"Cognitive and Language Development"

Cognitive development theorists look at the way children's thinking process has changed over time. They give explanations as to why certain skills and criteria are taught at certain ages.A students cultural background can also affect the way a student thinks. Different cultures have different beliefs; therefore one student can believe one aspect of a subject while another student can disagree. Students' maturity levels can affect the way a teacher has to teach certain subjects and skills. For example, a first grader is not going to understand evolution, which is why it is taught in middle school; when the students can understand what it is really about. Psychologist Jean Piaget came up with a four stages as to how he believed cognitive development happens (Moreno, 80). 

Piaget's Stages of Development:

Citation: "Transparencies." Index of /. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://www.abacon.com/slavin/t5.html>.

Sensorimotor Stage (Age: 0-2): "Infants are able to coordinate their sensory and motor abilities to create a set of behavioral schemas (mental networks of organized information)" (Moreno, 80).

Preoperational Stage (Age: 2-7): "Children have not yet developed the ability to think logically. They understand the use of symbols and imaginary play" (Moreno, 80).

Concrete Operational Stage (Age: 7-11): "Child has the ability to think logically about concrete objects such as; conversations and transformations" (Moreno, 83).

Formal Operational Stage (Age: 11+): "have the ability to engage in logical and systematic thinking" (Moreno, 84).

While Piaget and other psychologists came up with ways cognitive thinking developed, there are also theories on how language has developed. It is becoming more common to have a second language, a person with a second language is considered to be "well rounded". Having a second language makes you aware of different cultures and can help with communication skills.