Cognitive Development for Academic Achievement Building Skills and Motivation

This integrative text spotlights what educators need to know about children's cognitive development across grade levels (PreK-12) and content areas. The book provides a concise introduction to developmental neuroscience and theories of learning. Chapters on general cognitive abilities probe such crucial questions as what children are capable of remembering at different ages, what explains differences in effort and persistence, and how intelligence and aptitudes relate to learning. Domain-specific chapters focus on the development of key academic skills in reading, writing, math, science, and history. Multiple influences on academic achievement and motivation are explored, including school, family, cultural, and socioeconomic factors. Each chapter concludes with clear implications for curriculum and instruction.

I. Foundations
1. Introductory Issues
2. Brain Development and Cognitive Neuroscience
II. Domain-General Theories of Cognitive Skills and Motivation
3. Domain-General Theories of Learning
4. Memory Development
5. The Nature and Development of Motivation
6. Executive Function and Self-Regulation
7. The Development of Intelligence, Aptitude, and Expertise
8. The Development of Spoken Language Competence
III. Domain-Specific Academic Skills
9. The Development of Beginning Reading Skills
10. The Development of Reading Comprehension Skills
11. The Development of Writing Skills
12. The Development of Mathematical Competence
13. The Development of Scientific Reasoning Skills
14. The Development of Historical Understanding
IV. Conclusions
15. Putting It All Together: An Opportunity−Propensity Model of Achievement
References
Index

James P. Byrnes, PhD, is Professor of Educational Psychology and Applied Developmental Science in the College of Education at Temple University. He was a Fellow of Division 15 (Educational Psychology) of the American Psychological Association between 2002 and 2018, has served as Vice President of the Jean Piaget Society, and was Associate Editor of the Journal of Cognition and Development. Dr. Byrnes has published over 100 books, chapters, and articles on areas of cognitive development, including language development, logical reasoning, and mathematical learning. His most recent work has focused primarily on developing and testing a comprehensive theoretical model of academic achievement (the opportunity–propensity model) in order to provide insight into ways to eliminate or substantially reduce gender, ethnic, and racial gaps in achievement. Dr. Byrnes has received awards for his teaching and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students.