ABSTRACT
Beginning at birth, children are exposed to a diverse array of symbols, including pictures, writing, music, and, most importantly, language. These symbols and symbolic artifacts form the basis of human culture. For adults, the meanings of most symbols are transparent: Adults are able to “see through” symbols directly to meaning. For young children, however, this is not the case. Symbols are part of the “blooming, buzzing confusion” faced by children, and one of the central problems facing infants and young children is learning how to make sense of symbols and symbolic artifacts. Learning to understand and use symbols and symbolic artifacts is an essential component of children’s becoming full-fledged members of their culture. Symbolic understanding allows children to negotiate their way in the “symbolic world” in which they live and gives them access to the vast array of knowledge that is represented in the symbols that surround them (Nelson, 2003).
