Teaching Kindergarten Children to Solve Problems: An Information-processing Approach

Abstract

PARRILL-BURNSTEIN, MELINDA. Teaching Kindergarten Children to Solve Problems: An Information-processing Approach. CmLD DEVELOPMENT, 1878, 49, 700-706. 40 kindergarten children, 20 boys and 20 girls, were tested using Levine's blank-trials procedure. The experimental training procedure corresponded to a component analysis of a hypothesis-testing task: (1) group 1 enumerated the potential solutions or cues verbally; (2) in addition, group 2 was given visual representations of the cues enumerated; (3) in addition, group 3 was taught to select and test 1 of the cues; and (4) group 4, in addition to the instructions given to group 3, was taught the appropriate response with respect to feedback information. The results showed that, with proper training which included feedback instructions, 5-year-olds were able to solve all problems.