Cognitive development in adolescences
We can briefly say that it refers to the development of the ability to think and reason. According to Piaget stages, adolescence marks the beginning development of more complex thinking processes (also called formal logical operations) including abstract thinking (thinking about possibilities or time domain), the ability to reason from known principles (form own new ideas or questions), the ability to consider many points of view according to varying criteria (compare or debate ideas or opinions), and the ability to think about the process of thinking.
As a consequence of this important change experienced by teenagers we need to take into consideration potential reactions and attitudes when we are teaching them. During adolescence (between 12 and 18 years of age), the developing teenager acquires the ability to think systematically about all logical relationships within a problem. However, when emotional issues arise, they often interfere with an adolescent's ability to think in more complex ways. The ability to consider possibilities, as well as facts, may influence decision making, in either positive or negative ways. For example, which groups are better to be included in is a usual category where teenagers are exposed to take certain decisions which influence his/her attitude in front of others. Actually, some students represent their power in front of their classmates through violence, disruptive behavior and a common attitude nowadays is express as bullying.
We think that is extremely important as teachers and guides of our students take into consideration the relevance of students´ cognitive development as a useful tool in order to avoid for example, violence within schools and students behavior because if we are aware of how this cognitive process works, it will be easier take some positives advantages of it by the moment we have to face or handle some teenagers issues.
We find the following suggestions in a medical web page (from Stanford Hospital) in order to encourage and help teachers with his/her classes, taking into account positive and healthy cognitive development in the adolescent:
- Include adolescents in discussions about a variety of topics, issues, and current events.
- Encourage adolescents to share ideas and thoughts with you.
- Encourage adolescents to think independently and develop their own ideas.
- Assist adolescents in setting their own goals.
- Stimulate adolescents to think about possibilities of the future.
- Compliment and praise adolescents for well thought out decisions.
- Assist adolescents in re-evaluating poorly made decisions for themselves.
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