Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Special Education Practice Exam

During which stage of cognitive development do children begin to think logically about concrete objects?

1. Sensorimotor Stage

2. Preoperational Stage

3. Concrete Operations Stage

4. Formal Operations Stage

The correct answer is: Concrete Operations Stage

Children begin to think logically about concrete objects during the Concrete Operations Stage, which is typically characterized by the ability to perform mental operations on physical objects and understand concepts such as conservation, order, and classification. At this stage, children can solve problems logically when they have concrete, tangible materials in front of them. They start to understand the concept of reversibility, meaning they can see that actions can be reversed (for example, understanding that if you flatten a ball of clay, you can return it to its original shape). This stage generally occurs between the ages of 7 and 11, allowing children to move from egocentric thinking to more logical and organized thought processes when dealing with concrete information.