Cognitive Observation

Observe a child of appropriate age and respond to the following questions. This is an outline for your observation,
be sure to follow the format given when submitting the assignment. Give specific examples of behavior in your
responses. One example may NOT be used for multiple responses.

Part A
For this section, observe a child between the ages of 4 – 12 months.

1. a. Using objective observation, state at least 2 examples of behaviors that might help you to determine the
child’s cognitive development.

Jaredd, who is 12 months old, walks over to the 2 tier shelf and reaches for the geometric stacker. He pauses as
another child grabs the abacus sitting next to the stacker. And then continues to reach and grab the red ball and
brings it to his mouth. He takes it from his mouth and tries to place it on the rod of the geometric stacker for a few
seconds and returns it to his mouth. He quickly drops the red stacking ball as his gazes follows a wooden car on the
floor that another child is playing with and walks toward the car, stumbling a few times before he tries to reach for
the wooden car. The other child moves quickly from Jaredd’s grasp. Jaredd falls to the floor and crawls to the soft
blocks.

The provider told the children that they were getting ready to go outside. So Jaredd, 12months old, walks toward the
sliding door to go out into the backyard. The provider/caregiver opens the door and one by one all of the other
children walk out into the yard. Jaredd drops to the floor and crawls forward, putting his left hand on the ground and
then his right and moving forward until his entire body was on the ground. He then picks himself up look at a child
in a red riding car. He puts his finger in his mouth, looks up at the provider and moves side to side and looks
forward. He then walks toward an orange ball in the grass under the tree. He tries to pick it and ends up kicking it
forward. He walks toward it and tries to pick it up again but it slips out of his hands and falls to the ground. He goes
to grab it again bringing it to his face, mouthing it and throwing the ball to the ground.

b. Which of Piaget’s sensorimotor substages do you think this child is in? #4. The coordination of secondary
circular reactions. Jaredd intentionally plans a movement to make something happen.

2. What toys or materials do you see that would assist the child in moving to the next sensorimotor substage
and why? Nesting toys, sorting cube box, geometric stacker and wooden blocks to name a few. He can experiment
with the toys to make them do what he wants or seem how they could be similar. Explore them and problem solve.

3. How is the teacher fostering cognitive growth in this child? (Give examples of available toys/personal
interactions, etc.) By allowing the child to explore, be creative and experiment for himself and standing nearby in
case he may need assistance.

Part B
For this section, observe a child between the ages of 13 – 19 months.

1. a. Using objective observation, state at least 2 examples of behaviors that might help you to determine the
child’s cognitive development.

19 month old Kathleen is standing at the sand table. She picks up a shovel with her right hand and a small cup with
her left hand. She uses the shovel to scoop up dirt and pour it into the small cup and repeats until the cup is full and
then she pours it out into the sand table.

Kathleen walks over to the play kitchen opens the doors and grabs the pot, she then fills it up with the play food
from a basket nearby. She dumps the play food out onto the floor and then places the pot on her head. She walks
over to the manipulative area, with the pot still on her head. When Kathleen sits down, the pot slides off of her head
onto the floor. She looks at the pot and then begins to take the sorting rings off of the rods and put them one by one
into the blue pot. The provider sits next to her on the floor. She says “Hi Kathleen what are you doing?” and she
hands her a sorting ring that is on the shelf, saying do you want the red ring? and Kathleen takes it, the provider says
thank you, are you going to put the ring in your pot?” as she puts it into the pot. She looks up at the provider and
grabs a ring and hands it to her. The provider takes it and says “Thank you Kathleen for sharing the rings with me.
I’m going to put it in the pot.” and she puts it into the pot that Kathleen had on the floor.

b. Which of Piaget’s sensorimotor substages do you think this child is in? #5. Tertiary circular reactions.
Kathleen experiments with objects to create new events.

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? Small manipulative blocks, toy phones, dolls, strollers, board books with real objects,
pegboards, puzzles. So that they could develop child’s imagination and motor skills.

3. How is the teacher fostering cognitive growth in this child? (Examples of available toys/personal
interactions, etc.) The provider is encouraging pretend play by asking her questions even though she is not verbal
yet. The provider is also being descriptive as Kathleen is putting the rings into the pot.

Part C
For this section, you will be utilizing a child between the age of 20 – 27 months (include exact age of child
observed). For the scale chosen, start at the step that is half way through the scale. Example - if the scale is a
total of 24 steps, then you will start at step 12.

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 chosen for this scale was a 26 month old boy named Oliver.

Piagetian Infancy Scales

Scale II
Development of Means for Achieving Desired Environmental Events

Development of the use of other subjects as intermediaries

#7. Using a support
Oliver was placed at the end of the toddler table in a chair. I grabbed three of his favorite go to toys and
placed them out of reach (wooden car, play telephone, and knob puzzle) on to a pillow and told him to get
the toys. The first thing he did was stand up out of the chair and grab the puzzle on top of the pillow. I then
say to him, don’t get up out of your chair but use the pillow to get the puzzle. I didn’t demonstrate the
process. He looks at me, reaches and pauses and then pulls the pillow toward him grabbing the puzzle.

#8. Pillow corroboration for the use of support

The presentation was repeated. I held it above the pillow (about 4 inches above) and asked him to get the
items. He reached and grabbed them from me.

#9. Using a string horizontally to obtain object

While Oliver sat at the table I tied a string to the wheel of the wooden car and put the car at the very end of
the table and laid the string in front of him. I then asked him to use the string and bring the car to you. He
did it on the very first try.

#10. Using string vertically to obtain object

I took the same wooden car, string still tied to the car and told him I’m going to put the car on the floor and
I want you to use the string pull the car up to you. After I put the car on the floor, I said to Oliver, pull the
car up. And he pulls it up on the first try.

#11. Using a stick to obtain object

Again while Oliver was sitting at the table I placed the play phone and car out of reach at the table and gave
him an instrument stick. I said to Oliver I want you to use the stick to move the objects to you. So he puts
 the stick out and tries to use it. So I showed him how to do it and he was successful with bring the car
toward him but struggled him the play phone.

Development of representation of means

#12. Showing foresight-the problem of a long necklace and a narrow container
I had Oliver sit on the floor. A string with beads on it was used instead of a necklace. I placed the clear
container in front of him and gave him the string with beads on it. He played with the beads and then put
them in the container. I didn’t have to tell him to do this.

#13. Showing foresight-the problem of the solid ring

Oliver sat on the floor and 5 rings were laid out in front of him. One ring was placed on the rod and I asked
Oliver to stack the rings on to the rod. He was able to complete this task.

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) Toys that I may offer would be stacking cups, block person, Medium book and possibly a
smaller container with a necklace. So that I could change it up a little bit and see how he may respond with a new set
of toys. Also I would like to test and challenge his fine motor skills.