Scaffolding Young Children’s Understanding of Symbolic Objects

PERALTA, OLGA; SALSA, ANALÍA; MAITA, MARÍA DEL ROSARIO

Santa Fe. New Mexico

Congreso; Fifth Biennial Meeting of the Cognitive Development Society -CDS; 2007

Cognitive Development Society -CDS

Understanding the symbolic nature of objects constitutes a real challenge for young children, challenge that stems from the doble nature of these objects: they are physical objects in their own right and, at the same time, they are symbols of the entities they represent. Based on results of a serie of experiemtal studies, we discuss factors that affect the comprehension of symbolic objects (such as scale models, pictures and maps)and their utilization as cognitive tools. We put special emphasis in the role that instruction plays in this process. The acquisition of the comprehension and use of symbolic objects is not solely dependent on age, the scaffolding that adult instruction provides is also crucial at some points in development.