PROFESSIONAL TRAINING FOR
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
TEACHERS
MODULE 1
1.2 LEARNING THEORIES
1.2.1 Piaget
AIM
At the end of this session participants should have a solid understanding of Piaget´s theory of cognitive
development as a learning theory to further aid their professional practice as English language teachers.
INTRODUCTION
Jean Piaget is one of those names that is always written in gold letters in the field of psychology. His theory
about childhood cognitive learning has made us consider him as the father of modern pedagogy. He discovered
that the principles of logic begin to form inside us before the
acquisition of language itself. They come from sensory and
motor activity and interaction with the environment,
especially with the social cultural environment. Let us look
at the link between the works of Piaget and learning.
Psychic development, which begins at birth and ends in
adulthood, is comparable to organic growth. It is a constant
progression towards a state of equilibrium. Our bodies
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evolve to a relatively stable level, characterized by the end
of growth and the maturity of the organs. In the same way our mental life can also be thought of as evolving
towards a state of final equilibrium, which is reached in adulthood.
EXPLANATION
Piaget’s theories about the psychology of learning are based around mental development, language, play, and
comprehension. That is why the first task of the educator is to generate interest. This interest is an instrument
with which they can understand and interact with the student. The research on this was carried out over almost
forty years. This theory does not only seek to get to know the child better and improve the pedagogical or
educational methods, but also to value children as people.
“The main goal of education in schools should be the creation of men and women who are capable of doing new
things, not simply repeating what other generations have done. Men and women who are creative, inventive
and discoverers. People who can be critical, validating, and not necessarily accepting, everything that is offered
to them “
-Jean Piaget-
Piaget’s main idea is that it is essential to understand the
formation of the child’s mental mechanisms in order to
acquire their nature and their functioning in adult life.
His pedagogical theorizing was based on psychology,
logic, and biology. This is reflected in how he defines
thinking, and how it is conditioned by genetics and built
through social cultural stimuli.
A person receives information in an active way, however
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unconscious and passive the processing of it may seem.
Learning to adapt
According to Piaget’s Learning Theory, learning is a process that only makes sense in situations of change.
Therefore, learning is partly knowing how to adapt to these changes. This theory explains the dynamics of
adaptation through the processes of assimilation and accommodation.
Assimilation refers to the way in which we receive a stimulus from the environment at a society level.
Accommodation, on the other hand, implies a modification of the current society in response to the demands
of the environment. Through assimilation and accommodation, we are mentally restructuring our learning
throughout development. The term used for this is cognitive restructuring.
Accommodation and assimilation
This accommodation, or adjustment, is the process by which the subject modifies their plans and cognitive
structures, in order to incorporate new objects into the structure. This can be accomplished by creating a new
plan, or by the modification of an existing one so that the new stimulus and its related behavior can be
integrated.
Assimilation and accommodation are two parallel and constant processes in cognitive development. For Piaget,
assimilation and accommodation interact with each other in a process of equilibrium. This can be considered as
a higher-level regulatory process that directs the relationship between assimilation and accommodation.
We socialize through language
During early childhood we witness a transformation in our intelligence. From being simply sensory motor-based
or practical, it changes into proper thoughts, under the double influence of language and socialization.
Language influences it by allowing the subject to explain their
actions. It facilitates a building of the past and helps to recall
moments and situations that helped to guide our previous
behaviors.
It also allows us to anticipate future actions, which have not
yet taken place, replacing them with words, and perhaps not
ever carrying them out. This is the starting point of our
thoughts as a cognitive process and is Piaget’s own thinking as
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well (Piaget 1991).
Language itself, in effect, combines concepts and notions that belong to everyone and that reinforce individual
thinking through a broad system of collective thought. A child has reached this latter stage of development
when he can finally express himself in this way. In this sense, and on a general level, the same thing happens
with thoughts as well as with behavior.
Instead of fully adapting to the new realities that a child discovers and building them gradually, he or she must
go at a much slower pace. They must integrate this information to their character and performance. This
egocentric assimilation characterizes both the beginnings of the child’s thinking and those of their integration
into society.
Piaget’s contributions to current education
We consider Piaget’s contributions to education as extremely important for the formulation of the theory of
education. Piaget is the founder of genetic psychology. This has significantly influenced the theory and the
educational practices that has been generated around it. This is distinct from the natural changes over time
which have given rise to different formulations.
Piaget’s contributions have led to the development of many
important papers. His work centers around his discoveries about
human thinking from a biological, psychological, and logical
perspective. We should clarify that the term “Genetic Psychology”
is not thought of in a purely biological or physiological context, as it
does not refer to human genes. It is referred to as “genetic” because
he developed his work with regards to the genesis or origin of
human thought.
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One of the great contributions of Piaget to education today was to have left it well founded regarding teaching
objectives. The objective is that in the first years of a child’s education, they child should achieve good cognitive
development. This should be the first focus in a child’s learning. This is absolutely essential and is
complementary to what the family has taught at home. These rules and regulations allow the child to adapt well
to a school environment.
CONCLUSION
The main goal of education is to create people who are capable of innovating, and not simply repeating what
other generations have contributed. It is to produce people who are creators, inventors and discoverers. The
second goal of education is to train minds to be critical, and to verify and not necessarily accept everything that
they receive (Piaget, 1985).
Going through Piaget’s theories would allow any teacher to see how the minds of their students are evolving.
The central idea of Piaget’s theory is that knowledge is not a copy of reality but is the product of a person’s
interaction with his environment. This knowledge, therefore, will always be individual and distinct from any
other knowledge that exists.
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TO LEARN MORE
Here are some illustrative videos that will further expand on the topic seen:
Mister Simplify (2018, septiembre 2). Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development - Simplest Explanation ever
[Archivo de vídeo]. YouTube. Recuperado de: https://youtu.be/BxORL0nYcOc
Misssmith891 (2011, abril 26). Piaget's Stages of Development [Archivo de vídeo]. YouTube. Recuperado de:
https://youtu.be/TRF27F2bn-A
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LEARNING ACTIVITY
Instructions
In an argumentative essay, respond to the following premise:
From an English as a Foreign Language teacher´s perspective, evaluate the contributions of Piaget´s theory to
second language learning.
Use these videos to help you structure your essay:
Kevin deLaplante (2009, noviembre 22). How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay: Logical Structure [Archivo
de vídeo]. YouTube. Recuperado de: https://youtu.be/tAmgEa1B1vI
DiveIn Learning (2012, noviembre 4). Argumentative Essay Example [Archivo de vídeo]. YouTube. Recuperado
de: https://youtu.be/VPvDacRLUHU
Since the essay is a practice reflection activity the following will be considering for evaluation:
- Relevance and consistency
- Spelling, grammar usage and writing
- Correct usage of APA citing
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Piaget, J. (1987). The moral judgment of the child. Ediciones Martínez Roca.
Piaget, J. (1981). The theory of Piaget. Childhood and Learning, 4 (sup2), 13-54.
Piaget, J. (1985). Building up reality in the child.
Piaget, J. (1969). Psychology and pedagogy. Barcelona: Ariel.
Piaget, J. (1991). Six studies of psychology.
Piaget, J., & Inhelder, B. (1997). Psychology of the child (Vol. 369). Morata editions.
