ED 101: Child and

Adolescent Learners
and Learning
Principles

Submitted to: Ms. Kizzha G. Godinez

submitted by: Tanoy, Francis Dominic G.

Table of Contents

Unit 1: Definitions of Child and Adolescent Learners

A. Definitions from UNESCO, UNICEF and WHO
B. Growth and Development: Nature or Nurture?
C. Periods of Development
D. Developmental Tasks and Education (Havighurst)
E. Domains of Development
1. Biological
2. Cognitive
3. Socio-emotional
F. Context and Development
G. Development and Pedagogy: Theory and Research
1. Theories and hypotheses
2. Methodology
3. Integrating theory and practice

II.Unit 2: Development
I. Biological Development
A.Biological Beginnings
B Physical and Motor Development
C.Neuroscience and Brain
D.Factors Affecting Biological Development
II. Physical Development E. Theories
1. Developmental Milestones (Gesell)
2. Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner)
III.Reflective Journal- Reflection for Unit
1: Definitions of Child and Adolescent Learners -Reflection
for Unit
2: Development - Reflection on Childhood Experiences and
Developmental Theories-This reflection explores your
childhood experiences relating to theories of
child/adolescent development (developmental milestones
and ecological systems theory, you may choose 1 or both of
them) with a focus on how you can enhance your
development to become the best version of yourself.
1:UNIT 1
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF "CHILD"?

According to UNESCO, UNICEF and WHO, a child is a person 18 years or younger unless
national law defines a person to be an adult at an earlier age. However, in their guideline
when a person falls into the 10 to 19 age category they are referred to as an adolescent.A
young person especially between infancy and puberty.

It is a person not yet of the age of majority or an unborn or recently born person.

Biologically, a child (plural children) is a human being between the stages of birth and
puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition
of child generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a... Data from UNICEF indicate
that in 2011. 57 million children were out of school.The state or time of being a child:
especially, the period from infancy to puberty.

The time for children to be in school and at play, to grow strong and confident with the
love and encouragement of their family and an extended community of caring adults. It is
a precious time in which children should live free from fear, safe from violence and
protected from abuse and exploitation. (www.unicef.org)
WHAT IS ADOLESCENT?

According to WHO, adolescence is a period of life with specific health and

developmental needs and rights. It is also a time to develop knowledge and skills, learn to
manage emotions and relationships, and acquire attributes and abilities that will be
important for enjoying the adolescent years and assuming adult roles.According to
UNESCO, adolescence is a distinct stage that marks the transition between childhood and
adulthood.

The Swiss developmental psychologist Jean Piaget described adolescence as the period
during which individuals' cognitive abilities fully mature. According to Piaget, the
transition from late childhood to adolescence is marked by the attainment of formal
operational thought, the hallmark of which is abstract reasoning.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescents as those people between 10
and 19 years of age. The great majority of adolescents. are, therefore, included in the age-
based definition of "child", adopted by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 4 as a
person under the age of 18 years.

The period following the onset of puberty during which a young person develops from a
child into an adult. (ages 13-19 years old) .The period of adolescence is most closely
associated with the teenage years. though its physical, psychological and cultural
expressions can begin earlier and end late
GROWTH (quantitative)

Refers to physical increase in the size of the body. (Increase in weight. height, etc..)

Refers to a quantitative change (can be measured) there is a change in form and increase
in the complexity of body parts and their functioning. thinking abilities and social
skills.Growth is only one aspect of the larger process of development.

Growth is a progressive increase and continuous advancement of the child from birth to
maturity.It involves both structural and functional stages.

DEVELOPMENT (qualitative)

Changes in a person's physical and behavioural traits that emerge in orderly ways and
last for a reasonable period of time. Changes are...PROGRESSIVE (results in
Acquisition of skills and abilities that are complex, finer and more efficient.) IN ORDER
(there is an order in development.)

Development is defined by harlock (1951) is a progressive series of changes that occur in

an orderly predictable pattern as a result of maturation and experience. The goal of
development is to enable to adapt to the environment in which he lives.
NATURE

Is education is not limited to the classroom. It's a lifelong journey.what we think of as

pre-wiring and is influenced by genetic inheritance and other biological factors.Nature
refers to the genetic and biological factors that contribute to a child’s development, while
nurture refers to the environmental factors that shape a child’s experiences and behaviors.

NURTURE

Is generally taken as the influence of external factors after conception, e.g.. the product of
exposure. life experiences and learning on an individual. Although their influences are so
often distinguished in ancient philosophy and modern science, the inseparability of nature
and nurture has profound implications for how we study and understand human
development.... Nature and nurture are partners in how developing people interact with
the surrounding environment
 PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT

1. Prenatal Development

2. Infancy and Toddlerhood

3. Early Childhood

4. Middle Childhood

5. Adolescence

6. Early Adulthood

7. Middle Adulthood

8. Late Adulthood

The list of the periods of development reflects unique aspects of the various stages of
childhood and adulthood that will be explored in this book, including physical, cognitive,
and psychosocial changes. So while both an 8-month-old and an 8-year-old are considered
children, they have very different motor abilities, cognitive skills, and social relationships.
Their nutritional needs are different, and their primary psychological concerns are also
distinctive. The same is true of an 18-year-old and an 80-year-old, both considered adults.
We will discover the distinctions between being 28 or 48 as well. But first, here is a brief
overview of the stages.
Prenatal Development
-Conception occurs and development begins. There are three stages of prenatal
development: germinal, embryonic, and fetal periods.
Germinal Stage- conception when a sperm fertilizes an egg and forms a zygote.
Embryonic Stage- begins once the zygote is implanted in the urine wall. It last the third
through eight week after conception.
Fetal Stage- when the organism is about nine week old, the embryo is already called fetus.
All of the major structures of the body are forming and the health of the mother is of
primary concern. There are various approaches to labor, delivery, and childbirth, with
potential complications of pregnancy and delivery, as well as risks and complications with
newborns, but also advances in tests, technology, and medicine.

Early Childhood
-Early childhood is also referred to as the preschool years, consisting of the years that
follow toddlerhood and precede formal schooling, roughly from around ages 2 to 5 or 6.
As a preschooler, the child is busy learning language (with amazing growth in vocabulary),
is gaining a sense of self and greater independence, and is beginning to learn the workings
of the physical world. This knowledge does not come quickly, however, and preschoolers
may initially have interesting conceptions of size, time, space and distance, such as
demonstrating how long something will take by holding out their two index fingers several
inches apart. A toddler’s fierce determination to do something may give way to a four-
year-old’s sense of guilt for doing something that brings the disapproval of others.

Middle Childhood
-The ages of 6-11 comprise middle childhood and much of what children experience at this
age is connected to their involvement in the early grades of school. Now the world becomes
one of learning and testing new academic skills and assessing one’s abilities and
accomplishments by making comparisons between self and others. Schools participate in
this process by comparing students and making these comparisons public through team
sports, test scores, and other forms of recognition. The brain reaches its adult size around
age seven, but it continues to develop. Growth rates slow down and children are able to
refine their motor skills at this point in life. Children also begin To learn about social
relationships beyond the family through interaction with friends and fellow students; same-
sex friendships are particularly salient during this period.

Adolescence
-Adolescence is a period of dramatic physical change marked by an overall physical growth
spurt and sexual maturation, known as puberty; timing may vary by gender, cohort, and
culture. It is also a time of cognitive change as the adolescent begins to think of new
possibilities and to consider abstract concepts such as love, fear, and freedom. Ironically,
adolescents have a sense of invincibility that puts them at greater risk of dying from
accidents or contracting sexually transmitted infections that can have lifelong
consequences. Research on brain development helps us understand teen risk-taking and
impulsive behavior. A major developmental task during adolescence involves establishing
one’s own identity. Teens typically struggle to become more independent from their
parents. Peers become more important, as teens strive for a sense of belonging and
acceptance; mixed-sex peer groups become more common. New roles and responsibilities
are explored, which may involve dating, driving, taking on a part-time job, and planning
for future academics.

Early Adulthood
-Late teens, twenties, and thirties are often thought of as early adulthood (students who are
in their mid to late 30s may love to hear that they are young adults!). It is a time when we
are at our physiological peak but are most at risk for involvement in violent crimes and
substance abuse. It is a time of focusing on the future and putting a lot of energy into
making choices that will help one earn the status of a full adult in the eyes of others. Love
and work are the primary concerns at this stage of life. In recent decades, it has been noted
(in the U.S. and other developed countries) that young adults are taking longer to “grow
up.” They are waiting longer to move out of their parents’ homes, finish their formal
education, take on work/careers, get married, and have children. One psychologist, Jeffrey
Arnett, has proposed that there is a new stage of development after adolescence and before
early adulthood, called “emerging adulthood,” from 18 to 25 (or even 29) when individuals
are still exploring their identities and don’t quite feel like adults yet. Cohort, culture, time
in history, the economy, and socioeconomic status may be key factors in when youth take
on adult roles.

Middle Adulthood
-The late thirties (or age 40) through the mid-60s are referred to as middle adulthood. This
is a period in which physiological aging that began earlier becomes more noticeable and a
period at which many people are at their peak of productivity in love and work. It may be
a period of gaining expertise in certain fields and being able to understand problems and
find solutions with greater efficiency than before. It can also be a time of becoming more
realistic about possibilities in life; of recognizing the difference between what is possible
and what is likely. Referred to as the sandwich generation, middle-aged adults may be in
the middle of taking care of their children and also taking care of their aging parents. While
caring about others and the future, middle-aged adults may also be questioning their own
mortality, goals, and commitments, though not necessarily experiencing a “mid-life crisis.”

Late Adulthood
-This period of the lifespan, late adulthood, has increased in the last 100 years, particularly
in industrialized countries, as average life expectancy has increased. Late adulthood covers
a wide age range with a lot of variation, so it is helpful to divide it into categories such as
the “young old” (65-74 years old), “old old” (75-84 years old), and “oldest old” (85+ years
old). The young old are similar to middle-aged adults; possibly still working, married,
relatively healthy, and active. The old old have some health problems and challenges with
daily living activities; the oldest old are often frail and in need of long term care. However,
many factors are involved and a better way to appreciate the diversity of older adults is to
go beyond chronological age and examine whether a person is experiencing optimal aging,
normal aging (in which the changes are similar to most of those of the same age), or
impaired aging (referring to someone who has more physical challenge and disease than
others of the same age).

DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS AND EDUCATION

(HAVIGHURST)

What is Developmental Tasks Theory?

Robert Havighurst introduced the idea of “developmental tasks” in the 1950s. These are
challenges that people face at specific times in their lives. Havighurst believed that learning
is a lifelong process and that we continue to grow by solving these tasks. He described a
developmental task as something between a personal need and a social expectation,
involving active interaction with our environment.
When we complete these tasks successfully, we set ourselves up for happiness and future
success. If we don’t, we might face difficulties and unhappiness later on. Developmental
tasks occur throughout life, from childhood and adolescence to adulthood and old age.

HAVIGHURST’S SIX MAJOR STAGES OF HUMAN LIFE AND

DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS
Robert Havighurst outlined six major stages in human life, each characterized by specific
developmental tasks:

• Infancy and Early Childhood (Birth to 5 years)

-Learning basic skills such as walking, talking, and forming early social bonds.
 • Middle Childhood (6 to 12 years)
- Acquiring academic skills, developing friendships, and gaining
Independence from adults.

• Adolescence (13 to 18 years).

-Establishing a sense of identity, developing intimate relationships, and
preparing for future roles in society.

• Early Adulthood (19 to 29 years)

-Establishing a sense of identity, developing intimate relationships, and
preparing for future roles in society.

• Middle Age (30 to 60 years)

-Selecting a career, finding a life partner, and starting a family. Balancing
career and family responsibilities, contributing to community, and adjusting to physical
changes.

• Late Maturity (60 and above)

-Adjusting to retirement, maintaining social connections, and reflecting on
life achievements.

CONTEXT AND DEVELOPMENT

-Development is defined as a process that results in growth, progress, positive change, or

the addition of physical, economic, environmental, social, and demographic components
to an existing system or environment.
-Context means that we are influenced by when and where we live and our actions,
beliefs, and values are a response to circumstances surrounding us. Sternberg describes a
type of intelligence known as “contextual” intelligence as the ability to understand what
is called for in a situation (Sternberg, 1996). The key here is to understand that behaviors,
motivations, emotions, and choices are all part of a bigger picture. Our concerns are such
because of who we are socially, where we live, and when we live; they are part of a social
climate and set of realities that surround us.