Bruner (1966) also contents that learning is an active process in which learners based their new ideas is on older acquire knowledge. He believes that the learner transforms information and creates hypotheses to make decisions. This uses the learner’s cognitive ability to construct new ideas on past knowledge. The educator goal is to engage the student in an active dialogue and to translate material to fit the students understanding. The material should be laid out in a cumulative manner where the learner builds upon what they’ve learned before. Bruner (1956), contends that a theory of instruction should address four aspects. He first expects the structure of learning be constructed in a way that can be understood easily by learner. He then wants to a predisposition toward learning. Third he suggests a logical sequence to present the material to the learner. At last he suggests a method of measuring rewards and punishments.
Bruner’s instructional method can be incorporated into the special education setting by researching the students pass behavior problems to develop a current behavior plan. If the student had a habit of touching other students, and that is the main reason he is and the behavior room, the student will come into the room and knowing why you their. During the course of the day he educator can engage the student in a dialogue the emphasis be wrongness of touching are hitting another person. The language during the dialogue must be easily understood by the student. Once the problem of touching his pen pointed the instructor then can begin to show the student alternative ways of dealing with frustration and how to smother the impulse of touching another person. By putting the student and time constraints that are preordained, the instructor and the student will have miserable increment in which to measure success or failure. Once the predetermined increment is met, without evidence of negative behavior, the student can then be allowed a reward that is appropriate to the time increment. As the time increment expands students rewards could be expanded to the point that he or she is allowed back into the mainstream classroom for short periods of time.
Cedillio (2001) proves Bruner’s cognitive theory claims that natural language is taught and the adult creates and shapes the environment in which the child learns the base of the language and its definition. This researcher used algebraic code on a calculator to replace symbolic language. Using algebra as language and setting up the environment for it to be used as a language proved that the algebraic code was built upon the previous knowledge of symbols and known expressive mathematical language. Translated to the behavior classroom, the knowledge of past behaviors and their consequences can be built upon by setting up an environment in which the new knowledge can be easily transferred to the student.