The purpose of this paper is to call upon my knowledge and understanding of middle childhood cognition and cognitive development in order to summarize and analyze two cases from a developmental perspective. I will work through each case individually, first giving a summary, and then choosing one aspect of that case (an activity or incident) to delve into and analyze as to the developmental significance of that particular instance. I will use what I have learned about theory and research on cognition in middle childhood from Cole & Cole (1996, Chapters 12 & 13), as well as other course materials on cognition, schooling, and development.
A BILINGUAL CHILDHOOD CASE.
This first case is about a boy, Richard Rodriguez, who struggled with the task of trying to find some sort of a comfort zone and/or a compromise between his Spanish-speaking roots and living in and going to school in a predominantly English-speaking community. Richard lived in a household with three other siblings as well as his two parents. When first beginning school, he knew roughly fifty scattered words of English and found it more than difficult to keep up with classmates. Seeing that Richard hardly participated in class discussion, if at all, he was labeled a shy child. .
Eventually, his teachers grew concerned as he really struggled with reading. They decided to stop by the house to speak with his parents. They voiced their concerns and offered that if the family practiced their English-speaking at home, the children might prosper. So, being parents who want the best of opportunities and advantages for their children, they obliged and only English was allowed in the home. .
At first, Richard seemed to notice some benefits, and he began to get more and more comfortable with this new language. However, he soon found that his lifestyle was beginning to alter as well. His family began to loose their tight connection and bond that existed through their culture.
