ABSTRACT
Pupils develop their knowledge and understanding of a wide range of subjects and also their ability to perceive, reason and solve problems. All of these skills are aspects of cognition. Logical reasoning is one important aspect of cognitive development, along with others such as problem solving, developing expertise in a particular field and creative thinking. Most Western societies in their schooling of children privilege logical, mathematical and linguistic abilities over other ways of knowing about the world. Differences between children are apparent from an early age. Even before they start school, some children pass developmental milestones such as walking and talking more quickly than others. Children may start reading and counting before they begin school or become very confident in their physical skills. The chapter considers some of the ways in which pupils’ cognitive abilities develop and are identified, particularly logical reasoning, and discuss briefly some ideas about intelligence.
