PLE #10: Cognitive & Linguistic Development

Theories in educational psychology promote the idea that language plays a critical role in cognitive development. As a future educator of urban youth, I firmly believe in the importance of language, literacy, and linguistic development. The development of language is absolutely critical for all children, especially those in urban settings, because language is power. In "Teaching for Thinking", Amos Hatch explains how "our thoughts are interiorized language; we think in language." Children who struggle with language development will likely struggle with cognitive development because the two are so inextricably linked. Language is power because it gives us the ability to think, think about our thinking, and express our thoughts out loud. Without language, students will struggle to progress through the stages of cognitive development and learn to their full potential.

Age-Typical Characteristics (K-2)
-Knowledge of 8,000 to 14,000 words by age 6
-Difficulty understanding complex sentences (e.g., those with multiple clauses)
-Overdependence on word order and context (instead of syntax) when interpreting messages
-Superficial understanding of being a good listener (e.g., just sitting quietly)
-Literal interpretations of messages and requests (e.g., not realizing that "Goodness, this class is noisy" means "Be quiet")
-Increasing ability to tell a story
-Mastery of most sounds; some difficulty pronouncing r, th, dr, sl, and str
-Occasional use of regular word endings (-s, -ed, -er) with irregular words (sheeps, goed, gooder)
-Basic etiquette in conversations (e.g., taking turns, answering questions)
-Reluctance to initiate conversations with adults (for many students from Asian and Mexican American backgrounds)

One way that I plan to encourage cognitive development in my classroom is through the use of age-appropriate read alouds, especially storybooks. Read alouds can develop and enhance vocabulary, serve as model of good fluency, and just generally show students that reading is an enjoyable activity. Using think aloud strategies during read alouds is another great way to use cognitive modeling to get students to think about their thinking, encourage the use of language, and promote cognitive development. Another important strategy involves working on listening skills. If students aren't listening, they're not learning. I think it's important to explain this to them and give them the tools to become good listeners. One technique that I've seen used in multiple classrooms is called "give me five". When the teacher holds up his or her hand and says "give me five", the students know that they must have their eyes on the speaker, mouths quiet, be still, hands in laps, and ears open. I have personally seen how effective this quick strategy can be, and I definitely plan on implementing it in my classroom.