UNIT 6 2.3 EXPLAIN HOW THEORIES OF DEVELOPMENT, APPROACHES AND FRAMEWORKS TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT INFLUENCE CURRENT PRACTICE. by

PIAGET'S THEORY

50041715 — 2025-02-27 14:19:53 UTC

Piaget says that children are active learners and construct their own knowledge and understanding by experiencing the world around them through their senses. He also viewed children as "little lone scientists", he says that adults should provide children with a simulating environment, however they should not interfere in their learning. Piaget grouped children's cognitive development into four different broad stages which include;

Birth to 2 years of age; this is called the Sensorimotor Stage; this is when the infant constructs an understanding of the world by coordinating sensory experiences with physical actions, progressing from reflexive, instinctual action at birth to the beginning of symbolic thought toward end of the stage.

2 to 7 years of age; this is called Preoperational Stage; this is when the child begins to represent the world with words and images. these words and the images reflect increased symbolic thinking and go beyond the connection of sensory information and physical action.

7 to 11 years of age; this is called Concrete Operational Stage; this is when the child can now reason logically about concrete events and classify objects into different sets.

11 to 15 years of age through adulthood; this is called Formal Operational Stage; this is when the adolescent reasons in more abstract idealistic and logical ways.

Piaget valued the role of play in learning.

Influence On Current Practice;

Piaget's theory has influenced concepts of individual and student-centred learning, active learning, and peer interaction. In my setting his theory is influenced as we allow the children to write and draw about the world they live in.

SIGMUND FREUD'S THEORY

50041715 — 2025-02-27 14:47:18 UTC

Sigmund believes that behaviour is influenced by unconscious factors of which we are unaware, he says that the interaction between internal instincts and environmental influences that results in the way we think, act and feel. Sigmund believes that children and adults pass through stages in personality development. these stages include;

Birth to 1 1/2 years of age; this is called the Oral Stage; this is when the infant's pleasure centre's on mouth.

1 1/2 to 3 years of age; this is called the Anal Stage; this is when the child's pleasure focuses on anus.

3 to 6 years of age; this is called the Phallic Stage; this is when the child's pleasure focuses on genitals.

6 years of age to puberty; this is called the Latency Stage; this is when the child represses sexual interest and develops social and intellectual skills.

Puberty onwards; this is called the Genital Stage; this is when a time of sexual reawakening; source of sexual pleasure becomes someone outside of the family.

Sigmund's theory influences today's practice; by how we think about and treat mental health conditions, as well as how we develop the child's adaption to play-based learning.

ALBERT BANDURA'S THEORY

50041715 — 2025-02-27 14:48:14 UTC

Albert Bandura was a Canadian American psychologist who is best known for his work in the field of social learning theory and cognitive psychology. He was born on December 4, 1925, and died on July 26, 2021. Bandura's most famous contribution is the concept of observational learning, which suggests that children can learn new behaviours by observing others, rather than through direct experience alone. One of his most well-known experiments is the Bobo doll experiment, where children observed adults interacting with a Bobo doll in either aggressive or non-aggressive ways. The study demonstrated that children who witnessed aggressive behaviour were more likely to imitate that behaviour themselves. Bandura also introduced the idea of self-efficacy, which refers to an individual's belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations.

MARIA MONTESSORI'S THEORY

50041715 — 2025-02-27 15:01:14 UTC

Maria Montessori’s child development theory is based around the idea that children will learn best when they are free to explore and learn independently. Her theory considers all areas of a child’s development. Montessori does not believe children need to be tricked or bribed into learning as given the environment and tools they need, she believes they are innately motivated to learn. Two of her key principles is that children learn through active engagement with materials as well as working at their own pace and choosing their own work. In my placement setting there are many tables that provide different resources to meet a holistic approach to the children’s development. No staff members will bribe or lead a child to a table, nor will they be asked to work at a faster or slower pace. We allow children to work freely and move to the different stations in their own time. Still today, educators are using Montessori’s theory to support child development within daycares, nurseries and schools.

50041715 — 2025-02-27 15:02:07 UTC

B.F Skinner’s development theory is based on how behaviour is shaped by consequences that follow it. His work emphasizes that through reinforcement and punishment that behaviours can be changed; by influencing behaviour and encouraging the repetition of desired behaviour it will enhance the learning experience for children by making it more effective and engaging. A key concept to skinner’s theory would be behavioural shaping. For example, in my placement if a child behaves appropriately to our standard, we may give them a sticker or a sweet treat as a reward. This will allow the child to develop further into good behaviour and building a good routine within the Nursery. Although if a child is unable to share with other children in the class, they may have the toy taken away to teach them to get along with other children and adapt to their setting.

ROBERT COLE'S THEORY

50041715 — 2025-02-27 15:06:24 UTC

Robert Cole is a profession figure who focuses on child development and education. His theories focus on the stages of child development and the importance of having supportive environments that help and support children's individual needs. Cole emphasises the importance of child centred approach in education and childcare. He looks into methods that respect every child's background and experiences,. His work reflects on how the children interact with the environment around them and the roles of the caregivers around them. He has several stages in his theories that reflect on children's growth and progression. His key stages are the sensory motor stage 0-2 years, this stage is when children learn through their motor actions and senses developing basic skills through their environment around them. Next is the pre operational stage 2-7 years, this is when children start to use language and get involved in symbolic play. Concrete operational stage 7-11 years, children will begin to think more into concrete events and recognise that quantities remain the same. Lastly is the formal operational stage 12 years and over. This is when the child will start to develop the ability to think deeper and think of hypothetical situations. Robert Coles theories influence todays educational practices by encouraging educators to ensure they are using child centred approach and they guide educators in implementing appropriate practices ensuring that actives and curricula are suitable for the children's ages, he promotes supportive environments and expresses how important it is every child.

LEV VYGOTSKY'S THEORY

50041715 — 2025-02-27 15:07:55 UTC

Lev Vygotsky was a Russian psychologist who is best known for his work in developmental psychology and education. He was born on November 17, 1896, and died on June 11, 1934. Vygotsky is most famous for his sociocultural theory, which emphasizes the role of social interaction in the development of cognition. One of his key concepts is the "Zone of Proximal Development" (ZPD), which refers to the difference between what a child can do independently and what they can achieve with guidance and support from a more knowledgeable person, such as a teacher or peer. Vygotsky believed that learning occurs most effectively in this zone, where children can stretch their abilities with help. His ideas have had a significant impact on educational practices, highlighting the importance of collaborative learning and the social context of learning.

JEROME BURNER'S THEORY

50041715 — 2025-03-06 11:37:01 UTC

Jerome Bruner was an American psychologist and educator known for his work in cognitive psychology and education. He is best known for his theories about the importance of active participation in the learning process. He believed and stated that learners construct their own knowledge through their experiences. His work has had a lasting impact on educational practices and theories. His 4 main theories are discovery learning where children learn best by exploring and discovering information on their own, spiral curriculum allows children to build upon their prior knowledge, constructivism helps children children construct their own understanding of the world through experiences and cultural context is that learning is influenced by social interactions and cultural context. His theories encourage educators today to be more interactive and improve on their child centred approaches.

LORIS MALAGUZZI'S THEORY

50041715 — 2025-03-06 11:48:05 UTC

Lori Malaguzzi (1920-1994) was an Italian educator, philosopher and the founder of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. Malaguzzi believed in viewing children as competent, and he advocated for a learning environment that respects and nurtures their natural curiosity and interests. The Reggio Emilia approach is known for its focus on collaborative and experiential learning, encouraging children to explore different forms of expression, including art, music, and movement. Malaguzzi’s approach also values the role of teachers as researchers, engaging in a dynamic partnership with children to construct their knowledge together. Loris’s ideas have inspired educators worldwide, shaping progressive early childhood education practices that prioritize the child’s active participation, creativity and social development which will promote a meaningful understanding of the world. Loris Malaguzzi was born on February 23 ,1920 in Correggio in Italy. Loris grew up during the world war 2, which played a big role on his views and thoughts on the community and education. Malaguzzi understood the importance of documenting children’s learning processes which can help educators understand children’s different thoughts and progresses and allows for reflection and assessment.

WATSON'S THEORY

50041715 — 2025-03-06 11:58:28 UTC

Watsons theory is all about the behaviourism in psychology. Watson believes that all behaviours are learned through the different interactions within the environment. Watson implemented lots of different experiments that demonstrated how emotional responses could be conditioned. One of Watsons most famous experiments was the ‘’little albert’’ study, where he conditioned a little girl to fear a white rat by associating it with a loud noise. John B Watson was born on January 9th , 1878 , in travlers rest , south California. John is well known for founding the school of thought known as behaviourism. Watson published influential paper ‘’psychology as the behaviourist views it ‘’ in 1913, outlining his ideas that psychology should focus on observable behaviour.