Cognitive DevelopmentCognitive DevelopmentThe Middle YearsThe Middle Years

Signs of Increased Intellectual GrowthSigns of Increased Intellectual Growth

Advances in intellectual growth between 7 Advances in intellectual growth between 7 and 12 are extremeand 12 are extreme

Routines become automatic so brain Routines become automatic so brain power can be used for higher level power can be used for higher level learninglearning

Pre-teens learn more and use their Pre-teens learn more and use their knowledge more efficientlyknowledge more efficiently

Recall and apply information like adding Recall and apply information like adding and subtracting almost automaticallyand subtracting almost automatically

Intellectual GrowthIntellectual Growth

MemoryMemory Critical to success in schoolCritical to success in school Use both short term and long termUse both short term and long term Bring information into short term memory to Bring information into short term memory to

concentrate on it and then store it in long term concentrate on it and then store it in long term memorymemory

Once in long term, you can recall on it at a Once in long term, you can recall on it at a later timelater time

Awareness and CuriosityAwareness and Curiosity

Develop better awareness of themselves Develop better awareness of themselves and those around themand those around them

Become better at Become better at planning their own behavior, planning their own behavior, understanding their abilities, andunderstanding their abilities, and understanding the abilities of othersunderstanding the abilities of others

Begin to show concern about what others Begin to show concern about what others think of themthink of them

Awareness and CuriosityAwareness and CuriosityBegin to think of themselves according to their Begin to think of themselves according to their

unique qualities, feelings and beliefsunique qualities, feelings and beliefsCan set a goal and strive to achieve itCan set a goal and strive to achieve itEvaluate and understand what learning Evaluate and understand what learning

strategies work for themselvesstrategies work for themselvesPractice organizational skillsPractice organizational skillsCan take on and understand long term projectsCan take on and understand long term projects

Idealism and Abstract ThinkingIdealism and Abstract Thinking

Begin to adopt moral values that authority Begin to adopt moral values that authority figures will approve offigures will approve of

Can recognize complex social problems Can recognize complex social problems like prejudice or crime, but do not like prejudice or crime, but do not understand that they are difficult to solveunderstand that they are difficult to solve

This idealism can help them become This idealism can help them become involved in improving their worldinvolved in improving their world

Attention SpanAttention Span

About age 12, attention spans actually About age 12, attention spans actually shorten – for unknown reasons to shorten – for unknown reasons to researchersresearchers

Tend to learn less because they cannot Tend to learn less because they cannot concentrate very longconcentrate very long

Can result in lower academic performance Can result in lower academic performance in schoolin school

Theories of How Children LearnTheories of How Children LearnPiaget – Concrete Operations:Piaget – Concrete Operations:Begin to build foundation for school work:Begin to build foundation for school work:

Classifying or group objects – but can’t sort in multiple Classifying or group objects – but can’t sort in multiple waysways

Placing objects in a series – ascending to descending Placing objects in a series – ascending to descending or largest to smallest. or largest to smallest.

Compare objects to another and make logical Compare objects to another and make logical connectionsconnections

Extending relationships – can understand a relationship Extending relationships – can understand a relationship between two objects, and then extend it to a third itembetween two objects, and then extend it to a third item

Conservation – understand that an object has the same Conservation – understand that an object has the same characteristics, even if it changes the way it lookscharacteristics, even if it changes the way it looks

Theories of How Children LearnTheories of How Children Learn

Piaget – Formal Operations:Piaget – Formal Operations: Around age 11, children move to this stageAround age 11, children move to this stage Develop the ability to think abstractlyDevelop the ability to think abstractly

Imagine hypothetical situationsImagine hypothetical situationsSolve problems by anticipating solutionsSolve problems by anticipating solutionsDebating issuesDebating issuesUsing “if…then” formulas to make decisionsUsing “if…then” formulas to make decisionsRecognize complex social problems and the Recognize complex social problems and the

complexity of themcomplexity of them

Learning MethodsLearning Methods

Learn primarily through imitating others\Learn primarily through imitating others\Teachers present material in a variety of Teachers present material in a variety of

waysways Direct LearningDirect Learning Peer LearningPeer Learning Independent LearningIndependent Learning

Learning MethodsLearning Methods

Direct LearningDirect Learning Learning goes from activity based to language Learning goes from activity based to language

basedbased Acquire facts from reading and listeningAcquire facts from reading and listening Take notes and read textbooksTake notes and read textbooks Progress of mastering skills is gradualProgress of mastering skills is gradual Measured by tests, quizzes, and essaysMeasured by tests, quizzes, and essays

Learning MethodsLearning MethodsPeer LearningPeer Learning

Students observe and listen to each otherStudents observe and listen to each other Work in pairs, small groups or as a class on a Work in pairs, small groups or as a class on a

project or taskproject or task Provides an environment where a student Provides an environment where a student

may feel less awkward about questions or may feel less awkward about questions or confusionconfusion

Improves students’ ability to cooperate, Improves students’ ability to cooperate, communicate, and manage time/resourcescommunicate, and manage time/resources

Learning MethodsLearning MethodsIndependent LearningIndependent Learning

Allows a student to work on their own and use Allows a student to work on their own and use the information they have gatheredthe information they have gathered

Prepares them for long term assignments in Prepares them for long term assignments in high school, college and the work worldhigh school, college and the work world

Teachers may assign a topic and then have Teachers may assign a topic and then have time to research and complete the time to research and complete the assignment final projectassignment final project

May need to complete each step by a given May need to complete each step by a given timetime

Middle SchoolsMiddle SchoolsA place for transitionA place for transitionDeveloping social skillsDeveloping social skillsToo old for childlike setting of Too old for childlike setting of

elementary, but not ready for elementary, but not ready for high school settinghigh school setting

Middle schools allow for Middle schools allow for personal connections to still be personal connections to still be made but with more made but with more independenceindependence

Standardized TestsStandardized Tests

Tests that are created and given to Tests that are created and given to thousands of other students of the same thousands of other students of the same ageage

Are created to assess how well children Are created to assess how well children are able to lean and how much they have are able to lean and how much they have learnedlearned

Normally take at least one standardized Normally take at least one standardized test between the ages of 7 and 12test between the ages of 7 and 12

Standardized TestsStandardized Tests

Teams of scientists and educators design Teams of scientists and educators design standardized tests for schoolsstandardized tests for schools

Tests are repeatedly tested and revised Tests are repeatedly tested and revised before actual usebefore actual use

Three properties necessary to be Three properties necessary to be considered “good tests”considered “good tests”

Standardized TestsStandardized Tests

3 Properties:3 Properties: Validity – measures what it Validity – measures what it is supposed to measureis supposed to measure Reliability – Must be consistent. Test is Reliability – Must be consistent. Test is

reliable if it can be given to the same age reliable if it can be given to the same age group again and again with similar resultsgroup again and again with similar results

Practicality – Must be practical for schools Practicality – Must be practical for schools to be able to use. Must be affordable, easy to be able to use. Must be affordable, easy to give, quick and easy to scoreto give, quick and easy to score

Standardized TestsStandardized Tests

Kinds of Standardized Tests:Kinds of Standardized Tests: Learning Ability Test:Learning Ability Test:

Help educators to predict how well a student might Help educators to predict how well a student might do in a particular situationdo in a particular situation

All students take the same test and their scores All students take the same test and their scores are comparedare compared

Most require a student to read questions and write Most require a student to read questions and write answersanswers

Standardized TestsStandardized Tests

Kinds of Standardized Tests:Kinds of Standardized Tests: Achievement Tests:Achievement Tests:

Used to help measure what students have actually Used to help measure what students have actually learned about a particular topic or subjectlearned about a particular topic or subject

Most prevalent standardized test used in schoolsMost prevalent standardized test used in schoolsGive educators a sense of what progress students Give educators a sense of what progress students

are makingare making

Standardized TestsStandardized Tests

Kinds of Standardized Tests:Kinds of Standardized Tests: Aptitude and Interests TestsAptitude and Interests Tests

Measure of students’ talents and preferencesMeasure of students’ talents and preferencesStudents select what they like best from different Students select what they like best from different

groups of activities, ideas, or situationsgroups of activities, ideas, or situationsPatterns in their answers are analyzed to see where Patterns in their answers are analyzed to see where

their interests are strongesttheir interests are strongest

Standardized TestsStandardized Tests

Uses and Misuses:Uses and Misuses: Tests have limitationsTests have limitations Measure only a small sample of a student’s Measure only a small sample of a student’s

abilities or achievementsabilities or achievements Scores can vary due to outside factorsScores can vary due to outside factors Can be considered to be culturally biasedCan be considered to be culturally biased Teachers feel pressure to have their students Teachers feel pressure to have their students

score high – then are criticized for teaching score high – then are criticized for teaching “to the test”“to the test”