Chapter 2: Typical Cognitive Development

By Amy Landers, Ph.D.

Let us begin with a story about a young girl named Fatima. Fatima is five years old, and in her kindergarten class, she spends hours with colorful picture books, stringing together sounds and letters to make out words. Now, fast forward a few years, and Fatima is now a 12-year-old seventh grader. She is no longer simply reading words; she is analyzing complex texts, formulating hypotheses, and even writing her own stories. As Fatima turns 18, she graduates from high school, armed with the capability to understand advanced mathematics, critically evaluate literature, write persuasive essays, and more. You might be wondering how this transformation occurred. This is precisely the journey we will explore in this chapter—the exciting voyage of cognitive development that every child experiences as they grow.