In developmental psychology, the best time to employ strategy instruction is when:

• A. children are uninterested in learning new strategies
• B. children are too young to understand basic instructions
• C. children are beginning to show readiness for new cognitive strategies
• D. children have already mastered all relevant strategies independently

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of strategy instruction in developmental psychology, which involves teaching children specific methods to improve their cognitive skills and problem-solving abilities.
2. Recognize that strategy instruction is most effective when children are cognitively ready to learn and apply new strategies, meaning they are beginning to show readiness for new cognitive strategies.
3. Consider why children who are uninterested or too young may not benefit as much: uninterested children may not engage with the instruction, and very young children may lack the developmental capacity to understand the strategies.
4. Acknowledge that children who have already mastered all relevant strategies independently do not need strategy instruction, as the goal is to support learning during the transitional phase.
5. Conclude that the optimal timing for strategy instruction is when children are starting to demonstrate readiness to learn and use new cognitive strategies, as this maximizes the effectiveness of the instruction.