THE BASIC CONCEPT

“The Learners”
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, students can:

a. Explain the basic concepts related to child and

adolescent development; and
b. Explain how current research and theories on child and
adolescent development contribute to teaching and learning
within and across different areas.
INTRODUCTION
Children and adolescents are not short adults - they are
qualitatively different. They have physical, psychological and
social needs that must be met to enable healthy growth and
development. The extent to which parents, the family, the
community, and the society are able to meet these
developmental needs (or not) has long-term consequences
for the kinds of adults they will become.
 Armed conflict, displacement, disruption of
normal life, and separation from family and/or
community can have powerful, long-lasting effects
that need to be compensated for in protection and
assistance interventions. The fact that almost half of
the people of concern to UNHCR (United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees) are children and adolescents,
gives quantitative significance to these operational
issues.
Child Development

Refers to the biological, psychological and emotional changes that occur in

human beings between birth and the end of adolescence then through
adulthood, as the individual progresses from dependency to increasing
autonomy.

Biologically, a child is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty,
or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal
definition of a child generally refers to a minor.
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) United Nations Children's

Fund
Adolescent Development

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.

Adolescence education- UNESCO Digital Libraryunesdoc.unesco.org

Adolescents struggle to define themselves and what they want to accomplish.
They are answering the questions: “W h o a m l? What can I be?"
The period following the onset of puberty during which a young
person develops from a child into an adult. (ages 13-19 years old)

Etymological meaning from the Latin word: adolescere which means

"to grow up". → a transitional age of physical and psychological
human development generally occurring during the period from
puberty to legal adulthood (age of majority).

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.
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.) LONG LASTING

 NATURE VS NURTURE
NATURE is what we think of as pre-wiring and is influenced by
genetic inheritance and other biological factors.

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
Two approaches to human development

If you believe that Lyka and Althea will show extensive change
from birth to adolescence, little or no change in adulthood, and decline in
late old age your approach to development is Traditional.

In contrast, if you believe that even in adulthood developmental

change takes place as it does during childhood, your approach is termed
the life-span approach.
Characteristic of Life-span development (Santrock,2002)

1. Development is LIFELONG. It does not end in adulthood. No developmental

stage dominates development.
2. Development is PLASTIC. Development is possible throughout the lifespan.
3. Development is MULTIDIMENSIONAL. The development consists of biological,
cognitive and socio-emotional dimensions.
4. Development is CONTEXTUAL. Individuals are changing beings in a changing
world.
5. Development involves GROWTH, MAINTENANCE and REGULATION. Growth,
maintenance, and regulation are 3 goals of human development.
The goals of individuals vary among developmental stages.
 Robert Havighurst emphasized that learning is basic and that it
continues throughout life span. Growth and Development occur in six
stages.

Havighurst was an American psychologist who developed his theory on

Developmental Tasks between 1948 and 1953. His work came after the work of
Sigmund Freud and Jean Piaget, but before Erik Erikson. He is also known for
popularizing the phrase “teachable moments” in his 1952 book Human
Development and Education.
1. Infancy and early childhood(birth till 6 years old)
Learning to walk
Learning to talk
Toilet training
Learning the foundations of reading

2. Middle childhood (6-12 years old)

Learning physical skills necessary for ordinary games
Learning to get along and play with children of the same age
Achieving personal independence
Recognizing what society deems as masculine or feminine
social roles
3. Adolescence (13-18 years old) include:
Accepting one’s physical body as it goes through changes
Preparing for partnership and family life
Preparing for an economic career
Acquiring a set of values and an ethical system as a guide to behavior;
developing an ideology
4. Early Adulthood (19-30 years old) include:
Finding a partner (and learning to cohabitate with them)
Achieving a preferred masculine or feminine social role
Managing a home and starting a family
Beginning a career
Taking on civic responsibility
5. Middle Age (31-60 years old) includes:
Achieving adult civic and social responsibility
Assisting teenage children to become responsible and happy adults
Developing adult leisure-time activities
Accepting and adjusting to the physiologic changes or middle age.

6. Later Maturity (61-death) includes:

Adjusting to decreasing physical strength and health
Adjusting to retirement
Meeting social and civil obligations
 Again, these tasks may look different for every individual. Civic
and social responsibility, for example, may look different for every
person, or may not be a priority at the age that Havighurst proposes.
These tasks may serve as a guideline or a jumping-off point if you are
thinking about your larger goals, but remember that they are
influenced by different factors, including personal values.
Domains in Human Development
1. Physical. The physical domain covers the development of physical
changes, which includes growing in size and strength, as well as the
development of both gross motor skills and fine motor.
2. Cognitive. The cognitive domain includes intellectual development and
creativity. 1 Kids gain the ability to process thoughts, pay attention, develop
memories, understand their surroundings, express creativity, as well as...
3. Social-Emotional. The social-emotional domain includes a child’s growing
understanding and control of their emotions....
Periods of Development

1.Prenatal Development- An embryo at 8 weeks of development.

2. Infancy and Toddlerhood- Major Development happens during the first two
years of life, as evidenced by this newborn baby and his toddler brother.

3. Early Childhood-Early childhood, or the preschool years, around ages 2-6.

is filled with incredible amounts of growth and change.
4. Middle Childhood-Middle childhood spans most of what is traditionally primary
school, or the ages between 6-11

5. Adolescence-Adolescence or the age roughly between 12-18,is marked by

puberty and sexual maturation, accompanied by major socioemotional changes.

6. Early Adulthood- Early adulthood, roughly ages 20-40, may be split into yet
another category of “emerging adulthood," as there are often profound
differences between younger adults and those in their late 30s.

7. Middle Adulthood-Middle adulthood spans the years between ages 40-65.

 8. Late Adulthood-Late adulthood is generally viewed as age 65 and older, but
there are incredible variations in health and lifestyle between the “young old"
and the “oldest old," who may be well into their 100s.

Throughout adulthood, our bodies continue to change, and we continue

to learn and grow through experiences. Early adulthood, middle adulthood, and
late adulthood are the three main stages of physical, emotional, and
psychological development. In terms of physical development, early adulthood
is the least dramatic.