What is Cystallized Intelligence?

Otherwise known as knowledge, children develop crystallized intelligence as they grow and deepen their understanding of the world around them. As adults, we can play a key role in supporting what children learn and know.  To get a better grasp on what crystallized intelligence means, one might think of the word crystallized as synonymous with clear.  In other words, the child gets it—they have a solid understanding of the concept that you may want them to know better.  The more clearly a child understands a concept, the more adept they can be at making sense of and building on that concept.

Noticing seasonal changes, a five-year-old asks her father in late spring, “If we go to the beach on summer days and play in the snow on winter days, what do we do on fall days?”

Children’s basic understanding of concepts and use of language reflects their crystallized intelligence, or knowledge.  This includes the ability to comprehend and use language, which is essential to children’s learning throughout their lives. When adults name objects and ideas, expand on children’s language and provide opportunities to develop listening skills, they promote development of crystallized intelligence (Lynch & Warner, 2013).  

Play and learning experiences can help to provide a foundation for crystallized intelligence. Stimulating child-adult interactions around science, math and art concepts is integral to exhibit development and programming at DuPage Children’s Museum! Come by today and use our exhibits as a discussion point for building on a child’s conceptual and language base!

Resource: Lynch, Sharon A. and Warner, L. 2013. “How Adults Foster Young Children’s Intellectual Development.” In Young Children, Vol. 68, No. 2, 86-91. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Early Math Skills & Quantitative Knowledge

Exploring balance at DCM

Early math skills are highly valued by many parents, caregivers and early learning professionals. As early as preschool, efforts to encourage math skills can mean counting stairs or identifying shapes found around the home.  Repeat experience and mastering early math-oriented skills allow room for new skills and lay a good foundation for the development of quantitative knowledge.

Quantitative knowledge is addressed in this second installment in a series of blogs on the broad abilities noted in the Cattell-Horn-Caroll (CHC).  CHC is a model that has been developed to describe 10 broad abilities and 70 narrow abilities of intelligence (Lynch & Warner, 2013). 

Quantitative Knowledge

During imaginary play the scene is set.  A three-year-old lays out a blanket on the grass, grabs his bowl of raisins and cheese crackers and shares with his bear, saying, “A raisin for you, a cracker for me, raisin for you, cracker for me.” A parent might recognize these skills in amazement, thinking, My child is sorting and classifying food!

 

Children’s acquisition of formal mathematics and mathematical operations is related to the broad ability of quantitative knowledge. Mathematical concepts such as rote counting, counting as meaning, one-to-one correspondence, classification and operations such as adding and subtracting are also included in this ability.  Recognizing shapes and identifying patterns, as well as identifying and understanding numbers, form the foundation for children’s ability to function mathematically (Lynch & Warner, 2013).  

Stay tuned, next week we will discuss crystallized intelligence. In the meantime, visit us at the Museum and wander through our Math Connections neighborhood, where opportunities to explore quantitative knowledge are readily available!

Information in this blog has been adapted from: Lynch, Sharon A. and Warner, L. 2013. “How Adults Foster Young Children’s Intellectual Development.” In Young Children, Vol. 68, No. 2, 86-91. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Fluid Intelligence: What is it? What part does it play in cognitive development?

The Cattell-Horn-Caroll (CHC) theory is a model that has been developed to describe 10 broad abilities and 70 narrow abilities of intelligence (Lynch & Warner, 2013).  A series of blogs will provide brief descriptions of the 10 broad abilities of intelligence as described in the CHC theory.

Fluid Intelligence

A preschool teacher might observe a three-year-old student carefully building a tower with blocks only to knock it down with one swift blow.  Blocks fall when you push them, right? What a great illustration of cause and effect!

Cattell originally described fluid intelligence as the ability to solve novel problems and make predictions about logical patterns in relationships like the example above (Schneider & McGrew, 2012). Fluid intelligence also incorporates quantitative reasoning –ordering, sequencing, classifying, predicting, determining what comes next and answering why and how questions (Piaget, 1952). Activities that promote awareness of size, distance and spatial relationships help children develop this aspect. Fluid intelligence has a great impact on children’s development of mathematical reasoning (in Lynch & Warner, 2013).

The broad abilities that CHC presents give an idea of research-oriented developments in the area of cognitive development.  DuPage Children's Museum is grounded in an approach to exhibit development and programming that focuses on theories of constructivism including work by Jean Piaget (1896-1980) and Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934). For more information on theories of cognitive development:

Myerhoff, M. Understanding Cognitive and Social Development in a Newborn

health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/baby-health/newborn-development/understanding-cognitive-and-social-development-in-a-newborn-ga3.htm

 

Waterman, Amanda, PhD, Theories of Cognitive Development: Piaget and Vygotsky www.thepsychologyfaculty.org/a-levels/item/145-theories-of-cognitive-development-including-piaget-and-vygotsky-p1

Information in this blog has been adapted from: Lynch, Sharon A. and Warner, L. 2013. “How Adults Foster Young Children’s Intellectual Development.” In Young Children, Vol. 68, No. 2, 86-91. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Resources: Piaget, J. 1952. The Origins of Intelligence in Children. New York: Norton.

Schneider, W. and McGrew, K. 2012. “The Cattell-Horn-Carroll Theory of Intelligence.” In Contemporary Intellectual Assessment: Theories, Tests and Issues, 3^rd ed., eds., D.P. Flanagan & P.L. Harrison, 99-144. New York, Guilford Press.

Recent Research in Intellectual Development: The Cattell-Horn-Carroll Theory

The development of intellect is a dynamic process influenced by children’s interactions with their environment and with peers, family members, teachers and other people in their lives (Lynch & Warner, 2013). From birth, infants are constantly inspecting their surroundings—sights, sounds and smells all play a part in the information they take in about the world around them. All caregivers have a unique opportunity to capitalize on children’s inborn curiosity and eagerness to learn when they organize homes or learning environments as well as plan experiences to enhance children’s cognitive development. A caregiver’s role might include:

• Sharing knowledge
• Asking questions
• Facilitating conversations and discussions one-on-one and in groups
• Providing opportunities for children’s interactions with others (Copple & Bredekamp 2009)

Experts in the field of early learning continue to debate the nature of intelligence. More recently, educational psychologist Kevin McGrew has developed the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory. McGrew and other researchers developed a model that describes 10 broad abilities of cognitive development (Lynch & Warner, 2013). Subsequent blogs will highlight these 10 broad abilities. Be sure to tune in next week!

Information in this blog has been adapted from: Lynch, Sharon A. and Warner, L. 2013. “How Adults Foster Young Children’s Intellectual Development.” In Young Children, Vol. 68, No. 2, 86-91. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Copple, C. and Bredekamp, S. eds. 2009. Developmentally Appropriate Practice inEarly Childhood Programs Serving Children From Birth Through Age 8. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Nature Explorations

A visit to DuPage Children's Museum can be a wonderful learning experience, yet getting everyone outside as the weather warms and sun shines can be important too!  Below are some fun ways to enjoy the weather, develop a sense of curiosity and encourage earth science inquiry.

 

Rooftop Gardens in DCM's Creativity Studio

Find nature in surprising places.  Look for places to explore near where you live. Nature can hide in the cracks of a sidewalk, under the stairs, in abandoned lots, or on the edges of manicured lawns. Don’t worry if you don’t live near an open field, a forest, or desert.

Go for a nature scavenger hunt. Find something that:

•    Is a certain color
•    Is dry, wet, shiny, or pretty
•    Is tiny or huge
•    The wind blows
•    Crawls
•    Has no legs, four legs, or six legs
•    Or make up your own ideas!

 

Observe and sketch. Examine items carefully and draw what you see. For example, find flowers of different colors and point out the petals and other parts. Or find a variety of leaves and observe the different shapes, colors, textures, and veins. You and your child can imagine you are scientists, observing and documenting what you see.

Enjoy some of the great ways we bring the outside in! DCM Preschool Summer Camp offers Earth Science Explorers June 17-21, 2013. Summer Creativity Classes include My First Water Mess, A Day at the Beach, Lifting Color from Nature, Gone Fishing and more! Creativity Studio drop-ins offer Planting a Rainbow, the World of Insects, Flower Collage and more!

Information contained in this blog originally posted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, an excellent resource for educators, parents and caregivers! NAEYC promotes excellence in early childhood education.

The authors Donna J. Satterlee, Grace and Matt Cormons have collaborated since 1999 to implement the successful nature-based family learning program Shore People Advancing Readiness for Knowledge (SPARK). Satterlee, EdD, teaches child development in the Department of Human Ecology at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.