UNITS IN CLG CONTENT SECTIONS IN CLG

UNIT 3

STAGES OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Development from conception to infancy (approx. -9mnths – 2 years)

Early childhood (approx. 2 – 6 years)

Middle childhood (approx. 6 – 12 years) we are here now

Adolescence (approx. 12 – 18 years) and also here

UNIT 4

CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND THE

LEARNER IN THE CLASSROOM

Understanding self-concept and self-esteem

General praise, growth and development

Fixed mind-set versus growth mind-set

Middle Childhood (6/7yrs - 11yrs)

…Middle Childhood…• Middle childhood is characterised with growth in height and weight, more

advanced gross and fine motor skills, greater neuron connections and moremyelination of esp. parts of the brain used for attention and impulse control.

• PIAGET named this period the stage of concrete-operational thought.

• Children are less egocentric, can categorise and reason logically, think flexibly,understand conservatism, remember and therefore problem-solve and planmore, use more vocabulary, and can think about how they think(metacognition). They still prefer to think more concretely than abstractly.

• Piagetian teachers give children time to experiment with concrete resources, aswell as opportunities to problem-solve and categorise without overloading themwith too many factors. Using existing knowledge remains important.

…Middle Childhood…• VYGOTSKY emphasised mediated learning during middle childhood.

• Just as play is central to early childhood, the leading activity now is learningabout life, the world, community, rules and knowledge.

• Just as spontaneous, everyday learning is typical of early childhood, the middlechildhood learner is ready for scientific concepts, i.e. that which must be taught.(see diagram on following slide*)

• Vygotskian teachers focus on instruction at this stage – guiding children to learnthings they would not know only by observation or everyday living. Suchteachers authentic situations to teach and ensure that children gain morevocabulary and skills in order to reason more effectively.

• Peer relationships become more important now and the 3 aspects of bullying,approval and popularity and friendships influence peer connections.

Source: Daniels, H. (2001). Vygotsky and Pedagogy. (page 7)

*A graphic description of scientific and spontaneous/everyday concepts. Middle Childhood is ready for understanding scientific concepts taught to them

Adolescence(12yrs - 18yrs)

…Adolescence…• Adolescents experience significant changes in the way they think, feel, interact

and physically develop as they try to adapt to what society and culture expectsof them in becoming adults.

• Hormonal changes bring on puberty and sexual maturation. Sexual organsdevelop for reproduction (primary characteristics) and secondary characteristicssuch as changes in voice and physical appearance start to manifest.

• Brain development leads to a greater capacity for learning. Although some partsof the brain develop fully (e.g. that to do with emotions), others such as theprefrontal cortex that involves reasoning and impulse control, do not. Teenagersalso sleep less than what they used to or should and this can affect mood.

• With parents: there is more conflict although the bond usually remains strong.

• With peers: peer pressure and the need to be accepted is very important.

…Adolescence…• PIAGET saw this as the stage of formal operational thinking where adolescents

can think abstractly and hypothetically, debating issues, testing combinations ofvariables, using logical reasoning and formalising propositions.

• VYGOTSKY appreciated peer relationships during this phase as adolescents learnthrough their interaction of same-sex and opposite-sex peers.

• KOHLBERG associated this phase with conventional morality where adolescenceinternalise the morals of adults and look at the intention behind actions (goodboy/good girl) and/or the upholding of societal rules to ensure law and order.

• ERIKSON emphasised the need to develop one’s own identity duringadolescence. Personal values, society’s expectations and a sense of belongingare important in negotiating a positive self-esteem rather than role confusion.