Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory and Learning Disabilities

Introduction to Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

The way we consider development and disability has begun to change. With these progressions come new possibilities for approaching the treatment of children with disabilities. These new ideas broadly examine health and development, considering them to be complex networks of interaction rather than simple chains of timed events (McLinden, 2012). Piaget's theory of cognitive development generally holds that all species acquire two essential tendencies: organization — the arranging of thoughts and behaviours into coherent frameworks — and adaptation — changing in response to one's environment.

Jean Piaget (1896–1980) is widely regarded as one of the pioneers who conducted systematic investigations of cognitive development in children, and he produced one of the most influential theories in cognitive psychology — "genetic epistemology" — which gained broad recognition in the 1970s. His perspectives, frequently described as a constructivist view, were largely derived from his observations of how children approach problem-solving (Suresh, Ayyapan, Nandini, and Ismail, 2015).

When Piaget began his work in genetic epistemology some seventy years ago, he was not particularly concerned with the applications and implications of his theory for other disciplines. In recent years, however, significant interest has emerged in its broader implications and applications. There has been notable work done in the clinical applications of Piaget's theory. Although Piaget acknowledged the significance of affective factors and their interaction with cognitive components, he emphasised that the affective domain was not his primary field of expertise. As a result, researchers have become interested in the applications of Piaget's theory of cognitive development and its clinical, developmental, and educational implications across various areas. The field of learning disabilities is one such area that has attracted considerable attention from researchers working within a Piagetian framework (Suresh, Ayyapan, Nandini, and Ismail, 2015).

Clinical and Educational Applications of Piagetian Theory

Understanding Piaget's theory of human development may help determine at which stage of childhood development dyslexia becomes most recognisable, and thereby inform the management of this disability (Al-Shidhani and Arora, 2012). Understanding and synthesising human development theory — particularly Piaget's stages of development and their connection to dyslexia — may contribute to a deeper comprehension of the difficulties experienced by children with this condition.

In one body of research, findings on learning disabilities were reviewed through the lens of Piaget's theory. When mapped onto the Piagetian stages of cognitive development, it appears that during the sensorimotor stage, the diagnosis of learning disabilities is particularly difficult. Research findings suggest that there is a delay in the cognitive development of learning-disabled children during the elementary school years, corresponding to the preoperational, concrete operational, and transitional stages leading to formal operational thinking. From a genetic epistemological perspective, research supports a "developmental lag" approach to learning disabilities. Implications for assessment, curriculum planning, and instruction have been identified and discussed (Suresh, Ayyapan, Nandini, and Ismail, 2015).

Piaget's Theory and Learning Disabilities

For some children with special educational needs — especially those with significant and multiple learning disabilities — caregivers should help them to accommodate and assimilate their experiences through the use of smell, taste, and touch. Despite criticism of Piaget's broader framework, educators of children with Specific Learning Disability (SLD), Profound and Multiple Learning Disability (PMLD), and Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (CLDD) find a number of his principles useful, including:

There are numerous perspectives on the best approaches to treating childhood developmental disabilities. Historically, a wide variety of theoretically-based treatment approaches have been proposed. The way professionals and society in general view disability has been continually evolving. With advances in the understanding of biomedicine, new theories are continuously emerging, giving rise to new treatment models that may in time become standard practice (McLinden, 2012).