|
Correct Answer: half the class is preoperational and half the class is concrete operational
the correct answer to the question regarding the level of mathematical development of mr. sanders' preschool class is that "half the class is preoperational and half the class is concrete operational." this distinction is important to understand the developmental stages as proposed by psychologist jean piaget.
in piaget's theory of cognitive development, the preoperational stage typically includes children from about 2 to 7 years old. during this stage, children tend to focus on one aspect of a situation or object and can be misled by appearances. for instance, if the arrangement of objects changes to create a visually longer or shorter row, preoperational children might conclude that the quantity of the objects has also changed. this is evident in mr. sanders' class, where half of the students believed that the first row had more pieces simply because it was spread out to look longer.
on the other hand, the concrete operational stage, which generally encompasses ages 7 to 11, marks a development where children begin to think logically about concrete events. they understand the concept of conservation—that the quantity of something remains the same despite changes in its shape or arrangement. thus, the other half of mr. sanders' class who recognized that both rows still contained the same number of pieces, despite one looking longer, are demonstrating concrete operational thinking.
this classroom scenario vividly illustrates the transition between these two cognitive stages. the children who argued that both rows had the same number of pieces, irrespective of their arrangement, were able to apply logical reasoning to see past the misleading visual presentation. in contrast, the students who thought the first row had more pieces were influenced by the visual change and are still in the preoperational stage, where appearances can override logical reasoning.
therefore, understanding such responses in a classroom setting helps educators recognize the varying levels of cognitive development among students, allowing them to tailor their teaching strategies to meet diverse learning needs effectively. this distinction also underscores the importance of educational approaches that help bridge the developmental gap and foster a deeper understanding of fundamental concepts like conservation and logical reasoning in young learners.
|
ExamEdge's online practice test is that they mimicked the actual exam. I walked into the exam feeling confident I knew the material and walked out knowing my time studying with Exam Edge was well worth the effort."
Back To General Exam Info