Comprehensive Exam Questions - Summer 2013

Comprehensive Exam Questions - Summer 2013

Introduction

It is virtually impossible to deny individual differences among the subjects of a particular culture, as well as the variability of individuals from different cultural groups. The realization of human uniqueness, observable even by common sense, raises the problem of the origin of these differences (Genesee, 2010; Boons, Brokx, Frijns, Peeraer, Philips, Vermeulen & Van Wieringen, 2012). This question has been, over time, the object of research in different areas of knowledge, particularly philosophy, psychology, anthropology and sociology, and still occupies a prominent role in contemporary reflections. For education, the problem arises in another way: what to do with the differences? We assume that the answer to this question is closely linked to the concept adopted to explain the origin of the formation of human uniqueness.

We understand that the vision of the educator about the origin of individual characteristics interfere in its working practice, or at least influence their way of understanding and explaining the relationship between teaching and learning. I.e., the positions advocated by educators on this subject expressed, albeit implicitly, a vision of man and the world, and reveal more particularly, certain conceptions about the processes of learning and development of the human being and the role of education (Peterson, Pisoni & Miyamoto, 2010; Rodrigues & Befi-Lopes, 2009).

We also believe that understanding the mind of the teacher, the deeper knowledge of what he already knows, can serve as an interesting indicator of what he needs to know, ie, the information you need to support your work with the children, to correct misconceptions to resize and analyze more critical practice and seek alternative solutions to the problems of everyday teaching (Wei & Zhou, 2013; Engle, Fernald, Alderman, Behrman, O'Gara, Yousafzai & Iltus, 2011).

Taking as its starting point the knowledge that the teacher already has to help in the construction of new knowledge, it is also a way to be consistent with the progressive practices that should be implanted in the classroom. In other words, if we want teachers to value, respect and advances knowledge that children already have (to enroll in school or learning of any content), forming confident individuals, critical, autonomous and reflective, to establish a democratic relationship with children, who understand that the error is a hypothesis of knowledge and therefore a necessary way to learn etc.., we must do the same in relation to the process of teacher learning (Barnea-Goraly, Lotspeich & Reiss, 2010; Fontenot, Hayes & Frilot, 2011). By this we mean that those working in the area of teacher training can not expect changes in teacher performance among its students also do not change their way of working with teachers.

The Theoretical Perspective

In the 1950s, scientists began to study the early language development in conjunction with cognitive science. To this day, the two are highly interrelated as linguists continue to unravel the mysteries of how children acquire language (Moody, 2010; Tomopoulos, Dreyer, Berkule, Fierman, Brockmeyer & Mendelsohn, 2010). The nature versus nurture debate has evolved over ...