Piaget considers 4 periods in the evolutionary process of the human species that are characterized "by what the individual can do best" over the various age groups throughout his developmental process. These processes are:

· 1st period: Sensory motor (0 to 2 years)

· 2nd period: Preoperative (2 to 7 years)

· 3rd period: Concrete operations (7 to 11 or 12 years)

· 4th period: Formal operations (11 or 12 years onwards)

Each of these phases is characterized by different forms of mental organization that enable different ways for the individual to relate to the reality around him and to solve problems that may arise. Generally speaking, all individuals experience these 4 phases in the same sequence, but the beginning and the end of each phase may vary due to the characteristics of each individual's biological structure and the richness (or not) of the stimuli provided by the individual. environment in which it is inserted. That is why "the division in these age groups is a reference, not a rigid norm", as Furtado recalls.

These phases may explain why Mr. Castillo's students failed to resolve the assignment he proposed. The children could not understand the assignment because it required a more evolved line of thought than they had at the moment. Probably the teacher expected formal operational thinking from concrete operational children.

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3 years ago