Cognitive development involves the construction of the thought processes such recalling, problem-solving and decision making. It is a step from childhood to adolescence. Cognitive development enhances one’s ability to think and understand his or her world though the interaction of genetic and learned factors. Cognitive development enhances intelligence, reasoning, language development and memory.
At the age of two children develop cognitive skills in attention and both short-term memory and long-term memory. This is the age kids understand the permanence of objects and people, and they can recognize their displacement. The kids will strive for more independence which can sometimes trouble the parents regarding their safety. They guide and monitored. They can understand discipline and differentiate what behaviors are appropriate and inappropriate.
They can be taught simple words to memory like names of people, places, and other things. Introducing a kid to places like a museum can enhance their ability to a rethinking of new neighborhood and exhibitions. They can be taught to name familiar objects, draw crayons and obey simple orders and play with other kids. It is advisable for parents to spend time with the kids talking to them, cuddling and scheduling regular sleeping and eating time for the kid.
Piaget Cognitive Development
Piaget cognitive development has four stages which include sensorimotor stage, preoperational stage, concrete operational stage and formal operational stage.
According to Piaget, at age two kids are at the stage of sensorimotor and they learn about the world through senses and manipulation of objects. They can touch and feel objects by themselves. Parents having a kid at this age are advised to help them with naming objects and persons.
Through age two the kids develop memory and imagination. They understand some symbols shown to them and understand if it is tomorrow, today and yesterday.
Parents are advised to buy dolls for their kids to play with since they can put away things. Kids can be taught how to draw crayons and give their full names.
Vygotsky Cognitive Development
This theory of cognitive development is based on the impact of culture on cognitive development. Each period of learning has a dominant activity associated with it. Instruction and learning are used as a tool for leading the learning of a child’s cognitive development.
Culture is emphasized as the most important factor for cognitive development. Vygotsky focuses on cognitive abilities which are unique to human beings. According to Vygotsky culture is the force which shapes all higher mental processes which include attention, perception, memory and problem-solving.
At age two of a child interaction between communication and problem solving occurs and the speech of a child becomes intellectual while the problem solving becomes acquires verbal intelligence. Children at age two can demonstrate communication through gesture, learn through observation and get to understand the intention of others. When kids are allowed to interact with other people, they adopt a communication convention which creates the cognitive representation.
In according enhance children especially at age two cognitive development; they need to interact with socially more skilled individuals. Children can be guided to learn some specific task through assistance until they can do it themselves.
Piaget and Vygotsky Theories of Development
Vygotsky theory asserts that cognitive development of children can be attained through social interaction with more skilled individuals. The cognitive development of children is governed and influenced by many principles. This theory lays the foundation for constructivism where children construct knowledge actively.
Piaget theory asserts that children pass through four stages of mental development. It focuses on both how children acquire knowledge and understand the nature of intelligence. The theory posits that children are actively involved in the learning process through experiments and observation.
Vygotsky theory of development best suit Jayson at age two since the theory is based on learning through assistance by a more socially skilled individual, unlike Piaget theory which posits that children are actively involved in the learning process through observation and experiments.
