Question

1a. Describe each domain of development (language, cognitive, physical and social/emotional) for a child who is 10 years of age.

1b. As an adult working with this child create an age appropriate activity for each domain of development (1 for language, 1 for cognitive, 1 for physical, and 1 for social/emotional) that would support the child’s growth.

1c. What is the adult’s role during the activities to promote optimal learning?

Please answer the questions with full detail! Thanks!

Answer 1

In the 19 years of age a child is in the second stage of development and it mainly starts from 6 years of age.

Physical development – The rate of physical developments slows down at this stage. The girls are usually shorter and lighter than boys. The limbs i.e. the legs and the arms lengthen during this period.

The lungs and heart continue to grow. The muscular development continues and between the ages of nine and twelve there is an improvement in the co-ordination of the muscles.

Mental development – The child is still guided by his instincts. The instinct of curiosity is very much in evidence. But at this stage the children’s questions are more definite and arise out of their genuine effort to learn and understand. The teachers should utilize this instinct of curiosity to impart useful knowledge. As the child grows older his interests broaden. It goes beyond his immediate surroundings. A combination of curiosity and interest encourages the children to read books on science, travel, adventure, etc.

During the early part of this stage the children learn fast and this knowledge is not forgotten easily. As the child grows older, rote memory continues to be good but indulgence in make-believe declines. He looks for realism in what he reads and does. Also the span of attention gradually becomes longer. Images still play an important role in the thought processes of the child. Intelligence develops and reaches its final development around the age of sixteen. However, the ability to judge is not yet well developed. The creative instinct is very strong and powerful at this period.

Language development – The vocabulary of the child increases and conversation is more nature. By the age of nine most children can speak fluently and express their feelings and experiences with greater ease.

Emotional and Social development – At this stage the child loses his enjoyment of solitary play ; he looks for the company of others and is influenced by others. He wants to belong to a group. To do so, he is willing to co-operate with others and abide by certain rules and regulations. This is called the gregarious instinct. The affinity to the group increases between the ages of nine and twelve. This is the gang period. Membership is not open to all and there is a segregation of the sexes. There is a feeling of sympathy, loyalty and co-operation among the members. Group loyalty is so strong that its members are even willing to make the greatest sacrifices to uphold its prestige.

This is the stage when children develop various outward interests. They develop interest in activities outside their immediate environment and are expressive and sociable. This is the period of extroversion.

From affiliation to the group there develops in the children a feeling of respect for social codes of behavior. Through obedience of the rules and regulations of the group he develops a sense of obedience for socially accepted patterns of behavior, rules, codes, etc. Thus he becomes socialized. This social experience in turn leads to the development of moral sense in children.

The desire for self-assertion and recognition is expressed through various types of play activities, the boys seek recognition through competitive games- like boxing, football, etc. and girls through dressing-up, singing, dancing, housework etc.

Sex development – The sexual instinct is now dormant and hence there is no inter-mixing of the sexes. The boys play with boys and girls with girls.

1.b. The adult should arrange so that the child can get sufficient advantage to play with others. He should be allowed for social interactions. The adults should provide books of interest to the children. They should be treated with mild and tender ways.

1.c. The adult must be careful to the every movement of the child. They should understand what the children need. The must be careful to the depth of the attachment to the child.