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Chapter 16: Cognitive development in middle childhood

Chapter 16: Cognitive development in middle childhood

pp. 394-424

Authors

, Flinders University of South Australia, , Queensland University of Technology, , University of South Australia
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Summary

‘Grown-ups love figures’

Grown-ups love figures. When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they never ask you any questions about essential matters. They never say to you, ‘What does his voice sound like? What games does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?’ Instead they demand: How old is he? How many brothers has he? How much does he weigh? How much money does his father make?’ Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

Introduction

In The Little Prince Antoine de Saint-Exupéry reminds us that there are other ways of looking at and understanding the world apart from through adult eyes. During the primary school years children make significant strides in terms of their cognitive development. This chapter describes the nature of some of the changes that occur in the way children think about and understand their world in middle childhood. Consideration is given to learning and the matter of motivation. The family life-cycle: 16 examines the matter of counselling children in families.

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