EFFECTS OF INSTRUCTION ON THE CONCEPTUAL CLASSIFICATION OF PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of instruction on the conceptual classification of pre-school children. Exp. I was designed to examine the hypothesis that the instruction including conceptual terms would facilitate the conceptualization for classification in the stage of development under which the Ss have not learned to use the terms (hypothesis I). A 2×3 factorial design was used, which incorporated two instructions (the specific instruction given or not) and three age levels (4, 5, and 6 years). 120 children who took part in the experiment were assigned to six groups of 20 subjects each. The Ss in the specific instruction groups were given the terms of supper-ordinate concepts for each instance in addition to the general instruction. After the instruction, the Ss were requested to classify 16 picture-cards into four categories and to verbalize the reasons for classification. Each card involved one familiar object belonging to one of the four class concepts: fruits, vegetables, flowers and birds.
With a considerable modification of the experimental method, Exp. II was carried out to test the hypothesis that the instruction with the conceptual terms would be more effective for classification than the explanatory instruction to describe common distinctive features (hypothesis 2). 57 children from the age of 4. 5 to the age of 5. 5 years were divided into three groups of 19 subjects each, equated in age: the group instructed the conceptual terms, the group given the explanatory instruction and the control group. The tasks used in Exp. II were the same as in Exp. I. However, the class concepts were beats, birds, fishes and insects, and the matching method was adopted in pre-and post-tasks. After the pre-task, the Ss were given the specific instruction followed by the post-task and transfer-task. The transfer-task consisted of the different cards from the pre-and post-tasks.
The main results may be summarized as follows.
1. The instruction with conceptual terms in Exp. I increased the percentages of both classification and verbal reports on each conceptual category in the age groups of 4 and 5 years, but did not increase in the age group of 6 years.
2. In Exp. II, the instruction with conceptual terms had the same effects. as in Exp. I. The explanatory instruction, however, had no effect on conceptualization. These diverse effects according to the instructions were confirmed not only by the post-task but also by the transfer-task.
The results obtained support both hypothesis 1and 2. A discussion was made on the relationship between the stage of development and the effect of instruction, emphasizing a role of verbal mediation.