Ways of using the individual's cognitive development to improve the education of preschool children

Abstract

The article reviews a number of important scientific studies devoted
to the formation of thinking and the development of cognitive activity
in preschool children. Particular attention is paid to how nature and
nurture together shape this development and what is the role of
children in shaping their own cognitive development. The aim of the
article is to analyze the main theories of cognitive development of
preschool children and review possible ways of using research on
the cognitive development of preschool children to improve their
education. It is emphasized that human cognitive development is
influenced by cultural and social factors. Cognitive development is
defined as a socially mediated process in which children acquire
cultural values, beliefs, and problem-solving strategies through joint
dialogue with more knowledgeable members of society. The
important role of social interaction in the development of mental
abilities, such as speech and thinking in children, is recognized, as
well as the acquisition of cultural tools by children, that is, methods
of thinking and strategies for solving problems that children acquire
through social interactions with more knowledgeable members of
society.
The emphasis is on the fact that the scientific community recognizes
the idea of the great Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget that children's
thinking goes through a series of four distinct stages. However,
there is no agreement among researchers, between those who
emphasize non-permanent, stage-by-stage changes in cognitive
development and those who emphasize gradual, permanent
changes. Understanding of children’s thinking and learning is useful
for improving education. The ways in which an adult can “support”
a child's learning are considered.