Middle Childhood: Growth and Development 4 Middle Childhood: Growth and Development

Middle Childhood: Growth and Development First years of school are crucial for children Development follows predictable patterns Information about development is based on averages Slight variations are normal, but developmental delays should be identified and treated continued

Middle Childhood: Growth and Development Stage/Age Erickson’s Psychosocial Theory Piaget’s Cognitive Theory Infancy Trust vs. mistrust Sensorimotor Toddler Autonomy vs. shame and doubt Preoperational Early childhood Initiative vs. guilt Middle childhood Industry vs. inferiority Concrete operational continued

Middle Childhood: Growth and Development Stage/Age Erickson’s Psychosocial Theory Piaget’s Cognitive Theory Adolescence Ego identity vs. ego diffusion Formal operational Young adulthood Intimacy vs. isolation Middle adulthood Generativity vs. self-absorbtion Older adulthood Integrity vs. despair

Explain the importance of readiness for learning for children entering kindergarten. © mypokcik/Shutterstock

Beginning School Most children start school around age 5 In a kindergarten class, there may be significant differences between the oldest and youngest students Early school years are crucial to brain development and school success Full-day kindergartens may provide a smoother transition to first grade continued

Beginning School Kindergarten readiness skills include gross-motor skills fine-motor skills self-help skills cognitive skills social-emotional skills

What do you remember most about your activities in kindergarten What do you remember most about your activities in kindergarten? How did these affect your feelings about school? © Michael D. Brown/Shutterstock

Trace the growth pattern of children during middle childhood. © Stuart Monk/Shutterstock

Children Ages Five to Seven Children of this age are talkative are imaginative love to explore crave adult approval can be sensitive can be cooperative yet competitive

Analyze the physical and cognitive skills required to master a task. © Anatoliy Samara/Shutterstock

Physical Growth and Development Growth in height and weight slows during this period, with an average of 23 inches per year 45 pounds per year Bodies look longer and leaner Baby teeth are replaced by permanent teeth

Gross-Motor Skills Better developed than fine-motor skills Physical skills makes them feel independent Full of energy to run, jump, skip, hop Activities improve balance and coordination Fearlessness may result in accidents Visual-motor coordination improves

Fine-Motor Skills Hand-eye coordination improves Dexterity improves Writing skills are a combination of cognitive and physical development Cutting, coloring, building, and playing electronic games all develop fine-motor skills Self-care depends on fine-motor development

Link children’s thinking skills at various ages to Piaget’s stages of development. © tan4ikk/Shutterstock

Cognitive Development Children are eager to learn excited about starting school curious and excited for independence They also have limited attention spans learn better through experience

How are physical development and cognitive development related at this age? © Michael D. Brown/Shutterstock

Thinking Skills At age five, children are unable to understand conservation They begin to understand around age seven © Quayside/Shutterstock continued

Thinking Skills Children at this age begin to understand sequences of steps a mix of words, logic, and humor Imagination is still vivid Allows them to express anxiety and conflict

Language and Reading Children identify letters as symbols Begin to recognize the sounds they make Start with letter combinations, then word combinations By the end of second grade, many are competent readers Children with difficulties at this stage need extra help

Develop a list of the social skills children must learn. © Darren Baker/Shutterstock

Social-Emotional Development Children develop feelings of competence by learning new skills Self-confidence grows They can feel inferior to other children

Peer Relationships Peers become more important Choice of friends may change often Form closer one-on-one and group relationships Girls usually play with girls, boys usually play with boys

Family Relationships Children want to please their parents They respond well to expectations and rules Sibling relationships may vary from helpful to arguments

Why do you think siblings of this age argue often? © Michael D. Brown/Shutterstock

Explain how the development of self-concept during this period is related to Erikson’s psychosocial theory. © Forster Forest/Shutterstock

Self-Concept Childhood is a critical time for developing self-concept Positive: act in ways that enhance abilities; feel capable and worthwhile Negative: adopt self-defeating behaviors Sense of competence results in self-confidence

Moral Development Children this age can tell the difference between right and wrong understand and abide by rules wait for their turn share toys express anger and jealousy in competition

Children Ages Eight and Nine Second through fourth grades Increased skills Greater knowledge Better judgment Increased independence Eight-year-olds are more easygoing than nine-year-olds

Physical Growth and Development More individual variation than at younger ages Some may begin puberty at eight or nine Steady growth continues Girls have slightly larger gains than boys

Motor Skills Increased strength Better body control Physical activities help build stamina and confidence Hand-eye coordination continues to improve © Cheryl Ann Quigley/Shutterstock

Cognitive Development Learning becomes more complex May experience a downturn in interest and enthusiasm in learning Those who fall behind have a harder time catching up later as the pace of learning increases

Thinking Skills Longer attention spans Improved memory More complex thinking, including seriation classification conservation transitivity

Language and Reading Children now focus on meaning Identify main points Summarize Make predictions © Rob Marmiom/Shutterstock

Social-Emotional Development Eight- and nine-year-olds mature rapidly They can complete more complex tasks, which gives them self-confidence They begin to be sensitive to criticism

Peer Relationships Want to be part of a group Have a best friend Look for acceptance and loyalty Begin to show empathy and caring Exclusion from groups may result in bullying problems

Family Relationships Focus shifts outside the family Children may ignore or argue with parents Often in conflict with siblings Need consistent rules and limits

Do you recall your family relationships at this age Do you recall your family relationships at this age? How had they changed from when you were younger? Why do you think this was the case? © Archipoch/Shutterstock

Self-Concept Children at this stage want to feel a sense of belonging that they are competent They are still full of doubts May criticize others to look better in comparison

Moral Development Generally remain in Kohlberg’s preconventional level May follow rules if they see a benefit to themselves Are concerned about fairness

Children Ages 10 to 12 Move from elementary to middle school Fifth, sixth, and seventh grade Often called preadolescents or preteens © Tracy Whiteside/Shutterstock

Physical Growth and Development May show early signs of puberty Growth can be uneven Girls develop ahead of boys Can be a time of uncertainty or growing self-confidence

Motor Skills Muscle strength and reaction time improve May now participate in activities that require complex skills Fine-motor skills are improved enough to complete complicated projects

Cognitive Development Children must adapt to multiple teachers more independent learning additional homework Teaching relies more on verbal explanation Listening skills Note taking

Thinking Skills Sequencing and ordering Complex memorization Executive strategies © Hasan Shaheed/Shutterstock

Language and Reading Preteens know about 40,000 words use more complex sentences understand grammar are often proficient readers

Social-Emotional Development Preteens struggle with new feelings and expectations see themselves as becoming independent can develop strong bonds with adults

Peer Relationships Crave acceptance, enjoy groups for a sense of belonging © Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock continued

Peer Relationships By age 12, interest in the opposite gender Opinions of peers are highly valued Respond enthusiastically to projects to help others

Family Relationships Preteens may defy parents’ authority Teens need parents’ time, understanding, and wisdom Communication is important Sibling relationships may be strained

Self-Concept Preteens feel self-sufficient May not see their own limitations Often confide in friends rather than family Have a strong fear of rejection

Identify the change in moral development that occurs about the end of this period. © Jaren Jai Wicklund/Shutterstock

How did your social-emotional development at age 12 differ from your social-emotional development at age 10? © Archipoch/Shutterstock

Moral Development Some may still be in Kohlberg’s preconventional stage Others are now in the conventional stage They make decisions based on the desire to be perceived as “good” or “bad” May begin questioning parents’ values

Ages 5-7: steady growth, enthusiastic learning, building positive self-esteem Ages 8-9: gain more motor control, show less enthusiasm for learning, find friends more important Ages 10-12: may enter puberty, capable of complex thought, fitting in is very important

Explain the meaning of conservation. Something can remain the same even if it appears different. ____ is the ability to place objects in order by a characteristic, such as smallest to largest. Seriation continued

What is transitivity? the ability to understand that relationships between two objects can extend to a third object What are executive strategies? skills used to solve problems