Parental scaffolding of young children's spatial communication.

Abstract

Two studies documented and evaluated parental scaffolding of 3- and 4-year-olds' spatial communication. In Study 1, children gave directions to parents about locations of objects. Three-year-olds gave ambiguous directions more often than 4-year-olds, and parents used directive prompts more often with 3-year-olds than 4-year-olds, Study 2 compared the effectiveness of parental prompts in a controlled experiment. Each time children gave ambiguous directions, they were given either a directive prompt, nondirective prompt, or no prompt. Both age groups benefitted from directive prompts, but 3-year-olds benefitted less than 4-year-olds from nondirective prompts. Discussion focuses on parents' sensitivity to children's scaffolding needs and on developmental differences in children's responses to scaffolding. The field of cognitive development has amassed a rich store of information about developmental differences in children's thinking and about the factors that account for these differences. Far less attention, however, has been devoted to understanding how cognitive change occurs (Siegler, 1993). In particular, little is known about the kinds of experiences that lead to cognitive change in children. As others have pointed out, one type of experience that may play an important role in children's cognitive development is guidance from older, more experienced individuals such as parents (Rogoff, 1990; Vygotsky, 1978). The basic premise underlying this approach to cognitive development is that children often acquire knowledge and skills through social interaction with more skilled individuals. Adult guidance of cognitive performance is thought to be particularly important during times of transition, sometimes referred to as the zone of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1978). During such times, children are sensitive to experiences that allow them to try out new ways of thinking and acting. More specifically, children are in a state of readiness to benefit from guidance that provides them with the necessary support to use their skills in novel ways. Over time, scaffolding can be modified or withdrawn as the child becomes increasingly competent at executing the skill. Developmental change results as responsibilit y for structuring cognitive performance shifts from the adult to the child.

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