Overview of the Project

This project is a case study of the language and mathematical/ scientific development of a girl aged four. The purpose of the case study is to assess the child’s knowledge of reading and writing, mathematical reasoning and problem-solving by using the relevant theoretical framework. The methodology for conducting the case study is adjusted to the purpose of the case study, and it consists of the interviews and the observations. Based on the observations, the case study provides theory-based recommendations and interventions that will ensure the success of the child in her language and mathematical development.

Section 1. Introduction

Learning is one of the core human experiences, which begins from the moment of birth and lasts throughout the lifetime. One of the most influential theorists in child's development, Swiss phycologist, Jean Piaget developed a theory of the cognitive development of a child according to which there are several stages of development. Each stage of the development has its unique characteristics and traits, and provides a valuable insight on the developmental needs of children, based on which early childhood education programs could be developed with the purpose of nurturing and supporting the child’s development.

Knowledge of the different stages of the child's cognitive development is vital as the child acquires his or her cognitive abilities at the specific stage of the development. In that regard, the child cannot be forced to learn something if he or she is not ready for it. For example, the second stage of the Piaget's cognitive theory is a pre-operational stage which begins around the age of two, and lasts until the age of seven. This stage of the child's development is characterized by the child's learning of the language. Because of the importance to take into account the child's developmental stage when assessing language and mathematical, scientific development of a child, for the purpose of this case study, the central theoretical framework for working with a child that is a subject to a case study is the Piaget's cognitive theory.

To select a child for a case study, there was a need to identify the selection criteria. The first requirement was that a child is in the pre-operational development stage, and more concretely between the age of three and seven. The second selection criteria referred to the child's enrollment status at the Early Childhood Institution (ECI). However, in the selection of the subject of the study access to the ECI was significant. Thus the first step was to obtain the permission of the teacher to observe his/her class. Furthermore, the selection of the subject was influenced by the willingness of the parent or parents to allow that the child takes part in a case study, as well as by the desire of the child to take part. The teacher in the ECI provided a list of names of children whose parent(s) would highly likely be interested in granting the permission that the child is a subject to a case study. The first parent contacted agreed that the child is a subject of a case study.

The subject of this case study is a girl named Ini. Ini is four years old. She is of the average height for the girls at the age of four. She has a medium body build, and she looks healthy and well cared for. Ini is a very cheerful child, who has a constant need to move and touch things. She is also talkative, curious, and at times she seems to be absent-minded, which can be attributed to her rich world of imagination. Because of that, it was identified that Ini requires extra stimuli to pay attention.

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