I have been asked to critically analyze and discourse the work of three selected writers and to compare and contrast their positions. I will associate this theory to my experience of working with kids. and give my ain positions and how this has developed my apprehension in my function as a trainee instructor.

The readings I have chosen to discourse and compare are: An Introduction to Children’s Learning ( Ray Potter ) . The Significance of Young Children’s Personal. Social and Emotional Development ( Dowling M ) and How Children Learn ( Curtis A. O’Hagan M ) .

Potter discusses how behaviorism and cognitive development are the two most widely regarded theories in the attacks to larning and how these theories have deductions for learning. ‘Behaviourism is a theory of larning concentrating on discernible behaviors and dismissing any mental activity. ’ ( Pritchard 2008:6 ) .

He discusses several theoreticians and how their theories help kids larn. and how instructors manage larning more efficaciously in the schoolroom. He talks about behaviorism and how kids learn from life experiences. ‘Behaviourist claims that we are what we are. non because of unconditioned intelligence or familial factors. but entirely due to our life experiences’ . Potter ( cited in Jacques et al 2004:63 ) . Skinner. a innovator in behaviorism. believed that behavior could be controlled through ‘conditioning’ . the act of honoring desired behavior ( positive support ) and disregarding unsought behavior ( negative support ) .

Many of Skinner’s theories subdivision from his carnal experiments. whereby he would honor with nutrient and punish when proverb unacceptable behavior. This is highlighted in An Introduction to Children’s Learning ( Potter ) . as to how this theory has been adapted in today’s schools. “Conditioning occurs in many schools in the forenoon when the kids foremost arrive in the resort area. They will be playing and speaking to each other when they see their instructor come into the resort area. The kids will instantly line up in forepart of their instructor ready to travel in to school” . This I observe everyday in my school scene.

In the Introduction to Children’s Learning ( Ray Potter ) it states that kids achieve good through the “behaviourist psychological science which goes back many old ages to Pavlov and Skinner. therefore kids learn by listening carefully to acquire the right stimulation and through the perennial support of right responses” . This is apparent in schools today. whereby instructors encourage kids to intone and reiterate facts across the course of study. This is in the hope that repeat will ensue in the information going innate. accordingly leting the kids to regurgitate at the bead of a chapeau. but it could reason make the kids lose the significance. One has to inquire nevertheless. how successful is this for all kids? Biggs ( cited in Leask 2009:89 ) ‘A pupil’s motive influences the larning schemes they adopt. A student with an instrumental motive is likely to follow reproducing or rote learning schemes. ’ Do kids retain this cognition?

We know now after many old ages of research that non all kids benefit from the dated ‘talk and chalk’ manner of learning. The philosopher Confucius cited in Ray Potter’s In the Introduction to Children’s Learning. pondered the theory “I do and I understand” . this was later developed by Piaget who based his cognitive theories and ‘emphasis on making. activity and experience… kids learn through interaction with their environment’ . ( Kitsen et al 1997:2 ) ‘Piaget was really keenly cognizant of the importance of societal factors in children’s acquisition. ’

Bruner believed that kids think through three manners. enactive ( actions ) . iconic ( images ) . and symbolic ( words and Numberss ) . Supplying the information is presented in an appropriate manner and the information is appropriate to the child’s age. so the kid will be able to understand and larn from it. Bruner’s theory is that children’s acquisition is active and they base constructs on their old cognition. The past cognition helps the scholar to treat the new information to back up determinations in the signifier of cognitive development. This allows the kid to construct on past experience and develop farther the information given. Like. Vygotsky. Bruner besides believed that societal interaction and civilization played a large function in cognitive development. ‘Bruner felt that kids were organised harmonizing to their experiences and that they are active in their learning’ ( Tassoni. 2005:197 ) .

Potter besides discusses cognitive theories and how the following coevals theoretician such as Piaget. Vygostsky and Bruner believe that memory. apprehension and thought are critical in children’s acquisition. ‘But these are the really material of the following coevals of theoreticians. the cognitivists. ’ Potter. ( cited in Jacques et al 2004:66 ) .

The function of societal interaction is based on theories from Vygotsky and Bruner. To set the function of societal interaction into topographic point at school the student and teacher necessitate to work together by the instructor assisting to make significance. instead than ordering what is to be learned. Learning through societal interaction does non ever occur in school. Children besides learn through societal interaction with their equals. parents and other grownups. A premier illustration of this societal impact that is used in many schools today is the usage of the school council. Children regardless of age. economical background. race and gender can voice their positions and have their positions challenged in a safe environment. ‘Social interaction ( peculiarly those which take topographic point between themselves ) may ease the class of development by exposing a kid to other points of position and to conflicting thoughts which may promote him to re-think or reexamine his ideas’ ( Wood 1998:17 ) .

Piaget’s theory maintains that kids need to get the better of a sequence of phases in development. These phases are complex and look in four chief classs. The sensory-motor phase begins from birth to two old ages. the kid learns through centripetal experiences and motion. The pre-operational phase from about two to seven old ages of age. when the kid begins to develop the accomplishment of utilizing symbols and how things look. yet they are unable to direct logical thought.

By the age of seven to eleven or twelve kids have begun to do connexions by believing logically and tie ining their ideas to concrete state of affairss. Piaget describes this as the concrete-operational phase. At about 11 or twelve the formal operational phase falls into topographic point. by this age to maturity we begin to utilize more sophisticated degrees of abstract and logical thought. He believes the development of phases from childhood to maturity is a effect of the individual’s experience with the environment around them. They are learnt through assimilation. adjustment and version. ‘Every populating thing must accommodate to its environment if it is to last. ’

Vygotsky focused on linguistic communication and communicating as a support to a child’s cognitive development. He looked at how kids interact with their equals and grownups and how it influences their communicating and linguistic communication on a societal degree. This signifier of societal interaction does non ever have to be verbal. gesture and organic structure linguistic communication is communicating learned though equals or grownups.

Another facet of Vygotsky’s theory is the zone of proximal development. This is when development is gained through societal behavior. The accomplishments of societal interaction can be developed farther with counsel from grownups and equals. We as facilitators can back up scholars by scaffolding. bit by bit cut downing support so the kid becomes capable of independently finishing a undertaking. ‘The ‘zone of proximal development’ seems a critical thought for instructors to hold in head when speaking to single kids. Could it be applied to partner off? Or to little groups? Or to a whole category? ’ ( Kitson et al. 1997:154 ) .

Dowling discusses how children’s personal. societal and emotional development has a important factor in children’s acquisition. Dowling explains that three subjects frequently occur in any argument about early childhood issues. which are -context. continuity and contention. An ideal illustration of this in practise is a good managed Foundation Stage schoolroom. Bing an unqualified Reception instructor for the past two old ages. I have observed and experienced this environmental state of affairs of context. continuity and contention. For illustration function drama countries are set in line with the subject e. g. Healthy Eating- puting up a eating house.

However the theory of constructivism being the thought that things are the manner they are. is socially constructed e. g. . male childs play with autos. misss play with dolls. This is an built-in portion of mundane life. Playthings are being marketed gender specifically. Children frequently arrive in a school puting with premeditated positions coming from the manner they have been brought up and through media advertizement. This can antagonize the good practise that is seeking to be initiated in foundation Stage scenes of today. Cultural premises. harmonizing to Richardson. the ‘nature’ of girls’ and boys’ behavior reproduce instead than expose inequality and work against immature adult females in schools while back uping gendered stereotypes in society. ’ ( 1997:25 ) .

When the kids immerse themselves in the subject. their personal. societal and emotional development thrives and their creativeness flowers. The current manner the Foundation Stage is run nationally has been really successful in that support has been given to early year’s instruction to let schools to be successful in their early old ages learning and development. However the new authorities has polemically pulled all of this support and at present we are diffident as pedagogues of which directive we will be undertaking.

In contrast Dowling explains that in China kids who attend Kindergartens receive prep in literacy and numeracy. The focal point is on academic accomplishment instead than personal. societal and emotional development. Therefore it has been found that these kids seldom gain these accomplishments in ulterior life. Dowling ( 2000:17 ) ‘Asian instruction methods have valued academic development while damaging other facets of children’s growing. which help them to populate and accomplish in society. ’ It is similar to the theories of Piaget. Bruner and Skinner but I believe the existent construct that is being modelled is incorrect if we are to educate immature people to populate successfully in today’s society.

Similarly Curtis and O’Hagan discourse how factors can impact larning. They introduce the chapter by concentrating on ‘What is larning? They discuss several ways kids learn and factors which can impact this. These are development. environmental factors. and periods of larning. memory. concentration. cognitive manners. and intelligence. They believe kids construct their cognition and understanding through their experience with the environment. and that acquisition is active and experience based.

They agree that kids are non less knowing than grownups. that kids merely see the universe otherwise at their degree. In my schoolroom grownups frequently celebrate when they have learnt something new. particularly when the acquisition has been imparted from the kid to an grownup. The kid merely prioritises their acquisition otherwise from the grownup. Children need this staging in order to develop in many ways. This imparting itself to Vygotsky’s theory. ( Pollard 1994:13 ) ‘’they are therefore seen as intelligent societal histrions who. although their cognition base may be limited in absolute footings. are capable in many ways. ’

In decision to the theories looked at. are all based around children’s acquisition and similar in position. . It is possible to larn from each of them and utilize the theory in pattern in a schoolroom. As a instructor I would be more inclined towards Vygotsky’s theory. This is chiefly due to the fact that we can dispute kids to travel beyond what they already know in our school environment. ( Curtis et al 2005:36 ) ‘Educators began to gain that a stimulating environment could increase intelligence. ’ For kids to see a wide and balanced course of study we as facilitators need to be able to dispute and assist kids develop farther. In order to assist them make this we need to scaffold their acquisition by bit by bit retreating support and counsel so that the kid can execute the undertaking independently. I feel scaffolding is a accomplishment that will develop overtime with experience promoting desired behavior. ( Corrie. 2002:174 ) ‘Teachers scaffold children’s larning when they help them to accomplish something that they. could non make without the instructors aid. ’

The ability to judge how much and how small support is a hard impression and varies from kid to child. From Piaget. I have learned that for kids to work independently and work out jobs they need to construct on their past experiences. Despite this I believe that with the counsel of a more knowing equal or adult the kid can larn through societal interaction. Through societal interaction a kid might larn today what might take them hebdomads to larn if left to research separately.

I would propose that if we can assist and dispute kids to travel beyond what they know. they would continuously be larning new cognition. I am besides cognizant from working in interior metropolis school ; societal factors have a immense influence in children’s acquisition. I understand how of import it is to advance positive function modeling and give kids first manus experiences in order to larn. ‘The context of the school can do a important difference to children’s behavior. ego construct and ego esteem as these histories testify. ’ ( Rogers. 2009:13 ) .

Bibliography

Jacques. K. Hyland. R. ( 2004 ) Professional Studies: Primary Phase. London: Learning Matters Ltd.

Kitson. N. Merry. R. ( 1997 ) Teaching in the Primary School. London: Routledge.

Leask. M ( 2009 ) Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools. Oxon: Routledge.

Llleris. K. ( 2007 ) How We Learn: acquisition and non acquisition in school and beyond. London: Routledge

Pollard. A. Bourne. J. ( 1994 ) Teaching and Learning in the Primary School. London: Sage.

Prichard. A. ( 2008 ) Ways of Learning: Learning theories and Learning Manners in the Classroom. Oxon: Routledge.

Richardson. V ( 1997 ) Constructivist Teacher Education: Building New Understandings. Great Britain: Biddles Ltd

Rogers. B ( 2009 ) Manage Children’s Challenging Behaviour London: Sage

Tassoni. P. ( 2005 ) Diploma in Child Care and Education. Oxford: Reed Educational & A ; Professional Publishing Ltd.

Thornton. S. ( 2008 ) Understanding Human Development. London: Pelgrave
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Wood. D. ( 1998 ) How Children Think and Learn. 2nd erectile dysfunction. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.