4. BASIC CONCEPTS
According to Jean Piaget, the intellectual
development take place as a result of the
organisation and re- organisation of certain
pattern of behavior called schema.
Schemas are the basic structural units of human
mind.
An infant’s first schemas represent those
instincts and reflexes that are biologically
inherited.
5. As the development proceeds, the existing
schema enlarges and it is co-ordinated with new
patterns to form more complex mental
representations.
The process of organisation of these schemas
[cognitive structures] take place by three
different activities- assimilation,
accommodation and equilibration.
6. ASSIMILATION
Assimilation means transferring new experience into
familiar ones by means of organising past
experiences.
For e.g:- a child who has learnt only primary colours
[red, blue and green] may identify a man wearing a
pink shirt as one wearing a red shirt.
Here the child organises the new experience[pink
colour] in terms of his existing schema [red colour]
7. ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation is the modification of existing
schemas to deal with a new situation.
It involves transformation of an old schema or
learning a new schema.
For e.g:-The moment the child learns to discriminate
between a red shirt and a pink shirt, the pre- existing
schema of red color is accommodated with a new
experience of identification of pink color.
8. EQUILIBRATION
According to Piaget’s theory, optimal level of
intellectual functioning takes place in
equilibration state.
The process of maintaining a balance between
assimilation and accommodation is termed as
equilibration.
10. STAGES
Sensory- motor stage [0 to 2 years]
Pre- operational stage [2 to 7 years]
Concrete- operational stage[7 to 11 years]
Formal operational stage [12 to 15 years]
11. Sensori- motor stage
[Birth to 2 years]
This stage covers the period from birth to two
years.
Simple learning occurs but the child does not
think at this stage.
12. These early sensori- motor experiences of the child
have a great bearing on the development of his
later intellectual abilities.
In the world of the child an object exists when it is
physically present
13. By the end of two years, the child develops the
concept which is characterised by relationship
among objects and between objects and his own
body.
14. Pre-operational stage
[2 to 7 years]
The child acquire the ability to form mental
images of objects and events ; and thus begin to
think symbolically.
This stage can be further subdivided into two:
A. The pre- conceptual stage [ 2 to 4 years]
B. The intuitive stage [4 to 7 years]
15. A. The Pre- conceptual stage
This stage is roughly between 2- 4 years.
In the early part of this stage, the children usually
make mistakes in the process of identification and
concept formation
16. For e g:- They think all men are daddy, all women
are mummy.
Their mode of thinking and reasoning is quite
illogical at this stage.
17. B. The Intuitive stage
This stage covers the period from 4-7years.
At this stage the child progresses towards the
formation of various concepts at a more advanced
level
18. For e g:- The child will agree that apples, oranges
and bananas are all fruits with different shape,
color or taste.
Later the child has developed the reversible quality
in his cognitive operations.
19. Concrete operational stage
[7 to 11 years]
At this stage a child is concerned with the
integration and stability of his cognitive system.
The child learn to use inductive- deductive
reasoning.
He develops logical operations from simple
associations.
20. He learns to add, subtract, multiply and divide.
He is in a position to classify, concrete objects.
21. Formal operational stage
[12 to 15 years]
At this stage the intellectual development and
functioning takes place.
The child learn to deal with abstraction by logical
thinking.
22. He begins to look problems in many ways.
Explore various solutions in a systematic and
logical way.
This stage enables the adolescent to transfer
understanding from one situation to another
situation.
24. This theory provides an ability- based curriculum
for children.
This theory advocated the need of child- centred
education by saying that the educational
experience must be built around the learner’s
cognitive structure.
25. The description of each stage of intellectual
growth is very useful in providing learning
experiences in tune with the mental abilities of the
child.
The pre- school child is at the pre- operational
stage. Hence the educational programme at this
stage should provide concrete experiences to the
children.
26. The techniques used in this theory may lead to
asses child’s level of intellectual development.
Piaget’s description of cognitive development can
greatly help curriculum planners to decide the
ideal times for the teaching of certain subjects and
sequence.
