cognitive demand of instructionn
also cognitive load
the cognitive demands of instruction in academic subject matter in formal
schooling contexts. The cognitive difficulty of different subjects in the
curriculum (e.g. math, science) will depend on various factors, such as the
extent of student’s prior knowledge, the cognitive complexity inherent in
the instructional task, student interest in the topic, the effectiveness of the
teacher and the materials, and the mode and pace of presentation.
cognitive developmentn
also stage theory of development
developmental changes in cognitive abilities, processes, and structures. The
best known theory of childhood cognitive development is that of Piaget,
who proposed that such development consists of four major stages, labeled:
sensorimotor stage(birth to 2 years). The child’s cognitive system is limited
to motor reflexes at birth.
preoperational stage(2 to 6 or 7 years). Children acquire representational
skills and especially language.
concrete operational stage(6/7 to 11/12). Children are able to understand
concrete problems and take multiple perspectives into account.
formal operational stage(11/12 to adult). At this stage children are capable
of logical, theoretical, and abstract cognitive operations.
cognitive domainn
see domain
cognitive grammarn
a theory that views language as consisting solely of conventional pairings of
phonological and semantic units.
see also cognitive linguistics, construction grammar
cognitive linguisticsn
an approach to linguisticswhich stresses the interaction between language
and cognition, focusing on language as an instrument for organizing,
processing, and conveying information. Issues addressed within cognitive
linguistics include structural characteristics of language such as prototypi-
cality (see prototype), metaphor, and imagery; functional principles of
language organization such as iconicity(nonarbitrary relationships between
meanings and expressions); the interface between syntaxand semantics;
and the relationship between language and thought.
see also linguistic relativity
cognitive linguistics