CC BY
38UDC 159.95
R. V. Puentes (Uberlandia, Brazil) A. M. Longarezi(Uberlandia, Brazil)
THE THEORY OF COGNITIVE ABILITIES IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN THE WORKS OF L. VENGUER22
Abstract. L. Venguer's main contributions can be summarized in three fields of developmental psychology, psychology of ages and educational psychology: 1) the fundamental regularities of psychic development, 2) children's psychic development in preschool age and 3) the development of thought and the cognitive abilities in the child. As for Venguer's views on relationship between teaching and development, children develop by embodying different actions that are natural to a human being, i.e. social experience. Nevertheless, he understands that this experience is transmitted only through education and teaching. According to Venguer, not every kind of teaching is capable of boosting a child's development. Teaching must predict a system content and ensure integration of three basic components: 1) knowledge (concepts), 2) mental actions (abilities) and 3) methods and procedures carrying out the process of knowledge and abilities acquisition. Having identified these premises, the author established the stages of thought development. He claims that in childhood, children's thinking is characterized by transition from one stage to another. The first one is related to task solution, and this requires reference between objects and phenomena through externally oriented actions (visual thinking by actions). The second stage is related to mental solutions through elementary thoughts actions with the help of models (visual thinking by images). By the end of this process, children reach the preschool stage. Nevertheless, it depends on organized and special teaching - a teaching aimed at formation and development in the child scientific thinking formed at school.
Keyword: fundamental laws of mental development; mental development in preschool age; development of thinking and cognitive abilities of preschool children.
Leonid Venguer's life, thought and work were systematized for the first time in Brazil in a recent study [4]. The representative of Russian educational psychology stands out for his legacy both to education and teaching, being famous both scientifically and academically.
Leonid Venguer (1925-1992) belonged to a numerous group of disciples, followers and collaborators of A. Zaporozhets (1905-1981), having worked for half a century in the field of preschool children's psychology. Venguer is considered by colleagues, associates and disciples one of the most prominent representatives of developmental psychology, psychology of ages and educational psychology of the former Soviet Union, just like his great teacher and advisor, V. Zaporozhets [2]. L. Venguer's main contributions can be summarized in three fields of developmental psychology, psychology of ages and educational psychology: 1) the fundamental regularities of psychic development, 2) children's psychic development in preschool age and 3) the development of thought and the cognitive abilities in the child.
L. Venguer's main contributions can be summarized in three fields of developmental psychology, psychology of ages and educational psychology: 1) the fundamental regularities of psychic development, 2) children's psychic development in preschool age and 3) the development of thought and the cognitive abilities in the child.
In what concerns the fundamental regularities of psychic development, Venguer's studies are in accordance with one of the elemental theses of historical and dialectical materialism, which states the social and historical character of man. Venguer's work also rests upon the cultural-historical approach developed by Vigotski and his collaborators. This perspective proves that psychic development has a social nature, occurring only through a process of internalization, that is, through the transformation of the interpsychic (collective activity) to the intrapsychic (individual activity) [3]. In Venguer's work, the fundamental regularities of psychic development are examined in the light of three aspects: a) activity and psychic development, b) relationship between teaching and development and c) evolutionary stages and periodization of psychic development.
22 The article presents data from a research developed with funding from Fapemig, Capes and CNPq (Process Number 120084/2016-3).
According to Venguer, the concept of activity relies on the person's behaviour, determined by historical experience collected over the years, as well as by social conditions in which one's life is developed [5]. Following Leontiev [3], Venguer considers that an individual develops several types of activities, some are basic, others are special. Venguer refers to this kind of activity either as basic activities, fundamental activities, or guideline activities [5]. Special activities feed the basic, but only the latter are equipped with necessary power to boost psychic development.
From this theoretical foundation rooted in the Activity theory, Venguer highlighted in his studies the basic types of activity and their relation to psychic development, drawing attention to those activities that are developed in childhood, particularly in preschool. His researches stated that, although children's most important activity is playing, it is not enough by itself. In this context, he demonstrated that what boosts development is the objectal activity, which is present in contexts other than playing, like drawing, perception, construction and practical work [9]. These are all combined to educational lessons by the end of preschool, and their major goal is to learn something new. Moreover, they are all related to the developmet of cognoscitive interests.
In what concerns Venguer's views on the relationship between teaching and development, children develop by embodying different actions that are natural of man, i.e. the social experience. Nevertheless, he understands that this experience is only transmitted through education and teaching. Therefore, human notions are formed through transmission of these experiences.
However, the relationship between teaching and development in Venguer's studies roots in all theoretical works of his age. Venguer's studies combine relevant contributions, especially when he indicates the importance of intentional and planned teaching, necessary to provide man with everything that's necessary for full development. He demonstrates with empirical data that this relationship is imperative to all childhood education, the most sensible and richest period for the full development of a personality.
The "development" program was conceived by Venguer throughout his career, it was fulfilled in its end and is still functioning currently due to the effort of his disciples and collaborators. The program offers the most concrete evidence of Venguer's view on the link between teaching and development. It predicts the formation of sensory abilities and establishes the assimilation of symbols as a prerequisite to the posterior improvement of a child's intellectual, cognitive and creative abilities.
It should be noted that since the late 1960 s, due to Venguer's orientation, a study related to the diagnosis of mental development of children has started. Venguer created a theory of children's cognitive abilities and he also looked deeply into another important aspect of relationship between teaching and development - the content of teaching. According to Venguer, not every kind of teaching is capable of boosting a child's development. Teaching must predict a system content and ensure integration of three basic components: 1) knowledge (concepts), 2) mental actions (abilities) and 3) methods and procedures carrying out the process of knowledge and abilities acquisition.
The evolutionary stages and the periodization of psychic development constituted a research subject to many Russian psychologists, including Venguer [5], who focused on preschool children. His analysis was very close to Elkonin's and Zaporozhets' works. The commitment to different stages of an individual's development is related to three key aspects: first - requirement to determine the true driving forces of development and the development of different stages; second - the elements that characterize each of these stages; third - teaching conditions that are essential for emergence, maturation and transition to the next stage.
In reference to children's psychic development in preschool, Venguer's researches intended to establish the key features of this stage and to distinguish the importance of general conditions that enable the transformation of a child into an adult, being inherent to development [6].
The preschool stage is defined as the moment in which the foundations of future personality are structured. The personality is shaped according to the premises of physical, mental and moral development. As for the content, an emphasis on the development of neoformations (perception, imagination, voluntary movements, emotions, attention, voluntary memory, speech, sensations, motives, feelings, self-conscience etc.) is offered. Regarding the method, it is argued that the procedures of the school system should not be transferred to the preschool stage, since it is opposite to
the artificial acceleration of a child's development. He studies its role for psychic development and for psychological preparation for entering school.
Development of thought and cognoscitive abilities in the child was the field of study responsible for transforming Venguer into a renowned researcher [7; 8]. This was fulfilled with the creation of the "development" program. After Venguer's death in 1992, the program provided foundations for the new Training Center by L. Venguer, which was founded and directed by one of his disciples, Olga Dyachenko. Venguer supposed that children's cognoscitive abilities are developed according to assimilation of symbols, formation of sensory, intellectual, cognitive and creative abilities, modeling capacity, as well as the components of logical thinking, as well as other things.
Regarding the study of thought development, Venguer's work was based upon the main theses of A. Zaporozhets. They were linked to the periodization of thought: a) action-oriented visual thinking (intellect in concrete actions), b) image-oriented visual thinking (intellect in concrete images) and c) logical verbal thinking (logical verbal intellect).
Having identified these premises, the author established the stages of thought development. He claims that in childhood, children's thinking is characterized by transition from one stage to another. The first one is related to task solution, and this requires reference between objects and phenomena through externally oriented actions (visual thinking by actions). The second stage is related to mental solutions through elementary thoughts actions with the help of models (visual thinking by images). By the end of this process, children reach the preschool stage.
Although visual thinking still prevails, based on the solution to practical activities that promote contact with objects about scientific concepts, the process gradually leads to the emergence of generalizations that prepare children for first abstractions. Thus, by the end of the preschool stage, the child is capable of assimilating actions with words, numbers and signs that replace objects with real situations. Even though they do not constitute theoretical concepts, they represent the premises for logical forms of thinking formation (logical verbal thinking), which is developed through school.
To sum up, even though Venguer considered that development of logical thinking and formation of concepts are developed through school, he recognized that children are able to form certain concepts by the end of preschool. Nevertheless, it depends on organized and special teaching -a teaching aimed at formation and development in the child scientific thinking formed at school.
REFERENCES
1. Longarezi A. M.; Franco P. L. J. A. N. Leontiev: a vida e a obra do psicólogo da atividade. In: Puentes R. V., Longarezi A. M. (Orgs.). Ensino desenvolvimental: vida, pensamento e obra dos principais representantes russos, Uberlândia, Edufu, 2013, pp. 67-110.
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3. Puentes R. V., Longarezi A. M. Escola e didática desenvolvimental: seu campo conceitual na tradiçâo da Teoria Histórico-Cultural. Educaçâo em Revista (UFMG. Impresso), 2013, vol. 23, pp. 1-15.
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Р. В. Пуэнтес (Уберландия, Бразилия) А. М. Лангарези (Уберландия, Бразилия)
ТЕОРИЯ ПОЗНАВАТЕЛЬНЫХ СПОСОБНОСТЕЙ ДЕТЕЙ ДОШКОЛЬНОГО ВОЗРАСТА В РАБОТАХ Л. А. ВЕНГЕРА
Аннотация. Основной вклад Л. А. Венгера может быть обобщен в трех направлениях психологии развития, возрастной психологии и педагогической психологии: 1) фундаментальные закономерности психического развития, 2) психическое развитие в дошкольном возрасте, 3) развитие мышления и познавательных способностей у ребенка. Исследуя взгляды Венгера на взаимосвязь между обучением и развитием, авторы статьи сосредотачиваются на естественном развитии детей в процессе действий, опирающихся на социальный опыт человека. В работе обсуждается вывод ученого о том, что такой опыт передается только через образование и обучение. Анализу также подвергнут тезис Венгера, что не каждый вид обучения способен форсировать развитие ребенка. Обучение должно прогнозировать содержание системы и осуществлять интеграцию трех основных компонентов: 1) знания (понятия), 2) умственные действия (способности) и 3) методы и процедуры, осуществляющие процесс приобретения этих знаний и умений. Выявленные предпосылки устанавливают этапы развития мысли: в детстве мышление характеризуется переходом от одного этапа к другому. Первый связан с решением задач, а это требует установления связи между объектами и явлениями через внешне ориентированные действия (визуальное мышление по действиям). Второй этап связан с ментальными решениями через элементарные мысли с использованием моделей (визуальное мышление по образам). К концу этого процесса дети достигают дошкольной стадии развития. Тем не менее, это зависит от организованного и специального обучения - обучения, направленного на формирование и развитие у ребенка научного мышления, выработанного в школе.
Ключевые слова: фундаментальные законы психического развития; психическое развитие в дошкольном возрасте; развитие мышления и познавательных способностей детей дошкольного возраста.
Пуэнтес Р. В., Лангарези А. М. Теория познавательных способностей детей дошкольного возраста в работах Л. А. Венгера// Гуманитарно-педагогические исследования. 2018. Т. 2. № 2. С. 50-53
Puentes R. V., Longarezi A. M. The Theory of Cognitive Abilities in Preschool Children in the Works of L. Venguer, Gumanitarno-pedagogicheskie issledovaniya [Humanitarian and pedagogical Research], 2018, vol. 2, no 2, pp. 50-53.
Сведения об авторах
Роберто Вальдес Пуэнтес - доктор педагогических наук, профессор факультета образования, факультет образования, Федеральный университет Уберландии, Уберландия, Минас-Жерайс, Бразилия; robertopuentes@faced.ufu.br.
Андреа Матурано Лонгарези - доктор педагогических наук, профессор факультета образования Федерального университета Уберландии, г. Уберландия, Бразилия; longarezi@gmail.com.
АШhors:
Roberto Valdes Puentes- Doctor of Education, professor Faculty of Education, Faculty of Education, Federal University of Uberländia, Uberländia, Minas Gerais, Brazil; robertopuentes@faced.ufu.br
Andrea Maturano Longarezi - Education and academic degree Graduated in Social Sciences, Uni-versidade Estadual Paulista. PhD in Education from the State University of Sao Paulo and Post-doctorate in Education for the Inibersity of Sao Paulo, Teaching Assistant at Faculty of Education, Institution Federal University of Uberländia; longarezi@gmail.com.
