Thread: What's so bad about TEFLing?

Originally Posted by Sir Wilson

Are young children incapable of reason ?

Largely.


Preoperational stage: from ages 2 to 7 (magical thinking predominates. Acquisition of motor skills). Egocentrism begins strongly and then weakens. Children cannot conserve or use logical thinking.

• Concrete operational stage: from ages 7 to 11 (children begin to think logically but are very concrete in their thinking). Children can now conserve and think logically but only with practical aids. They are no longer egocentric.

• Formal operational stage: from age 11-16 and onwards (development of abstract reasoning). Children develop abstract thought and can easily conserve and think logically in their mind.

Jean Piaget - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by nidhogg

from ages 2 to 7 begins strongly and then weakens. Children cannot conserve or use logical thinking.

I would disagree with that. For a year or so now my 5 year old has shown remarkable ablity for logical thinking.

Originally Posted by Koojo

Originally Posted by nidhogg

from ages 2 to 7 begins strongly and then weakens. Children cannot conserve or use logical thinking.

I would disagree with that. For a year or so now my 5 year old has shown remarkable ablity for logical thinking.

I tend to agree. They can think logically from even 3 or 4.

Originally Posted by nidhogg

Originally Posted by Sir Wilson

Are young children incapable of reason ?

Largely.


Preoperational stage: from ages 2 to 7 (magical thinking predominates. Acquisition of motor skills). Egocentrism begins strongly and then weakens. Children cannot conserve or use logical thinking.

• Concrete operational stage: from ages 7 to 11 (children begin to think logically but are very concrete in their thinking). Children can now conserve and think logically but only with practical aids. They are no longer egocentric.

• Formal operational stage: from age 11-16 and onwards (development of abstract reasoning). Children develop abstract thought and can easily conserve and think logically in their mind.

Jean Piaget - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

However Piagatian theory has been deconstructed by quite a few psycologists and education theorists since his hey day of the 1960's. We did a whole unit on this for the PGCE. I was even reading a book a few weeks ago about the flaws in his research and question methods. 'Children's Minds' by Margaret Donaldson.