Early Childhood Education Theories: Bronfenbrenner, Vygotsky, Piaget

This article discusses the early childhood education theories of Bronfenbrenner, Vygotsky, and Piaget and how they help in enhancing cognitive, social, and emotional development of children. It also explores the domains of development in different age ranges. The article is relevant for students studying early childhood education and development.

Running head: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION THEORIES
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION THEORIES
Name of the Student
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Author’s note

1EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION THEORIES
Early childhood Theories
The early childhood education theories helps the educators to develop
strategies for enhancing the cognitive, social and the emotional development
of the children. Child education and development are two concepts that are
closely encompassed.
Some of the early education theories can be described as follows:-
Educational theories
Bronfenbrenner’s Theory of Ecological development:
This theory has classified the education of a child in to three stages- microsystem,
mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystems. He had described how the internal
and the external environment of a child influences the growth of a child (Bronfenbrenner,
2015).
 The microsystem is the immediate, small environment in which the child lives in, that
affects the growth of a child.
 The macro-system defines how the different parts of the microsystem of the child
works together for the sake of the child.
The ecosystem includes other places and people that can have large effect on her, such as
parent’s workplaces, neighborhood and the family members (Bronfenbrenner, 2015).
 The macro-system involves the remote set of a child’s development such as
government, economy and wars.
Vygotsky’s theory of development
 The main assumptions of Vygotsky’s theory is that adults convey to children the way

2EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION THEORIES
the culture interprets and responds to the world.
 Thought and language becomes independent as a child grows.
 Complex mental process starts as social activities. With the development, they usually
internalize the process that they use in social context and starts to use them
independently (Newman & Newman, 2017).
 According to Vygotsky, children can perform difficult tasks when assisted by
competent individuals.
 Challenging tasks helps in the proximal growth of the child known as the zone of
proximal development.
Piaget’ theory of psychosocial development
The importance of this theory lies in the fact that that it emphasizes on the factors important
for the psychosocial development of the child and mainly focuses on the ability of the child as
it grow from one stage to the other (Miller, 2017). Piaget considers child’s development as an
important aspect and has recommended the importance of child in the process of learning. He
has stated as the child to be the center of learning
Domain of development divided in age ranges
Age group Domains of development

3EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION THEORIES
Birth to 3 months Cognitive development- smiles and laughs y
looks towards the direction of the sound.
Physical development- Moves the whole
body, squirms
Socio-emotional development- Bonding, cries
when hungry (Department of Education,
Employment and Workplace Relations.,
2018)..
4-6 months Physical development- makes effort to sit
alone, but needs hand support, uses feet and
toes.
Cognitive development- Shakes and stares at
toy
Socio-emotional development- begins to show
wariness to the strangers.
7-12 months Physical development- can raise him to a
sitting and standing position.
Cognitive development- Can move the
obstacle , can respond to her own name
Socio-emotional development-Can actively
seek to be next to the parent or the principle
caregiver Australian Government through the
(Department of Education, Employment and

4EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION THEORIES
Workplace Relations., 2018).
1-3 years Physical development-Walks, climbs and run
Cognitive development-points to the object
when named or mimics the household
activities.
Socio-emotional development-Shows strong
attachment with the family.
3-5 years Physical development-walks, runs, climbs and
jumps.
Cognitive development- can recognize and
understand the common objects.
Socio-emotional development-Shows strong
attachment with the parents.
5-8 years Physical development- Can hop, jump or run
with ease.
Cognitive development-Understands the
opposites, builds tower by eight to ten blocks.
Socio-emotional development- may show
stronger preference for same-sex playmates

5EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION THEORIES
References
Australian Government through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace
Relations. (2018). Developmental milestones and the Early Years Learning Framework
and the National Quality Standards. Access date: 27.9.2018. Retrieved from:
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-02/DevelopmentalMilestonesEYLFan
dNQS.pdf
Bronfenbrenner, U. (2015). Making Human Beings Human: Bioecological Perspectives on
Human Development. London, UK: Sage.
Miller, R. (2017). Vygotsky in Perspective. London, UK: Wile.
Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2017). Development through life: A psychosocial approach.
Cengage Learning.