Imagine you want to teach a child how to do a jigsaw puzzle. ...

[EAugust]

Imagine you want to teach a child how to do a jigsaw puzzle. Following sociocultural theory, describe the steps you should take to try to help the child learn how to do the jigsaw puzzle independently. How will you know if the child is learning?
 
  What will be an ideal response

Question 2

A fourth-grade class includes several children who are disruptively aggressive. In detail, explain how a behaviorist would define the problem and help the disruptive children, the teacher, and the other students.
 
  What will be an ideal response

[xMRAZ]

Answer to Question 1

Answers will vary, but students should demonstrate an understanding of guided participation and
zone of proximal development. The child is learning if he or she needs less and less support to
succeed and avoids boredom or feelings of being overwhelmed.

Answer to Question 2

Answers should reflect knowledge of behaviorists' emphases on observable behaviors. The student
should note that a behaviorist looks for the immediate causes and consequences of behavior.
Answers must point out that since the disruptive/aggressive behavior is continuing the children are
somehow being reinforced for it. Behaviorists believe that it is important to reinforce desired
behaviors and that when an unwanted behavior is punished a new behavior must be reinforced to
take its place.