Explain Your Understanding Of Spatial Literacy

Words: 475
Pages: 2

1. In your own words, explain your understanding of spatial literacy.
I feel spatial literacy is understanding that words are not the only way to create or understand an idea or topic. Symbols can be used in place of words to help a person through everyday experiences. “The ability to use these nonlinguistic, graphic systems is useful in everyday life and vital for communications in the sciences, mathematics, the arts, engineering, and other professions (Copple, Pg. 83). Spatial literacy begins at a very young age when children begin to recognize pictures and begin the physical patterns of movement such as crawling, walking and using utensils.

2. When children rely on spatial cues, they often make mistakes. Describe what might happen when a preschool child relies too heavily on spatial cues, then identify which theorist addressed and explained the mistakes that are made under these circumstances.
…show more content…
Piaget was theorist who addressed this first. He asked children to draw a bicycle. They found this to be quite difficult even when given a photo of bicycle because of the many components that make up a bicycle. “Piaget intriguingly pointed out that the drawings of bicycles and children’s explanations of how bicycles worked were closely related (Copple, Pg. 89). The mistakes were made when the children were given three-dimensional models. Children this age are still developing the “part-whole integration”. Children had greater success when given specific areas of the three-dimensional area because it helped them narrow down and direct their attention to one specific thing.

3. What are some specific ways that a teacher can support children’s spatial