Alexus Jones

10/25/15
ECE 252
Cognitive Observation

Part A - (15 points)

1. a. Using objective observation, state at least 2 examples
of behaviors that might help you to determine the childs
cognitive development.
One behavior that the child, 7 months) has is repeatedly dropping
toys/stuffed animals onto the floor, begins to cry for the toy and
then after his caregiver picks it up and gives it back to him, he drops
them again. Another behavior that he has is enjoying and being
genuinely surprised during the game of peek a boo.
b. Which of Piagets sensorimotor substages do you think
this child is in?
The child appears to be in the secondary circular reactions, the
third sensorimotor substage typically of 4-8 month old infants.
2. What toys or materials do you see that would assist the
child in moving to the next sensorimotor substage and
why?
Playing hide and seek with toys by putting them under a small cloth
will help the child move to the next sensorimotor substage because
it will help him develop object permanence.
3. How is the teacher fostering cognitive growth in this
child? (Give examples of available toys/personal
interactions, etc.)
The childs caregiver is fostering cognitive growth by talking to
him when she is out of sight. If she goes behind a corner or into
another room and the child can no longer see her, she continues
to talk to him to let him know she still exists. This helps him
develop object permanence.
Part B (15 points)
1. a. Using objective observation, state at least 2 examples
of behaviors that might help you to determine the childs
cognitive development.
One behavior that the child, 19 months, has that might help determine
her cognitive development is that she pretends to talk to people on a
toy telephone. This indicates she is practicing make-believe play.
Another behavior that the child has is playing with a toy kitchen and
cooking. This indicates deferred imitation.
b. Which of Piagets sensorimotor substages do you think this

child is in?
The child appears to be in Piagets mental representation
sensorimotor substage, typical of children 18-24 months.
2. What toys or materials do you see that would assist the
child in moving to the next sensorimotor substage and
how would they help?
Since the child appears to be in the last substage of Piagets
sensorimotor stage, she would be moving to the preoperational
stage. Playing house/dress up would encourage the child to play
different roles that they have observed. Children should also be
given toys like playdoh, sand, or water because it will help them
gain understanding of the concept or conservation.
3. How is the teacher fostering cognitive growth in this
child? (Examples of available toys/personal interactions,
etc.)
The caregiver of this child is fostering cognitive growth in this
child by participating in the imaginative play of talking on the
phone and also playing kitchen. The caregiver will answer the
play phone and talk when the child hands it to them. The
caregiver also pretends to eat when the child brings play food on
a plate to her.
Part C (35 points)
For this section, you will be utilizing a child between the age of 20 27
months (include exact age of child observed).
1. Using the one of the Piagetian scales (scale 7 is NOT to be
used) listed as a file in the Content Module (week 8).
Assess what step the child is at currently
by administering each step and writing how the child
responded, whether they successfully completed the step,
etc.
The child observed is a 22 month old girl. I used the third scale:
development of schemas in relation to objects. After completing
Piagetian scale, the child appears to still be in the sensorimotor
stage.
Object Given to Child
Schemas Shown
Rattle
1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 15, 23, 24, 26
Necklace
18, 1, 3, 6, 9, 10, 12
Musical Toy (Tamborine)
1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 15, 23, 24, 26
Toy Car
6, 10, 15, 20, 26
Doll
1, 3, 8, 9, 22, 24, 25, 26
Dolls Shoe
3, 9, 16 (doll foot), 24, 25, 26

Ball of Cotton
1, 2, 3, 9, 24
Piece of Aluminum Foil
11, 13
6 Blocks
1, 6, 7, 15, 19, 26
Plastic Drinking Cup
1, 2, 17, 26, 24, 5
Stuffed Animal
1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 22, 24, 26
Plastic Animal
5, 6, 7, 10, 15, 26
2. What toys might you offer to the child to facilitate her/him
to the next level and why? (Next step on scale or next
cognitive level)
To help the child move to the preoperational stage, dress up clothes
might be given to the child to encourage imaginative play and taking
on another character. This could help the child with overcoming
egocentrism. The child should also be given plenty of hands on
activities such as playdoh, clay, or water.