Piaget Constructivist Theory

Psychology of Learning
Constructivist-Social Constructionist Theory
Piaget's Constructivist Theory
Piaget (constructivist) believed that children are active learners and not just empty vessels. He believed that children go through 4 stages:
1. Sensori-motor stage (0-2)- a newborn is focused on sensory and motor experiences who then progresses to a toddler who has a capacity for thinking
2. Pre-operational Stage (2-7) - In this stage, children are preparing to perform operations and still require physical props like fingers when counting.
3. Concrete operational stage (7-11) - Children learn to conserve.
4. Formal operational stage (11-)
Piaget believed that as children begin to understand their world, they formed schemas. Schemas are a mental

They associated the lab coat with food. He began ringing a bell (the stimulus) each time the dogs were about to be fed, and within a short time the dogs began to salivate (the response) when they heard the bell. Classical conditioning is when the body automatically responds to a stimulus.
Operant Conditioning happens when behaviour is reinforced by being either rewarded (which increases the likelihood reoccurring or punished. Learning occurs as a result of this process.
Source: Flood (2013)
The theory of multiple intelligences
The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. It suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited. Instead, Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults. These intelligences are:
• Linguistic intelligence (“word smart”)
•Logical-mathematical intelligence (“number/reasoning smart”)
•Spatial intelligence (“picture

It is an immaturity in the way that the brain processes information, which results in messages not being properly or fully transmitted. The term dyspraxia comes from the word praxis, which means ‘doing, acting’. Dyspraxia affects the planning of what to do and how to do it. It is associated with problems of perception, language and thought.
Source: www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk [Date accessed 13/03/2018]
Up to 10% of the population is thought to be affected by dyspraxia and males are four times more likely to be affected than females. The symptoms of dyspraxia are varied and can be complicated when the child has other related conditions e.g. Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia or dyscalculia (maths). Symptoms include:
• Babies can be slow to reach their developmental milestones like sitting up, crawling (many babies will bottom shuffle instead of crawling and then walk) and walking.
• They can find dressing themselves difficult (poor fine motor skills)
• In turn they can find using a pencil/ crayon hard.
• Older children can find staying still difficult (feet swinging/tapping or hand-clapping)
• Can be clumsy, bump into objects, fall, knock things over.
• Find pedalling a bike or tricycle difficult.
• Can become distressed which can lead to temper tantrums.
• Poor fine motor skills when eating.
• Can have language