Cognitivism theory

1. COGNITIVISM
By :
Raya Gilang Safitri
S 200 130 010

2. A. Defnition
• Skinner’s theory of verbal behavior has gained
the strong attacks, especially from Noam
Chomsky who claimed Skinner’s model was not
adequate to account for language acquisition.
• The definition of cognitive learning we learn in
the class is that Learning is a relatively permanent
change in mental representations or associations
due to experience

3. • Cognitivism is totally different from
behaviorism. Cognitivism rejects behaviorism
because behaviorism insists that complex
human behavior is just the simple result of
stimulus and response. Cognitive theory
attempts to explain human learning by
understanding the internal mental process.
Human head is not a black box, cognitive
theory compares human mind to a computer,
and learning really happens there.

4. • Cognitivism, as a perspective in education, has a
premise that humans generate knowledge and
meaning through sequential development of an
individual’s cognitive abilities, such as the mental
processes of recognize, recall, analyze, reflect,
apply, create, understand, and evaluate.
• Cognitivism focuseson the inner mental activities;
opening the “black box” of the human mind is
valuable and necessary for understanding how
people learn. Mental processes such as thinking,
memory, knowing, and problem solving need to
be explored.

5. B. An Overview of Cognitive Theory
Cognitivism
There several basic characteristics of cognitive:
• Cognitive is a process
• This process is mental
• This process is purposive
• By implication, this process internal
• By implication this process is ultimately under
the control of the learner

6. Principles and assumptions of Cognitivism
• Some learning processes are unique to human beings, complex
language is an example.
• Learning involves the formation of mental representations or
associations that are not necessarily reflected in overt behavior
changes.
• Learning involves an internal, mental change rather than the
external behavior change.
• People are actively involved in the learning process rather than
being passive victims of environmental conditions.
• Knowledge is organized and stored in schema.
• The focus of scientific inquiry must be on objective, systematic
observations of people's behaviors, but behaviors often allow
reasonable inferences about unobservable mental processes.
• Learning is a process of relating new information to previously
learned information.
• Cognitive processes are the focus of study

7. • The key concept in Ausubel’s cognitive theories of
learning is that learning must be meaningful. The
learner must understand what is to be learned.
Meaningful learning takes place in the following
condition: 1. the learners comprehend the
material; (2) they can relate the material to their
present knowledge system in a non-arbitrary and
non-verbatim manner; (3) they consciously intent
to integrate the material being learned into their
own cognitive structure.

8. C. The Application of Cognitive Theory in
Language
The cognitive psychology viewed the learning
process as a two – way process between the
organism and its environment. In cognitive
theory the mind is viewed as an agent in the
learning process. Learners are active
processors of information. The role of the
teacher in cognitive code learning, therefore,
is to recognize the importance of the students’
mental assets and mental activity in learning.

9. Classroom procedures based on cognitive theories of learning emphasize
understanding rather than habit formation. The teacher task is to facilitate
student acquisition, organization, and storage of knowledge. The goal of the
teacher is to expand the student’s ability to create meaningful replies. The
teacher can do the following:
• Build on what the students already know
• Help the students relate new material to themselves, their life
experiences, and their previous knowledge
• Avoids rote learning
• Use graphic and schematic procedure to clarify relationships
• Utilize both written and spoken language in order to appeal to as many
senses as possible
• Attempt to select the most appropriate teaching – learning situation for
the students involvement
• Employ the first language, visual, or demonstration as a base from which
to build conceptualization of meaning and form in the second language
• Use inductive, deductive, or discovery learning procedures as the
situations warrants.

10. In cognitive based lesson, the presentation of
target language item can be managed either
deductively or inductively. In deductive
learning, a situation is created in which the
target item is embedded in a meaningful
context. In inductive learning, the student is
given a number of examples and asked to
work out the rules through a process of
guided discovery.