Childhood Development

 During week 1 and week 2 in Teaching Practicum I , we were discussing about childhood development. We focused on the three different stages in childhood which are Infancy (birth to 2 years), Early childhood (3 to 8 years) and Middle childhood (9 to 11 years).  In these lessons, I learned how the physical, cognitive and psychosocial processes develop in childhood. Through this development children are able to acomplish with some tasks also there are some characteristics in ech of the process. Moreover, it is important to highlight that all children have to experience each of the process in the different stages mentioned above. If children skip a process of development during childhood, then they will be affected on the following stage. For example, if a child does not develop fine motor skill, he will have problems on taking a pencil properly, cutting with scissors, painting, etc. In addition, as parents as teachers have to be aware that children do not develop the stages at the same time; culture, law, religion, values might influence on children’s development.

 

Characteristics of Childhood Development

• Physical

 Gross motor skill

 Fine motor skill

• Language
• Cognitive
• Psychosocial

Furthermore, on week 2 we did some research about four important theorists on teaching field. They are Jean Peaget, Lev Vygotsky, Lawrence Kolhberg and Erik Erikson. Personally, I think it is important for we, teachers to know about different theories and the difference between each stage in childhood.

• Jean Peaget his theory descibes the cognitive development. In other words, it explains how children think at the different stages. He also established four important stages. (Sensorimotor, preoperational, Concrete operational and Abstract operational).

 

• Lev Vygotsky describes  the social process , interpersonal and linguistic factors in facilitating children’s development . (How children learn through interaction).

 

• Lawrence Kolhberg focused his theory in Moral development which is the process to discriminate right  from wrong. He stated three stages: Pre-conventional morality, Conventional morality and Post-conventional morality.

 

• Erik Erikson argued on how people’s sense of identity develops. He explained eight different stages; however, four of them belong to childhood development. (Trust vs mistrust, Autonomy vs shame, Initiative vs guilt and Industry vs inferiority)

 To summarize, I learned that it is really important for us, as future language teachers to know how is the process and the main characteristics in childhood development in order to realize if our students are getting problems with their physical, cognitive or psychosocial development. As well, I consider fundamental to take into account the different theories about childhood development. By knowing the different theories, we will be able to provide the proper and meaninful tasks to our students (children) depending on their ages. I also learned that we, teachers are able to incorporate different theories into our lessons and not just to  focuse in one theory. I think that every theorist contributed with valid ideas on teaching area. However, nowadays, teacher are able to select what could be necessary, convenient and helpful in his or her teaching practice.