Cognition related
3V1140.01 Letter names as entities separated from signifiers of people (3/7/81) Peggy brought me the ‘F’ from her set of letters. She asked if it were the letter ‘A’. When I said ‘No,’ she next guessed the letter name ‘E’ (She knows this, of course, is the ‘father letter.’) I told her it was the …
3V1139.01 Advance in articulation: [Which hands is it now ?] (3/6/81) Peggy came running up to me and asked me ‘Which hand is it in now ?’ She continued immediately, ‘This one ?’ (Pointing to her right hand with her left). This question and gestures is a significant advance over that of 3/3/81 because she …
3V113601 Imperfectly articulated script: [Which hand ? This one ?] (3/3/81) ‘Which hand ?’ This question is one Peggy meets when she asks Robby or Miriam for something she knows they have (usually candy). Today, she came running up to my chair at the table and asked, ‘Which hand is the Rubic’s cube in ? …
3V113301 A Gymnastic Show (2/28(81) Miriam went on-stage with the other tumbling kids of the Dutch Gymnastics School. The show began with ‘The Little Rascals’ — the youngest class — marching around and exercising in time (more or less) to directive songs. Peggy found that worth watching, but when they finished she said, ‘I think …
3V112401 Singing: quiet activities of self-construction (2/19)81) Peggy’s repertoire of songs is sometimes surprising. On her recent trip to Boston with Robby, I found she knew a bit of ‘The cat came back’ (A song I know not but Robby does know, perhaps from a Disney program). This afternoon, Peggy sat singing quietly to herself …
3V112201 Same vs. Different: different animals, same activities (2/17/81) Peggy sat in my lap, playing her animal game (see examples in videotape, e.g. P162). I tired of it and she volunteered, ‘I know…let’s play a different game.’ I agreed enthusiastically, so she got from her toy box two different animals, sat in my lap and …
3V112002 Squirting (skunks; rabbits squirt with their ears.) (2/15/81) Peggy has a skunk… it attacks other animals by SQUIRTING them with its tail. (Does this show the influences of Robby, Miriam ?) Squirting is NOT limited to the skunk. Most other animals also squirt from tails. An exception is the rabbit. It has a button …
3V1120.01 Peggy’s invented games: extensive notes on animal play (2/15/81) For the past week or more, Peggy and I have played together in a way that appears very important to her. that is, she is really hurt if I am unwilling to play. Last night she was unwilling to stop — without tears — only …
3V1109.02 Trip to Logo: typical stories (2/14-15/81) Peggy, Robby and I went to MIT after story hour. Danny Moore came to the lab late in the afternoon and I tended Peggy while Robby played with him. What I recall of this time is that Peggy and I went to DSRE for my Spencer Foundation letter, …
3V1105.03 Meta-cognitive observations: [I think my jokes are funny.] (late January) We were driving east on route 1, near Moose Hill Manor. Seeing the ponies of the Diamond M Ranch, Peggy remarked, ‘I want to ride one of those every day.’ I turned to her with shocked surprise, ‘Every day?’ Peggy smiled, ‘I think my …
3V1105.02 What we observe is not what she intends [Woodstock is patting his tail with the monsters.] (1/31/81) ‘Patting’ is an activity that Peggy knows a lot about. Scurry is her close friend and she pats Scurry every day. She is, in fact, merciless in expressing her affection for the dog who gets no peace …
3V1104.02 Solla Sollew: just how long is the title ? (1/30(81) Peggy came to me and asked, ‘Will you read this book (in her hand) about Solla Sollew…(pause) on the banks of the beautiful river Wahoo… where they never have troubles…or at least very few. (Bob suggests she may think this entire spiel is the …
3V1104.01 “Gepeters” [computers]: incremental lexicon standardization (1/30/81) Peggy wants to go to Logo (whatever that means to her) and also asked if she ‘could play with the gepeters at Logo.’ Later, her use slipped into the standard form by first appearing a ‘geputers’ then as ‘computers.’
3V1103.01 Peer interactions (1/29/81) When Peggy was too late to b e enrolled in the North Guilford Nursery School, Gretchen enrolled her in two pre-school library activities. I took Peggy down to the second crafts session, and Miriam asked if she could come. Peggy had a good time at the library but with respect to …
3V1102.01 Playing with toys: using animals as manipulatable actors (1/28(81) Recently Peggy has frequently climbed on my lap after dinner, bringing a small collection of animal toys with her. Frequently the horses (Calico and Blue Mane) and Gretchen’s old rabbit and mouse are the main actors. Peggy takes one animal and gives me another, e.g., …
3V1100.01 What words mean: example: graphics mean the name of the thing (1/26/81) After concluding an experiment (P157 I believe), Peggy touched the camera now back in its case. Pointing to the words on the camera she said, ‘I know what this says.’ ‘What,’ I asked. ‘Camera,’ she replied. This is a second example (see …
3V1096.01 Time sensitivity: When vs. Before (1/22/81) Miriam and I got back from Boston around 9 pm. We emptied the car, got off our coats, and all that. I talked with Peggy a while and she told me of her activities earlier in the day. I can’t recall the specific activity, but at one point …
3V1093.02 Analogy question: [do you ever peel oranges like apples ?] (1/20/81) Peggy spontaneously asked me “Do you ever peel oranges with a peeler, like apples?” When I understood, I replied, “No.” She continued, “You cut them open with knifses?”
3V1093.01 Games: (with doll) this little pig went to market (1/19/81) Peggy was holding a doll (the bath one) and I became aware that she was feeling the toes, in order, and playing “This little pig went to market.” Gretchen
3V1091.01 Breaking up an idiomatic expression: [By Beatrix Potter] (1/17/81) Peggy brought “Peter Rabbit” and “The Flopsy bunnies” to my lap. As I have read them to her in the past, I have moved my finger along the title. Earlier (1/26/80) Peggy recognized “by” in two books as being “the same.” Here when I finished …
3V1089.03 A trick on Robby (1/15/81) Peggy was sitting in the big chair with Bob when Robby walked in and sat down on the other chair. Peggy suddenly said to him (for no known reason) “I throwed up on the furniture.” Robby looked startled and prepared to leap up, before he realized it was a …
3V1089.02 Thursday question about experiment on Sunday (1/15/81) When we do the experiment [Sunday] will we play with blocks?” Gretchen
3V1089.01 Explanation by wrong causal inference. [Cold hands. Because the wood is cold.] (1/15/81) Peggy sat before the stove while I loaded some logs in. My hands were cold (perhaps I had recently been outside). The logs were from the living room, and warm. What is striking here is Peggy’s assumption that a causal inference …
3V1085.02 Context and two more sentences: [(Negotiating for a cookie. Hiccup). Can I have some ? Hiccups make me hungry.] (1/11/81) Peggy, wanting chocolate chips, asked Robby for some. He refused. She hiccuped then and asked again, “Can I have some ? Hiccups make me hungry.” What does one make of this ? Cause ? …
3V1084.01 Counting Irregularities (1/10/81) Peggy “counts,” ie. recites the number names in a quasi-standard fashion. (omitting “seven” more often than including it.) Although she has put objects in one to one correspondence, she has not done so successfully in the standard sense. She counted on her fingers today showing no non-standard variations. First she counted …
3V1077.01 Two Related Sentences (1/3/81) Peggy has proved her good control of her toilet use. She has been happy to empty her potty into the toilet. When she defecates, she is able and happy to wipe herself but she does NOT like to empty the shit into the toilet. Today she said, “I don’t want …
3V1076.02 Counting Popsicle Sticks: pauses/errors in sequences (1/2/81) Peggy had some in one hand and started transferring them to the other and counted them: “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (dropped some).” Picking up the sticks, Peg counted again, “1, 2, 3, , 5, 6, 8…” and then recounted again and again.
3V1076.01 Puzzles at the Library (1/2/81) Peggy joined me at the library. After my books were found, we waited for Gretchen in the Children’s section. I read, keeping my eye on Peggy. She climbed up on the large, raised pedestal and walked around the Christmas tree. She came to some puzzles especially made for children …
3V1074.01 Counting: for hide and seek (12/31/80) Peggy was playing hide and seek with Robby. He was “it” and after finding her [she didn’t really hide, but stood in another room ready to laugh when he appeared] told her to go into the end of the kitchen (by the basement) and hide her face while …
3V1071.07 Confronting the illogical: “I’m not here.” (12/28/80) This evening, I retreated upstairs to write while Gretchen read a large collection of library books to Peggy. Later, Peggy called to me “Dad…Are you up there ?” I replied “No. I’m not here.” I heard Peggy go into the living room to look for me there …
3V1071.06 Reading words (a few days ago): instruction in 1-1 correspondence (12/28/80) A few days ago, Peggy wanted me to read “Babar Saves the Day.” We sat down and looked at the cover. Peggy sort of waved her hand around and said, “Babar Saves the Day.” I repeated the title to each word as I …
3V1071.05 Holophrastic verbs; also pretending to sleep (12/28/80) (See also under 12/1, 11/20; 11/22; and 12/9; 12/6) Down watching TV on 12/23, Peggy on Bob’s lap. “Snuggle.” Other times, lying down and closing her eyes, “Sleep.” Gretchen
3V1071.01 Correcting me: example of reasonably mature speech (12/28/80) Peggy sits in the foyer by the stove, talking, reading to herself. When a pause came on her speech, I asked, “Where’s my toddler ?” She corrected me, “I didn’t say toddler,” I said “What’s going on there?” I consider this an example of reasonably mature …
3V1070.01 Counting: scrambled eggs super ? (12/27/80) Reading “Scrambled Eggs Super (Dr. Seuss) one page has a line of birds winding back into the distance over a mountain. Peggy spontaneously started counting, at the beginning of the line, ” 1…2…3…4…5…6…[here the line turned and became less detailed]… many birds.” Gretchen
3V1069.03 Her first orthographic word: “by” (very impt) (12/26/80) Especially as we read the titles of Peggy’s many books, Peggy imitates my pointing to words and saying words. After I read “The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” she pointed more or less randomly: “The” (for the tale of); “Tale” (for Peter); “of” (Rabbit) “Peter” (by) (Rabbit” …
3V1069.02 Counting and one-to-one correspondence (12/26/80) Having bought her two of Beatrix Potter’s books for Christmas, I have read them over and over to Peggy. At one point in the story of Peter Rabbit, old Mrs. Rabbit goes to the bakers and buys ‘five current buns.” I decided to see how Peggy would follow or …
3V1069.01 Planning a trip: to B-A-S-T-G-A-K (12/26/80) Peggy wants very much to go along whenever I go to Boston. She loves to travel anywhere beyond the house , and argues she should go and the older children stay home because “Some kids are too little to be left alone.” I hate to let her overhear …
3V1066.01 Reading letters: new development (12/23/80) Peggy often gives evidence of not distinguishing words from letters. (See especially her play with letters in the past videotaped sessions). Consequently, it was quite surprising today to hear Peggy saying letter names as she poked around in Scurry’s food bag. My best appreciation was that she pointed at …
3V1065.01 Past two months: PUPPY DOG: an invented game/role (12/22) A quick scan of these notes shows no notice taken of something very important to Peggy: she has created a game-role for herself, the character “Puppy Dog.” This began months ago when, playing with Scurry, Peggy fastened the leash to her collar and ran about …
3V1063.02 Reciting number names: varied responses to correction (12/20/80) I drove to New Haven. Miriam and Peggy came along for the ride. On the return trip, Peggy stood behind and between the two front seats of the Saab, holding on and exclaiming amazedly at nearly everything seen. As I drove from I-91 down onto route …
3V1063.01 Hop on Pop: the right phrase; the wrong orthographic order (12/20/80) Peggy brought me this book to read and spontaneously read the title, pointing to each of three words, “Hop on Pop”… Subsequently, (again spontaneously) she read on the title page, “Hop on Pop.” This was most interesting in that she pointed to “Pop”, …
3V1058.01 Counting objects: near standard sequence with omissions (12/13/80) Miriam and Peggy went to visit Mrs. Smith. She keeps toys in her house for children she takes care of. Peggy selected a ring pyramid and Miriam (as she later tells the story) inverted the rings. Peggy began re-stacking the ring and spontaneously reciting number names: …
3V1056.01 Counting objects for herself (12/6/80) What I remember as significant about this episode was Peggy’s putting her fingers and the number names into 1-1 correspondence. Now she can “count” (as documented below) but the limits of her correspondence appears to be TWO. But that fact that she attempts correspondence at all shows a preliminary …
3V1054.01 Generalizations: “nightgowns has no pockets on them” (12/11/80) This evening Peggy came near me, “Nightgowns has no pockets on them,” she said. Looking at my shirt, she continued, “Shirts does but nightgowns never do.”
3V1049.06 Finger Counting: 1-1 correspondence, up to 2 (12/6/80) no further content.
3V1049.04 Letters and words: “P” is no longer /peggi/ by itself (12/8/80) Peggy had me read “Letters, Sound, and Words.” When we came to the page for the initial consonant P, Peggy pointed to it and said “P is the letter in Peggy.” Gretchen
3V1049.01 Finger counting: [I want fifteen childs] (12/6/80) Asked if she thought it would be nice to have a baby, Peggy held up her hand and said, “I want a baby. a boy, and a girl.” holding up a finger for each. We tried again, “Peggy, the baby will be a little boy or a …
3V1046.01 Jumping jacks: analogy (12/3/80) Playing with the fire tongs, Peggy held them vertical and opened and closed them a bit, bouncing them off the floor. “Tweezers [tongs] are doing ‘jumping jacks’.” Comment in passing: “I think bears piss in the woods.” Noted by one of the children: Peggy at her toy telephone: “Doctor, come …
3V1044.02 Position and relative names: up and down (12/1/80) Peggy comes with me when I take Scurry for an exercise walk. Going along North Madison opposite the old golf course, she moves up onto the lawns of the houses. Today she pointed out “I’m up…You’re down.” Sometimes she varies it “I’m high.” Gretchen
3V1043.02 Shooting Monsters (22/30/80) Miriam was in the basement watching King Kong on TV. Peggy came into the living room and told Robby there was a monster. He drew out his gun and undertook shooting all the monsters. Peggy was not content with this form of their game. She wheedled the gun from Robby and …