Professional Documents
Culture Documents
information processing
psychological development, stages of learning and ways of thinking. Thus the study of
different development and learning theories such as constructivist theories, early brain
development, social and moral development etc., which the course of Development,
Learning and Cognition (DLC) has focused on, is significant for me to get the knowledge of
children's cognitive development and then consider how to apply these theories in the
classroom curriculum in the future. Through learning these theories, I notice that building
various connections among different factors in the classroom environment and throughout
learning process positively and successfully may facilitate effective teaching and learning.
These connections can be built between teachers and students, students and students as
well as prior knowledge and life experience that students can relate to when receiving new
individually and interactively (Woolfolk & Margetts 2013, p. 322) and the relations between
knowledge and peers are involved. Another theory used in this essay is information
processing views of memory which use a cognitive view of the information processing
system to reflect how information flows in different part in memory system (Woolfolk &
Margetts 2013, p. 252). From the perspective of this theory, connections between teachers
and students, students and learning environment as well as students and knowledge play
considerable role in positive learning experience. Thus, this essay will firstly using a
constructivist view to analyze the lesson plan for language of French from individual
construct and organize their own cognitive elements and knowledge (Kim 2005, p. 9) which
is also shown in Piaget's study and concerns (Woolfolk & Margetts 2013, p. 323). In
contrast, Vygotsky's social constructivism believes that social interactions are important to
cognition development (Kim 2005, p. 9) as participating activities and working with others
help learners to think critically and appropriate their learning outcomes (Woolfolk &
Margetts 2013, p. 323). The essay will explain how students construct information and
knowledge through individual process or interactions with others in classroom. Then the
essay will make an analysis of the language lesson plan based on information processing
processing information (Awh & Vogel 2006, p. 201), and demonstrate how it involves
experience.
Individual constructivism
A reflection of individual constructivism can be seen from the lesson plan. Firstly, one of the
framework objectives on the first page of the lesson plan describes as understanding
longer and more difficult phrases or sentences of target language. To achieve this objective,
the teacher may show students some words or phrases related to the words and phrases
they have learnt before. It implies that students may have the prior knowledge of more
simple and basic vocabulary or phrases. Therefore, when they receive the new information,
they may try to understand the new phrases based on existing knowledge, reorganize the
meaning and construct new knowledge. It can be seen as the process of adaptation, in
constructivism (Woolfolk & Margetts 2013, p. 83). Furthermore, it is also shown in the
lesson plan that there are some activities that help students to compare the target language
with English. In these activities, students may find some similarities and differences
between French, which is the target language, and English, which is students' mother
language. From the view of adaptation, the process of finding similarities of two languages
may be seen as the stages of assimilation from Piaget's theory of individual constructivism
which occurs when students use the knowledge they have to understand the new
information (Woolfolk & Margetts 2013, p. 83). The process of recognizing the differences
between French and English related to the process of accommodation in which students
develop more appropriate understanding of the new knowledge (Woolfolk & Margetts 2013,
p. 83). It seems that all of these activities and internal process may help students get the
better understanding and construct the new information and knowledge individually.
Secondly, the framework objectives of the lesson plan also ask students to make short
conversation or oral passages by using the words, text and structure they have learned.
Before doing this activity, students have already had some knowledge of vocabulary and
structure of target language that they can use to form the short passage. To make a spoken
passage, students need to choose appropriate words and use their knowledge of grammar
and structure to combine those words into phrases and sentences, finally the passages.
This process shows the way that students organize and connect the existing and simple
knowledge to achieve a more complex task. This reflects the view of organisation
processes as combining and coordinating simple structures into the ones of higher level
(Woolfolk & Margetts 2013, p. 82). It seems that based on the support of existing
knowledge, students may construct and develop their own knowledge actively.
individual student, there are some factors which may affect the outcomes should be
considered. For instance, each student may have different learning styles and needs to
obtain knowledge (Powell & Kalina 2009, p. 243). This means that teachers should notice
learning differences among individuals and facilitate students' learning experiences and
Social constructivism
According the lesson plan, the teacher also applies social constructivism when planning
teaching and learning activities. Examples can be seen in the lesson plan in listending and
speaking activities of session 2 (students work in group to design and arrange the warm up
steps), session 4 (students work in group to revise the vocabulary of movements in French
and practise the warm up movements they have made) and session 5 (students teach
warm up routines in groups, then combine and make the final routine together). According
to vygotsky's social constructivism, individual learning and development are shaped when
working with others and participating in the social interactions (Woolfolk & Margetts 2013, p.
323). Therefore, when students join in the group to choreograph warm up, new knowledge
of the target language and strategies to accomplish the task may produce through the
interaction with other students. When students participate in the group work of revising and
practising, there may be some students in the group who have better understanding of the
new information or faster pace of learning and their achievement may have positive
influence on other students' learning experiences and outcomes through interactions. This
sort of group work can be seen as the cooperative learning which plays important role in
creating social interaction in social constructivist classroom (Powell & Kalina 2009, p. 244).
Moreover, the framework objectives show that discussion of the task is encouraged before
conducting activities in most of sessions. Students may share different understanding of the
task and materials with others. Meanwhile, students may have opportunities to gather more
information and ideas and think critically. Authors state that discussion about what students
are learning and going to learn is valued in social contructivism (Powell & Kalina 2009, p.
245). Therefore, discussion of task should be encouraged for students to construct the
knowledge through dialogue and interaction with others. It implies that applying social
and collaborative work experiences should be provided for students in class as what has
been shown in this lesson plan. To achieve better outcomes, more chances of
communication, interactions and collaborative work, such as pair work, group work, whole
Some activities in the lesson plan emphasize the role of attention in the learning experience.
In the lesson plan, it can be seen that the teacher use showing overall objectives of the
lesson as the starting activity for every session. In this case, students have the opportunity
to understand the purpose of the lesson clearly and this may help students focus on the
following activities better (Woolfolk & Margetts 2013, p. 256). It is obviously beneficial to
catch students' eyes and make learning objectives and outlines clear to encourage student
There are also various of activities shown in each session to gain and maintain students'
attention. For example, in the reading and writing activity in session 1, the teacher use
some pictures to help students learn instructions in French. In the listening and speaking
activity in session 2, selected music and mini dance are included in the learning experience.
In the listening and speaking activity in session 3, students are allow to walking around the
classroom, acting and saying sentences in French in pairs. It can be seen that images,
music, physical movements are involved in activities in the classroom. Students are
motivated to use different senses, such as sight, hearing and touch, to explore and learn
knowledge. These ways of incorporation variety may help students pay and keep attention
Allied to this, in the reinforcement activity of session 2, question like 'what's missing?' is
used. This means that during this activity, students may use their existing knowledge and
focus on the given information to detect differences. The question like this may arouse
students' curiosity and help gain their attention (Woolfolk & Margetts 2013, p. 256). In the
lesson plan of session 3, there are also activities outside the classroom arranged for
students to practise the target language. Changing the learning environment and settings
may help capture attention (Woolfolk & Margetts 2013, p. 256) because the new learning
environment may engender the feeling of freshness and excitement. It seems that attention
gaining and maintaining strategies are in teacher's consideration when planning activities in
class and this may probably help produce positive learning experience and outcomes.
Various activities in the lesson plan show that the teacher use strategies to retain
information in working memory. Firstly, plenty of activities are provided for students to
review information and reflect knowledge. For instance, in the starting activities of session 4,
students have a revision of instructions in French. This means the knowledge they learned
from prior lesson may be used as foundation of acquiring information and skills. A quick
review of information may help recall and retrieval the information and get ready for the
following learning (Woolfolk & Margetts 2013, p. 268). Another example can be seen in the
reinforcement activities of session 1, 2 and 3 that students are asked to act out the
instruction given by the teacher or choose the correct picture to pair with different
instructions. These activities can be seen as short tests and reflections in the middle of
lesson. Authors agree that giving short tests during class as the reflection of information
may help keep information in the working memory from the views of information processing
(Woolfolk & Margetts 2013, p. 268). Thus, the frequent reflection and reinforcement of
Secondly, some educational games are also used in session 1, 2 and 3 to either enhance
objectives of session 2, it can be seen that memory games are used to help process
information in memory. These memory games may involve some activities for students to
Margetts 2013, p. 259). It is important because involvement and interest in the information
are increased, students perceive and try to apply the information actively and interactively
through games (Lujan & Stephen 2006, p. 20). Moreover, process of chunking and
elaborative rehearsal could also be used by brain storming or presenting new structures
with structures that students have already known and let them tell similarities or differences.
These ways of information association may help keep information in working memory as
well as transfer knowledge from short-term to long-term memory (Woolfolk & Margetts 2013,
p. 259).
It is also noticeable that at the end of session 2, 3 and 4, students are encouraged to
discuss their successes or difficulties they experience during classroom activities. This
means that students need to think back of the knowledge the learned and learning
experience of the lesson and then summarize it in mind. This reflection of learning
processes may help with information organisation and reinforcement (Woolfolk & Margetts
2013, p. 268). It is clear that the lesson plan reflects the teacher arranges sufficient
activities at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of class to facilitate students'
information processing and this may lead to positive learning experience and outcomes.
In conclusion, the lesson plan shows that the teacher applies constructivism and
information processing theories soundly in classroom activities. There are some activities
help individuals learn from simple vocabulary to complex structures step by step and build a
bridge between their prior knowledge and the new information, construct their own
collaboration in class. From activities from session 1 to session 5, various form of work can
be seen such as making warm up in groups, discussion in class, teach students from other
year/level warm up routines and finally combine the warm up together. These interactions
involve the application of new knowledge and a large amount of communication with others
which may help students thinking critically and shape their understanding. Furthermore,
many strategies are used to gather students' attention during class. For instance, Lesson
objectives and outlines are clearly shown to students, visual and auditory aids are provided
and physical movements are allowed in activities, there are also some activities outside the
classroom. All of these strategies may help student build positive connection to teachers
and learning materials, engage in class and keep focusing on the tasks in learning process.
Allied to this, quick revision, short tests, educational games are included in each session of
the lesson plan to foster the information retaining and processing. These reinforcement
activities can be seen in different stages of class to make sure effective learning. However,
other factors such as differences in learning needs and pace should be noticed by teacher
and efficient help should be provided for students through individual activities. When
conducting group works, it is important to divide faster learners into different groups to
promote efficient interactions. Furthermore, class management skills are required for
teachers to organize the games and activities outside successfully. From the analysis of
this language lesson plan, it can be seen that different connections are promoted through
activities in class. Good teacher-student connections can be built when the teacher gather
students' attention effectively, relationships between peers are formed when working in
groups and in the whole class, motivation and engagement in tasks generate links between
students and knowledge, multiple ways that teacher uses to present new information help
students build connections between new and existing knowledge. All of these connections
may facilitate positive learning experiences and therefore positive learning outcomes are
generated. I believe that effective teaching and learning occur when strong and effective
10 JIN Man
110158709
EDUC 5160 Development, Learning and Cognition M Assignment 2: Essay
References
Awh, E & Vogel, EK 2006, 'Interactions between attention and working memory',
Neuroscience, vol. 139, pp. 201-208.
Lujan, HL & Stephen, ED 2006, 'Too much teaching, not enough learning: what is the
solution?', Advances in Physiology Education, vol. 30, pp. 17-22.
Powell, KC & Kalina, CJ 2009, 'Cognitive and social constructivism: developing tools for an
effective classroom', Education, vol. 130, no. 2, pp. 241-250.
Woolfolk, A & Margetts, K 2013, Educational psychology, 3rd edn, Pearson Australia,
Frenchs Forest, NSW.
11 JIN Man
110158709