MAKING Adifference IN

THE lives of children AND

adolescents

Discussant:
Marie Danessa D. Medroso
 What did you
feel the first
time you saw an
infant?
 Hi everybody! I’m Teacher Mary, an
elementary teacher and currently
handling grade 1 classes. I know you
already know what a teacher is. Since
we are all teachers here in our class, I’m
pretty sure that you know how real
classroom setting works.
We have learned to handle learners in
the best way we know and we can do.
But I want to share a little story about
my learner and I want to know how will
you handle this kind of situation.
I have a student
named Tonya.

Hi, I’m Tonya

Oh! you’re here Tonya. By
the way teachers, she’s
Tonya.

Hello
Now, tonya. Go back to your
room and wait for your
guardian to pick you
because your teachers and I
have something to discuss.

Okay, teacher. Bye

teachers...
 Going back teachers. Just like every
child, she has a positive qualities.
However, Tonya is academically
delayed. She was retained in
kindergarten and is not catching up as
quickly as I would like. Physically, she
received inadequate nutrition
Socially, she only had few friends. There
are also instances that she insist her
classmates to give her their snacks and
prized possession but when her
classmates refused, she steal it from
their desks. When asked why she did it
she simply answer “I’m hungry”
 to compound her problem, our
principal thought of punishing her by
not giving her a recess time for a
month. I wanted to talk to someone
related to her but I just knew that her
mother was sick, at a debilitating stage
with lupus, a reason why she cannot
work or attend school functions.
 She also takes care of her young
brother that is why she’s not able to
eat breakfast before going to school. In
spite of Tonya’s challenges, she is eager
to develop productive skills and solve
some of her problems.
With Tonya’s case, what do you think is
the best way a teacher can do?
Thank you, teachers. I have heard all of
your thoughts and it will surely be
helpful to me and for you as well.
Remember, we are teachers who mold
and make a difference in children’s life.
OBJECTIVES
1. Describe the three basic issues that characterize developmental
change.
2. Differentiate among the seven theoretical perspective on development.
3. Identify educational implications of the major theories of child
development
4. Identify the characteristics of five development periods from infancy
through late adolescents.
5. Offer recommendations for working effectively with youngsters of
various ages.
6. Formulate developmentally appropriate practices that teachers
and other professionals can use.
Child Development
Child Development

Study of the persistent, cumulative, and

progressive changes in the physical,
cognitive, and social-emotional
development of children and adolescents.
Nature
The genetic
inheritance
affecting the
child’s growth.
 nurture
The influence of
the social and
physical
environment in
which the child
lives.
The existing conditions for the child
The physiological and psychological foundations
upon which new advancements can be built.
The child’s own activity
The child’s own choices, mental processes,
emotional responses, and behaviors.
 Three
developmental
domains
 Systematic changes of body
Physical Development and brain and age-related
changes in motor skills and
health behaviors.
Systematic changes in
Cognitive development reasoning, concepts, memory,
and language.

Social-emotional Systematic changes in emotions,

development self-concept, motivation, social
relationships, and moral
reasoning and behavior.
Effects of context on development
Family or other cluster of close, caring relationships contribute to the
optimal development of the child.
School provides an opportunity to foster cognitive and social skills.

A community with defined values, traditions, and symbol systems can

help form children’s interpersonal relationships and enter into a daily
activities with a sense of purpose.
Local communities and broader societies help children gain access to
peers, other adult role models, recreation, the media, and such
institutions such as social services, banks, and medical clinics.
 Basic
Issues in
Development
Nature and Nurture
Nature contributes to both human traits and individual differences
among children.
Heredity is powerful, but it has limits.
Children’s experiences affect all aspects of their being.
Nurture affects children’s development through multiple channels.
The condition of nurture are not always nurturing.
 Specific Principles of how Nature and Nurture exert
their effects in the developing child:

Nature and nurture are constrained by the developmental process.

Genes and environment alone are not sufficient to explain the complex
sequences of events that occur in the changing brain and body. During
prenatal growth in the womb, new cells specialize in particular ways and
move to appropriate locations to form and create parts of the growing
baby. The result is a miraculous sequence of changes.

The relative effects of heredity and environment vary for different

areas of development.
Some abilities are strongly influenced by genetically controlled system
in the brain.
inherited tendencies make individual children more or less responsive
to particular environmental influences.
Because of their genetic makeup, some children are easily affected by
certain conditions in the environment, whereas others are less affected.

Some genes exert their effects only in certain environments.

Children are sometimes born with particular genes that put them at risk
for developing psychological problems. e.g. high amount of serotonin
released.

individual differences in heredity may exert stronger effects when

environments are favorable than when it is impoverished.
When youngster have decent experiences in their environment, heredity
often plays a strong role in their individual characteristics.
Timing of environmental exposure matters.
When children are changing rapidly in any area, they are especially
prone to influence by the environment.

Children’s natural tendencies affect their environment.

Children’s growth in influenced by their own developmental levels and
behaviors. They make choices, seek out information that refine their
knowledge and beliefs.
universality and diversity
In a particular aspect of The varied ways in which
human development, individual progress.
the commonalities seen
in the way virtually all
individual progress.
universality and diversity
Development tends to be more universal in some aspects of physical
development, such as the sequences in which puberty unfolds. In other
areas, including many aspects of cognitive and social-emotional
development, diversity tends to be more prevalent. Nevertheless, there is
also some diversity, even in physical development, children vary in height,
weight, and skin color, and some are born with physical disabilities r
become injured.
Qualitative and quantitative change
Sometimes development reflects dramatic changes in the essence or
underlying structure of a characteristics. Such major reorganization are
called Qualitative Changes. However, not all development undergo
dramatic changes. Development frequently occurs as a gradual
progression, or trend, with many small additions and modifications to
behaviors and thought processes, these are called Quantitative
changes.
Stage Theories
Theorists who emphasize qualitative changes often use the term stage
to refer to a period of development characterize by a particular way of
behaving or thinking.

According to stage theory of Development, individuals progress

through a series of stages that are qualitatively different from one
another.
Jean piaget and erik erikson
Children interact with
the world primarily There are set of primary
developmental challenges
through trial-and-error
that individuals face at
behavior.
different points in their
lives
Stage Theories
However, research has not confirmed the idea that young people
proceed through stages one at a time or that they always move in
the same direction.
Many theorist now believe that qualitative changes do exist not as
inevitable, universal, and hierarchical patters, but rather as dynamic
states of thinking and acting that evolve as children mature and try
new things.
Qualitative and quantitative changes can happen at the same time.
APPLYING BASIC LESSONS
FROM CHILD DEVELOPMENT
 Accept the powerful influences of both the
nature and nurture on growth

A child’s fate is never sealed, it always depend on care

from adults and the child’s own effort.

An important implication is that when children show

unusual talents, you can offer extra challenges. And when
children’s natural inclinations become stumbling blocks to
positive growth, provide additional support.
 become familiar with general developmental
trends and common variations

General trends at a particular age level guide the daily

work of educators.

By growing familiar with the developmental diversity

among children, you can learn to give individual youngster
the specific support they need.
 look for both quantitative and qualitative
changes in children’s characteristics

As you teach children academic concepts, the benefits of

physical activity, ways to get along with peers, and so on,
you might find that children often learn information in a
quantitative fashion. That is, the soak up facts and skills
rapidly and incrementally.

You can support learning by providing children

with rich and varied resources.
 ories of Child Developme
The nt
Biological Theories
Behaviorism and social
learning theories
Psychodynamic theories
Cognitive developmental
theories
cognitive process
theories
Sociocultural theories
developmental systems
theories
Biological Theories
Focuses on inherited physiological structures of the body
and brain that support survival, growth, and learning.
When heredity increases children’s chances for survival, they
live into their adult years, have children on their own, and
pass on their genes to the next generation.
Emphasizes maturation of children’s bodies and motor
abilities
Two key principles: (1) children’s maturational levels impose
limits on their interest. (2) Children’s physical abilities serve
valuable functions for them.
Biological Theories
noticed that infants are
perceptive of order and details in
the physical world and that
toddlers and pre-school aged
children eagerly soak up details
about language.
in many Montessori, teachers are
urged to become careful
observers of children’s natural
tendencies and to provide
Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori, the most stimulating materials.
famous Pedagogue of all time.
behaviorism and social learning theories
Developmental change is largely due to environmental influences.
Behaviors can be modified through environmental stimuli.
B.f Skinner suggested that children actively work for rewards and tend to
avoid behaviors that lead to punishment.
Behaviorist believe that children learn emotional responses based on
their experiences.
Social learning theories believe that children’s beliefs and goals have
crucial influences on their actions.
Researchers have shown that behavior is not always a response to
rewards or punishment. Instead, they anticipate consequences of the
actions.
psychodynamic theories
Focus on the interaction between certain internal conflicts
and environment.
Argued that young children continually find themselves
torn by sexual and aggressive impulses and desires to
gain approval from their parents and society.
He also proposed that as an outgrowth of their
personal motives and social experiences in families,
children progress through a series of qualitatively
distinct stages, ideally learning to channel their
impulses in socially appropriate ways.

Sigmund Freud
psychodynamic theories
suggested that people grow as a result of resolving their own
internal struggles.
focused less on sexual and aggressive impulses and
more on other parts of the developing personality,

Erik Erikson
psychodynamic theories

This perspective theory remind educators that children often

have mixed and confusing emotions. Adult can help children by
teaching them to express their feelings in ways that both
honestly reflect their experiences and are acceptable to other
people.
cognitive developmental theories
Emphasizes thinking process and how they change over tme.

Children seek out new and interesting experiences, try to

understand what they see and hear, and work actively to
reconcile any discrepancies between new information and
what they have previously believed to be true.
cognitive developmental theories
Children is not only related to acquiring
knowledge, they build and develop mental
model of their surrounding world.
His concept of Cognitive development is based
on the idea that children go through four
stages of development: (1) Sensorimotor stage
(2) Preoperational stage (3) Concrete
Operational stage (4) Formal Operational
stage.

Jean Piaget
cognitive developmental theories
cognitive developmental theories
known for his extensive research about moral
reasoning.

Children’s moral development occurs in six

stages, and moral logic is primarily focused on
obtaining and upholding justice.

Children learn and develop a sense of morality.

Lawrence Kohlberg
cognitive developmental theories
cognitive developmental theories
Cognitive Developmental theorist have suggested that taking a
developmental perspective means looking sympathetically at
children and understanding the logic of their current level of
thinking.
It is a mistake to hurry children beyond their current capacities.
They also believed that adults who try to push children beyond
their present abilities create unnecessary stress and fail to
nurture children’s existing reasoning skills.
Most important principle under this perspective is that teachers
need to understand children as children. They must listen closely
to children’s conversation, permit them to explore actively their
environment, and gently probe them about their ideas.
Cognitive Process Theories
Focus on the basic thinking process. How people interpret and
remember what they see and hear and how these precesses change
during childhood and adolescence.
Robert Siegler found that children often spontaneously use a variety
of different strategies when first learning to complete tasks.
Children uses variety of ways to determine the most effective
method.
Two key contribution of this perspective: (1) Children’s thinking to
painstaking detail. (2) Research-tested instructional strategies
sociocultural theories
Focuses on the impact of social systems and cultural traditions to the
child development and emphasizes full participation of children in the
society into which they are born.
sociocultural theories
Focuses on the impact of social systems and cultural traditions to the
child development and emphasizes full participation of children in the
society into which they are born.

Children’s mind are shaped by everyday

experience is social setting.

Concluded that people grow intellectually

by taking part in everyday cultural activities
and gradually assuming higher levels of
responsibility.

Lev Vygotsky
sociocultural theories

Describes the potential

development level and
independent problem solving
as identified under adult
guidance through problem-
solving , or by collaborating
with more competent peers.
sociocultural theories
Sociocultural theories have limitation: Theories have taken for
granted that children learn important skills simply by taking part
in an activity; in reality, some children merely go through the
motions and take little responsibility for completing the task.
Children learn valuable skills by being engaged in authentic adult
tasks.
In the classroom, it is important for adults to provide children with
opportunities to tackle real-world tasks that were previously
beyond their capabilities.
Teachers can reach out to the range of cultures they serve by
inviting families to share some aspects for their family traditions
and encouraging children to make frequent choices in classroom
tasks.
developmental systems theories
Focuses on the multiple factors, including systems inside and
outside children, that combine to influence children’s development.
Child is also part of a physical environment and a member of
multiple, interconnected social systems.
Urie Bronfenbrenner described the influences that people,
institutions, and prevailing cultural practices have on children.
developmental systems theories
Microsystem - Personal characteristics
such a temperament, cognitive abilities,
and physical attributes can significantly
impact an individual’s development.
Mesosystem - refers to the connections
and interaction between the various
microsystem in an individual’s life.
Exosystem - encompasses the broader
social and environmental contexts that
indirectly impact an individual’s
development.
Macrosystem - the broader cultural,
societal, and ideological forces that
shape an individual’s developement.
Chronosystem - focuses on the role of
time in shaping an individual’s
development.
developmental systems theories
This perspective capture all nature and nurture, and the child’s own
characteristics and activities.
This suggest that educators can exert beneficial effects on children
by considering children’s own perceptions of experiences in their
inter-related environments. Thus, it is important to listen to child’s
ideas.
Educators must keep tabs on youngsters’ evolving experiences and
adjust services accordingly.
DEVELOPMENTAL PERIODS
Infancy
(Birth - 2 Years)
 Physical Development
Motor skills that include rolling over,
sitting, crawling, standing, walking.
Growing ability to reach, grab,
manipulate, and release objects.
Rudimentary self-feeding by the end of
infancy.

Cognitive development
Distinguish among different faces
Rapid growth in communication (crying,
using gestures, and facial expressions,
synchronizing attention with the
caregivers, babbling, forming one-word
sentences, and constructing multiple-
word sentences.
 Physical Development
Motor skills that include rolling over,
sitting, crawling, standing, walking.
Growing ability to reach, grab,
manipulate, and release objects.
Rudimentary self-feeding by the end of
infancy.

Cognitive development
Imitate simple gestures with a model
present, progressing to complex imitation
of actions and pattern from memory.
Increasing ability to remember people
and things out of sight.
 Social-emotional
development
formation of close bonds with responsive
and affectionate caregivers.
Use of words to name needs and desires.
Playing side by side with peers but also
interacting at times.
Increasing awareness of ownership and
boundaries of self
Developing sense of power and will
Implications:
Provide a safe, appropriate, sensory-rich environment
so infants can move, explore surroundings, and handle
objects.
Hold infants gently, and care for their physical needs
in an attentive manner.
Learn and respond sensitively to each infant’s
distinctive manner of approaching or resisting new
people, objects, and events.
Encourage but do not rush infants to learn motor skills
such as walking.
Learn what each family wants for its children, and try
to provide culturally sensitive care.
Implications:
recognize that children’s early images of themselves
are influences by unconscious messages from adults.
Speak to infants regularly to enrich their language
development.
Communicate regularly with families about infants’
daily activities, including how much and what they eat
and drink, how well they sleep, and what their moods
are during the day.
Early Childhood
(2-6 Years)
 Physical Development
Increasing abilities in such motor skills as
running and skipping throwing a ball,
building block towers, and using scissors.
Increasing competence in basic self-care
and personal hygiene

Cognitive development
Dramatic Play and fantasy with peers
Ability to draw simple figures
Some knowledge of color, letters and
numbers
Recounting of familiar stories and events
 Social-emotional
development
Developing understanding of gender and
ethnicity
Emerging abilities to defer immediate
gratification, share toys, and take turns
modest appreciation that other people
have their own desires, beliefs, and
knowledge
Some demonstration of sympathy for
people in distress
Implications:
Provide sensory-rich materials that encourage
exploration (e.g., water table, sandbox, textured toys)
Arrange a variety of activities that permit children to
exercise fine motor and gross motor skills.
Encourage children to engage in cooperation and
fantasy play by providing props and open play areas.
Read to children regularly to promote vocabulary and
literacy skills.
Give children frequent opportunities to play, interact
with peers, and make choices.
Communicate expectations for behavior so that
children learn to follow rules of group settings.
Communicate regularly about children’s academic and
social progress.
Middle Childhood
(6-10 years)
 Physical Development
Successful imitation of complex physical
movements.
Ability to ride a bicycle.
Participation in organized sports.

Cognitive development
Development of basic skills in reading,
writing, mathematics, and other
academic subject areas.
Ability to reason logically about concrete
objects and events in the immediate
environment.
 Social-emotional
development
Increasing awareness of how one’s own
abilities compare with those of peers.
Desire for time with age-mates,
especially friends of the same gender.
Increasing responsibility for household
chores
Adherence to rules of games.
Understanding of basic moral principles.
(e.g., fairness and equity)
Implications:
Tailor instructional methods in children’s talents,,
background knowledge, and interests.
Address deficiencies in basic skills before they develop
into serious delays.
Provide moderately challenging tasks that encourage
children to learn new skills, perform well, and attempt
increasingly difficult activities.
Provide necessary guidance to help children interact
with peers.
Prohibit bullying and enforce codes of conduct.
Early Adolescence
(10-14 years)
 Physical Development
Onset of puberty
Significant growth spurt
Increased appetite

Cognitive development
Emerging capacity to think and reason
about abstract ideas.
Preliminary exposure to advanced
academic in specific subject areas.
 Social-emotional
development
Continued (and perhaps greater)
interest in peer relationships.
Self-conscious about appearance.
Emerging sexual interest in the opposite
gender or same gender, depending on
orientation.
Challenges to parents, teachers, and
other authorities regarding rules and
boundaries.
Occasional moodiness.
Implications:
Suggest and demonstrate effective study strategies
as adolescents begin to tackle difficult subject matter.
Give struggling adolescents the extra academic
support they need to be successful.
Provide regular time and place where young
adolescents can seek guidance and advice about
academic or social matters.
Provide opportunities for adolescents to contribute to
decision making in clubs and recreation centers.
Hold adolescents accountable for their actions, and
impose appropriate consequences when they break
rules.
Late Adolescence
(14-18 years)
 Physical Development
Achievement of sexual maturity and
adult height
For some teens, development of a
regular exercise program
Development of specific eating habits

Cognitive development
In-depth study of certain academic
subject areas
Consideration of career tracks and job
prospects
 Social-emotional
development
Dating
Increasing independence
Frequent questioning of existing rules
and societal norms
Increasing commitment to personal
values, career prospects, ethnic
affiliations, and other elements of an
identity
Implications:
Communicate caring and respect for all adolescents.
Allow choices in academic subjects and assignments,
but hold adolescents to high standards for
performances.
Provide guidance and assistance that low-achieving
students may need to be more succeddful.
Help adolescents explore higher education
opportunities and a variety of career paths.
Encourage involvement in extracurricular activities.
Arrange opportunities for adolescents to make a
difference in their communities through volunteer
work and service learning projects.
 DEVELOPMENT
AND PRACTICE
Engaging in DAP with Infants, children and
Adolescents
INFANCY
Set up a safe and Arrange clean Provide culturally
stimulating areas for meeting sensitive care, and
environment for physical needs support families’ home
exploration languages.
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Provide reassurance Create classroom
to children who have Introduce children to environment that
difficulty separating the world of literature permits children to
from their families explore their physical
and cultural world
MIDDLE CHILDHOOD
Encourage family Give children guidance
members to become Ensure all students they need to establish
active participants in acquire basic and maintain positive
their children’s academic skills relationship with their
activities peers
EARLY ADOLESCENCE
Design a curriculum that Assign every young Show sensitivity to
is challenging and adolescent and youngsters who are
motivating and that adviser who looks
incorporates knowledge after the adolescent’s undergoing the physical
and skills from several welfare changes of puberty
content areas
 LATE ADOLESCENCE
Expect students to high Encourage Educate adolescents
standards for adolescents to give about the academic
achievements, but give back to their requirements of jobs
them support they need communities and colleges
to meet those standards
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE
OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT
IN THE CLASSROOM AND
COMMUNITY
 Develop warm Consider children’s
relationships with age-related abilities
children

Capitalize on each recognize that Integrate the cultural

child’s strengths children’s immaturity values and customs of
serves a purpose children into lessons

Consider how you might

Nudge children accommodate
toward advanced bioecological factors in
thinking and behaving children’s lives
STRENGHTENING THE
COMMITMENT
 Continue to take
courses in child
development

Find colleagues who

share your concerns
about children

Obtain new
perspective from
colleagues
Thank you,
teachers :)
References
Main, P (2023, May 05). Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model. Retrieved
from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/bronfenbrenners-
ecological-model
Main, P (2021, June 11). Jean Piagets theory of Cognitive Development.
Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/jean-piagets-
theory-of-cognitive-development-and-active-classrooms
Main, P (2022, October 18). Vygotsky's Theory. Retrieved from
https://www.structural-learning.com/post/vygotskys-theory
Mcdevitt and Ormrod (2014). Pearson New International Edition.
https://www.pearson.com/en-gb/subject-catalog/p/child-development-
and-education-pearson-new-international-edition/P200000004976?
view=educator