14.3.1: Supporting Cognitive Development

Supporting Cognitive Learning...

What does this mean for early childhood professionals? It means part of supporting young children's cognitive skills involves creating an environment that supports (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000):

1. Positive and caring relationships with adults.
2. Many opportunities to interact and explore the world through the five senses (hearing, seeing, touching, tasting, and smelling).
3. Play. (This was expanded upon earlier in the textbook).
4. Opportunities to engage in rich conversation and language.

Through Relationships

Relationships are crucial to development, and children's early experiences significantly impact how they will become attuned to the world around them. The parent-child relationship is arguably the most important, because it is the first and primary relationship the child will experience. Children with positive, secure attachments to a primary caregiver tend to have better cognitive outcomes. A secure attachment promotes a stable foundation for exploration and learning. Children feel safe to engage in their environment and take appropriate risks.

Relationships and culture are also interrelated in terms of cognitive development. Culture impacts how we interact- through tone of voice, word choice, facial expressions, and eye contact. Our interactions influence how we guide children in their learning. It is important to understand the cultural lens through which you, as the professional, view the world, and make an effort to identify areas where your cultural values and beliefs may be misaligned with the children and families being served.

Children also learn from their peers. Interacting with peers exposes children to diverse perspectives and problem-solving strategies, as well as enhancing language development through the articulation of thoughts and ideas.

Through Routines, Transitions, and the Day

There are many opportunities throughout the day to incorporate planned and spontaneous cognitive learning activities. Here are just a few ways that cognitive learning can be implemented:

Opportunity	Anecdotal Example of Cognitive Learning
Choice time or Free play	Ella, Jacob, and Mia were building a tall tower together in the block area, discussing how to make it stable. They shared ideas like, “Make the base strong,” and “Let’s make it taller,” demonstrating planning and problem-solving skills. Noah wanted to join, but the area only accommodates three children. Ella reminded him of the rule, saying, “There’s only space for three.” Noah looked disappointed, but Jacob suggested, “You can tell us what to build next!” Noah agreed and contributed ideas like, “Add more blocks on the side.”
Transitions	When it was time to transition outside, Max began cleaning up immediately, followed by Lily after watching him. Aiden, still focused on his puzzle, needed a reminder from the teacher to join in. Once cleanup was done, Max said, “Shoes!” and started getting his shoes, while Lily pointed to her jacket. Aiden noticed and went to get his own shoes, watching the others for cues as they prepared to go outside.
Family style dining (snacks and meals)	During lunch, Ava and Leo were serving themselves food. As they scooped fruit onto their plates, Ava said, “I like apples, but not the green ones. They’re too sour.” Leo responded, “I like all apples! Red ones are sweet.” Ava nodded and added, “Bananas are good too, but they get mushy.” Leo agreed, saying, “Yeah, I eat them when they’re yellow, not brown.” The children continued discussing different foods they liked and didn’t like, comparing tastes and textures as they ate.
Feeding infants	During bottle feeding, the caregiver held Aaliyah securely, making eye contact and speaking softly, “Yes, Aaliyah, you’re having your milk!”. Aaliyah paused several times to gaze up, coo, and reach for the caregiver’s hand. The caregiver responded by smiling and describing the feeding process. Aaliyah tracked the caregiver’s movements and resumed feeding after brief interactions.
Diaper changing and Toileting	During a diaper change, the caregiver talked to Mateo throughout the process, saying, “Let’s take off your socks first. Now we’re going to wipe, nice and clean.” Mateo looked up at the caregiver and babbled in response. The caregiver continued narrating, “Here’s a new diaper! Let’s fasten it snugly.” Mateo watched the caregiver’s hands closely, kicking his legs when he heard the crinkling sound of the diaper. The caregiver then said, “All done! Let’s pull your pants back up,” as Mateo reached out to touch the diaper, showing interest in the materials and actions.
Sleep and Nap time	During bedtime, Sophie’s parent followed a routine: brushing teeth, putting on pajamas, and reading a story. The parent explained, “Brushing teeth keeps them clean,” and helped Sophie put on her pajamas, saying, “These are soft and warm for bedtime.” While reading a book, the parent pointed to a dinosaur and asked, “What is the dinosaur doing?” Sophie responded, “He’s roaring!” The parent affirmed, “Yes, the dinosaur makes loud noises.”
Outdoor play	After a recent rain, Liam explored the playground and noticed several worms on the wet ground. He pointed excitedly and said, “Worms!” As he crouched down to examine them, he asked, “What are they doing?” The teacher responded, “They’re moving through the wet dirt. Worms like to be in the soil after it rains.” Liam watched closely, then gently touched the ground where the worms were moving. He noticed they were wriggling and said, “They’re wiggling!” He picked up a small stick and used it to carefully prod the dirt, observing how the worms reacted. The teacher encouraged his curiosity by asking, “What do you think will happen if you move the dirt around?”
Field trips	During the field trip to the family farm, the Kindergarteners explored various animals. At the barn, Amina pointed to a group of chickens and said, “These are chickens!” Raj added, “Chickens lay eggs.” The group then moved to the pigpen, where Mei observed, “These are pigs, and they’re rolling in the mud.” Omar compared the animals, saying, “Pigs are bigger than chickens and they don’t lay eggs.” The teacher facilitated their learning by asking, “Can you find any animals that are different from the chickens and pigs?” The children eagerly discussed their observations, classifying the animals they saw into groups like “birds” and “mammals” based on their characteristics.
Arrival and Departure	During morning circle, the teacher introduced a chart with pictures of transportation methods. Sofia chose “car” and said, “I came in my mom’s car.” Luis selected “bus,” noting, “I rode the bus with my sister.” Nia picked “bike” and explained, “I came on my bike with my dad.” Jason chose “walking” and said, “I walked with my neighbor.” The children discussed their choices and compared the different ways of arriving at school.
Teachable moments	At the park, Zuri noticed a butterfly and excitedly said, “Butterfly!” Her mom replied, “Yes, Zuri, look at its colorful wings.” As the butterfly landed on a flower, her mom explained, “Butterflies drink nectar from flowers. Can you see how the butterfly’s wings move?” Zuri observed and said, “Wings go up and down.” Her mom confirmed, “That’s right! The wings help it fly and find food.” Zuri continued watching the butterfly with interest.

Through Content Areas

Table is adapted from the Council for Professional Recognition (2023, pgs. 242-243).

Learning Center	How the Child Might Play There	How the Professional Could Support the Child	Cognitive Skills the Child is Learning
Dramatic Play	Packing and going on a trip to visit a relative.	Joins the child in play: "I visited family. I had to think about what the weather was like where I was going so I knew if I needed warm or cold weather clothes." Asks questions: "I wonder how we will get there? How long does it take to drive? I wonder if taking a train would be more or less time than by car."	Compare and contrast Predicting Planning
Blocks	Build towers, roads, bridges, and an airport out of hardwood blocks. Uses figurines and various vehicles.	Asks questions: "How can you build your bridge higher so the larger trucks can drive under without it falling down?" Poses problems: "What would happen if you used this small block at the base of the building?" Allows child to suggest and try out solutions: "That's a good idea. Let's try it." Guides child to success: "I see you were disappointed in how your idea didn't work as you hoped. Let's brainstorm some other ideas to try."	Predicting Problem solving Understanding cause and effect Compare and contrast Observing
Math and Manipulatives	Play a vehicle BINGO game with a group of small children and the professional.	Review rules: "You can only call out BINGO when you have marked off five in a row across, up and down or diagonally." Asks questions: "What vehicles did we see on our walking field trip last week?" Introduces new vocabulary and ideas: "You're right. That truck is a type of vehicle. It's a special truck called an excavator and works on construction sites."	Expanding memory, concentration, and attention skills. Matching and categorizing.
Science	Make observations by growing lima beans in partially sealed bags taped to the window.	Asks questions: "What do the roots look like?" Makes predictions: "How long do you think it will take for the lima beans to sprout?"	Comparing Classifying Predicting Measuring Problem solving
Music and Movement	Children play instruments during group time to Ella Fitzgerald's "Play Your Instruments", waiting to play their instrument until it's introduced.	Joins the child in play by acting as conductor to cue children into when their instrument group joins the song.	Patterning Predicting
Outdoors	Observes the leaves in fall for how they change colors.	Provides clipboards, paper, and pencils to document observations. Asks questions: "What different colors do you see?", "How can you tell when the leaves will start to change colors?", "How are the trees in our neighborhood alike and different in terms of colors?"	Comparing Patterning Observing with curiosity
Cooking	Participate in making homemade applesauce.	Prepares recipe card. Reviews apple corer, knife, and slow cooker handling and safety rules. Puts peeled, diced apples, sugar, cinnamon, and water in a slow cooker and turn on high heat for four hours. Children help mash applesauce once cooked. Asks questions: "How should we cut these apples?", "How many scoops should everyone get to start with?", "What happened to the apples when they were in the slow cooker?".	Comparing Counting Measuring Observing with curiosity

Supporting Children with Cognitive Impairments

According to Siskin Children's Institute (n.d.), 12 in every 1,000 children are affected by a cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment, or intellectual disability, describes a condition in which a child has intellectual and adaptive skills significantly below the average for a child his/her age. Early childhood professionals can support the development of children with cognitive impairments the same way that they treat all children- with patience and repetition. Gould and Sullivan (2004) identified strategies for making curriculum accessible to children with cognitive impairments (the following are quoted directly from the Council for Professional Recognition, 2023, pg. 221).

• Simplify tasks by reducing the number of steps involved.
• Use modeling and cueing.
• Incorporate structure and routine into the daily program. Routines provide opportunities to repeat and practice skills.
• Simplify your language. Short phrases are best. Many children respond well to a rhythmic cadence or having a conversation sung to them.
• Arrange furniture to block out distractions.
• Provide ample opportunity for repetition and practice.
• Maintain eye contact with the child while talking.
• Shorten activities to match the child's attention span.
• Use dramatic vocal effects to keep the child's attention.
• Offer only a few choices.
• Provide clear demonstration as needed, accompanied by short, simple sentences. Encourage children to imitate your actions.

References

Council for Professional Recognition. (3rd Ed.). (2023). Essentials for working with young children.

Shonkoff, J.P. & Phillips, D.A. (Eds.) (2000). From neurons to neighborhoods: The science of early childhood development. The National Academies Press.

Siskin Children's Institute. (n.d.) The facts about cognitive impairment. Retrieved August 15, 2024 from: https://impactofspecialneeds.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/1/9/3419723/the_facts_about_cognitive_impairment.pdf