Development Stages
What is the first stage in Piaget’s theory (birth–2 years)?
Sensorimotor stage
What is the process of fitting new experiences into existing schemas?
Assimilation
According to Piaget, learning should be __-centered.
Child-centered
How does the environment support cognitive development?
By offering opportunities for exploration and problem-solving
Unlike Vygotsky, Piaget focused more on __ development.
Individual/cognitive
In which stage do children begin to use symbols and language (ages 2–7)?
Preoperational stage
What is the adjustment of schemas in response to new information?
Accommodation
What type of activities support cognitive development best?
Hands-on, discovery-based activities
What role do peers play in Piaget’s theory?
Peers encourage cognitive conflict that promotes learning
Piaget believed learning follows __ development, not the other way around.
Cognitive
What stage is characterized by logical thinking about concrete objects (ages 7–11)?
Concrete operational stage
The balance between assimilation and accommodation is called __?
Equilibration
Piaget believed that children learn best through what kind of experience?
Active exploration and interaction with the environment
How does physical manipulation of objects help learning?
It builds concrete understanding before abstract thinking
What is a major difference between Piaget and Montessori's views of learning?
Piaget focused on stages; Montessori emphasized prepared environments and independence
What stage begins at age 12 and involves abstract thinking?
Formal operational stage
What term describes a mental framework for organizing knowledge?
Schema
Why is it important to match teaching strategies to a child’s developmental stage?
So learning is meaningful and developmentally appropriate
Environments should be rich in opportunities for __?
Interaction and experimentation
Vygotsky emphasized the role of __ in learning, while Piaget did not.
Social interaction or culture
Which stage involves object permanence and exploration through senses?
Sensorimotor stage
What ability develops when a child realizes quantity doesn’t change despite appearance?
Conservation
Name one classroom strategy inspired by Piaget's theory.
Use of manipulatives, open-ended questioning, or encouraging peer interaction
Why is it important to allow mistakes in learning?
They help children revise their schemas through accommodation
Who focused more on the zone of proximal development—Piaget or Vygotsky?
Vygotsky