Kieran Egan's storytelling pedagogy and the development of critical and affective reasoning in children International Journal of Integrative Humanism

Abstract

This essay titled Kieran Egan's Storytelling pedagogy and the development of affective and critical reasoning in children exploits the rule of storytelling in fostering affective. critical. and caring reasoning in children. Egan rebutted the Piagetian and Constructivists position that children's cognitive capacity and thinking processes undergo significant changes around the ages II or 12, predisposing them at that stage only to be able to grapple with thinking processes. Egan. instead, suggests that human intellectual development can be better understood by focusing on the role played by the intellectual tools available in the society into which a person grows rather than by relying on Piaget's or others psychological theories of development These tools which he listed as somatic understanding. mythic understanding, romantic understanding, philosophic understanding, and ironic understanding are rooted in his educational philosophy which emphasized the Importance of imagination. storytelling and emotional connection in the leaning process. Employing the methods of textual analysis, speculation and hermeneutics, it is the view of the essay that storytelling is veritable in enabling children to be able to navigate the intricacies of human conditions through narratives. In addition. some stories contain moral lessons that can influence our perception of what is right or wrong, stories present us with moral dilemmas and inquiries that can prompt us to reflect on our beliefs and behaviors. shaping our perception and perspectives about others and file generally. Apart from fostering empathic. critical and caring thinking skillkc stories enable children to explore different cultural barriers. Notwithstanding the gains of storytelling pedagogy. it has some gabs which include but not limited to intolerance and respect for other cultures, subjectivity where stories are interpreted differently, and intensive requirements in storytelling. Above gabs notwithstanding. storytelling pedagogy seems a novel model in shaping children affective and critical thinking capacities.