through the operation of accommodation and assimilation.
“The influence of Piaget’s ideas in developmental psychology has been enormous. He changed how people viewed the child’s world and their methods of studying children. He was an inspiration to many who came after and took up his ideas. Piaget's ideas have generated a huge amount of research which has increased our understanding of cognitive development.” (McLeod 2009). Piaget purposed that we move through stages of cognitive development. He noticed that children showed different characteristics throughout their childhood development. The four stages of development are The Sensorimotor stage, The Preoperational Stage, The Concrete operational stage and The Formal operational stage.
Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development suggests that children have four different stages of mental development. The main concept of Jean Piaget’s theory is that he believes in children being scientists by experimenting with things and making observations with their senses. This approach emphasizes how children’s ability to make sense of their immediate everyday surroundings. Piaget also proposed that children be perceived to four stages based on maturation and experiences.
The first developmental state is the sensorimotor stage, which occurs between the ages of zero and two years old. This is where concepts are built through interactions with adults. Infants construct an understanding of the world by coordinating sensory experiences with motor actions. The second stage, the preoperational, occurs from two to seven years old. At this stage, children’s symbolic thought increases, but they do not possess operational thought. Children need to relate to concrete objects and people, but they do not understand abstract concepts. The third stage is concrete operations and occurs from seven to eleven years old. Children are able to develop logical structures and can understand abstractions. The formal operational stage, the final stage, occurs from eleven to fifteen. At this stage, thought is more abstract, idealistic, and logical. Children’s cognitive structures are similar to adults and children are able to use reasoning.
In society today, there are many children and parents who face the diagnosis of having a developmental disability that would qualify them for special education and needs. This time can come with many questions for the parents when they realize the specialized care and education their child will need. Most often, questions arise about their schooling and how they will be included with other children, as well as what services are available to their child. How their disability impacts their life is a very valid concern because their education will be impacted. When a disability is discovered, it effects trickle down from the child to the parents, to the teachers and finally the medical and educational specialists.
Peter Sutherland (1992) ‘Cognitive Development Today-Piaget and His Critics’ Paul Chapman Publishing London. Smith et al, 1998, as cited in ‘Children’s Cognitive and Language Development, Gupta, P and Richardson, K (1995), Blackwell Publishers Ltd in association with the Open University. Vygotsky, L.S. (1988) ‘The genesis of higher mental functions’ in Richardson, K and Sheldon, S. (eds) Cognitive development to Adolescents, Hove, Erlbaum