Stage Development Theory and the Use of Elementary Exegesis in Bible Teaching to Children : A Child-focused and Bible-Orientated Pedagogical Approach Conspectus : The Journal of the South African Theological Seminary, Volume 14, Issue 09, Sep 2012, p. 57 - 80

Abstract

This paper advocates the use of a child-focused and Bible-orientated stage development approach to the teaching of the Bible to children. Piaget's theories on the cognitive development of children and the adaptation of those theories to religious education by Goldman and others provide the overall framework for an evaluation of aspects of a presentation of a Bible story compiled from assignments submitted by South African theological students. The evaluation identifies several shortcomings in the presentation. The article then considers two major difficulties in teaching the Bible to children before proposing how the shortcomings in the students' presentation can be addressed.