Question: Explain how theories of development and frameworks to support development influence current practice.
Answer: There are many child development theories which has been researched extensively, but what is apparent is that no single one gives a complete picture of all the different aspects that make up the subject area. For a better understanding therefore, it is necessary to draw upon a sample of all other theories studied.
Piaget’s cognitive development theory appears to be the most used in schools in homes with parents and is featured heavily in the Initial Teacher Training Course. The child is forever using his/hers own experience together with the guidance of the adults around them to solve problems. This way of solving problems is never lost but is carried to other levels as the child gets older. The success of Piaget’s work is bourne out of many teachers and parents who find his theory a rich source of ideas for fostering development. For example, cognitive growth occurs as children construct their own understanding of their environment. The teacher’s role is to create environments where children can discover for themselves how the world works. They should also allow children to draw their own conclusions from their own independent observation rather than doing it for them. Cognitive growth is fostered when children discover errors and inconsistencies in their own thinking and are allowed to sort it out themselves. The job of the teacher is to facilitate the process of finding out and to set and allow opportunities for these inconsistencies to present themselves.
Vygotsky’s theory of social cognitive is similar to that of Piaget’s, as his theory states that humans are the only species to have created a culture where a child can develop in that culture. Therefore, a child’s learning development is affected by that of the family in which the child is brought up, in general culture makes two sorts of contributions to intellectual development....