When planning a curriculum, it is important to incorporate knowledge of the four stages of child development. What are these four (4) stages of development?

The four stages of child development, as proposed by psychologist Jean Piaget, are:

1. Sensorimotor Stage: This stage occurs from birth to approximately age 2. During this stage, children learn about the world through their senses and motor interactions. They begin to understand concepts like cause and effect, and object permanence (the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen).

2. Preoperational Stage: This stage occurs from ages 2 to 7. Children in this stage begin to engage in symbolic play and learn to manipulate symbols. However, they are still very concrete in their thinking and struggle with understanding the viewpoints of others.

3. Concrete Operational Stage: This stage occurs from ages 7 to 11. Children in this stage begin to think more logically about concrete and specific tasks, and they begin to understand the concept of conservation (the understanding that quantity does not change with alterations in shape or arrangement).

4. Formal Operational Stage: This stage begins at approximately age 12 and continues into adulthood. During this stage, individuals begin to think more abstractly and critically. They can formulate hypotheses and consider possibilities.

Each stage is crucial in curriculum planning as it helps educators to align their teaching strategies and materials with the cognitive development level of the students.