Middle Childhood and the Environment Unit 5 Chapter 8 Middle Childhood and the Environment

Things to Remember Biological development Cognitive development Identity development Environment Relationships Behavior Disability issues

Biological Development

Speech and Motor Development Boys’ gross motor development exceeds that of girls (this may partially explain why they are more interested in physical activity) Stuttering is more common in boys Girls are better than boys at fine motor skills.

Physical Fitness In America, older children are gaining weight and becoming increasingly sedentary. Why is there such a marked decline in physical activity?

Children are fixated on video games and television. Children lack knowledge about exercise’s benefits. Parents and physical education teachers have failed to instill in children a lifelong exercise ethic.

Cognitive Development

Piaget’s Stages of Development Sensorimotor stage Preoperational stage Concrete operational stage (middle childhood) Formal operational stage The Concrete operational stage is characterized by the appropriate use of logic. Reversibility is one of the important processes associated with this state.

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) Since their inception, intelligence tests have been controversial. WHY?

Intelligence is a complex concept that is not fixed and cannot be measured easily.

How is intelligence measured? IQ is calculated by comparing the child’s mental age with his or her chronological age. The Stanford-Binet is considered to be a test of verbal intelligence because it contains a large number of items that rely on verbal abilities.

Bilingual Education Students learning to be bilingual score higher on measures of: IQ Piagetian conservation tasks Selective attention

Identity Development

The Self (and Others) Harter (1985) developed the Self Perception Profile for Children to identify a child’s overall evaluation of self worth. The five aspects included in the profile are: scholastic competence behavioral conduct physical appearance social acceptance athletic competence Selman (1980,2003) focused on interpersonal awareness: He thought developmental level was related to social perspective-taking

Gender Identity The developmental process by which culturally assigned values and behaviors are considered appropriate for members of that sex. During middle childhood, gender roles become important Components of Gender (Egan and Perry, 2001) Membership knowledge (I know I am a woman/man/etc) Gender typicality (I’m a typical female/male/etc) Gender contentedness Felt pressure for gender conformity Intergroup bias (My sex/gender is superior)

Racial Identity Begins to form by middle childhood Peer groups play a significant role in a child’s racial identity Parents and teachers can help children develop a positive racial identity by providing them with a sense of belonging and reassurance about their differences Rites-of passage and mentoring programs have grown in the United States to assist young African American men in their fight against stereotypes

Environment

Home Environment These factors influence how fast and to what degree a child develops: Nutrition Amount of rest and sleep Opportunities to learn Amount of affection and security This factor does NOT affect speed and degree of development: Educational toys

Other Environmental Factors The neighborhood is perhaps most critical to the middle child in molding experiences and shaping adjustment to the social world. Development of school phobia most often begins age 11 – 12 So far, the types of interventions that address bullying have been inadequate Life Skills Training is a school based drug-abuse prevention program developed to determine the extent to which the same intervention will work with many different kids.

Relationships

Peer Relationship Problems Sexual socialization cannot take place in the absence of peer interaction. Poor peer relations are associated with discomfort, anxiety, and a general unwillingness to engage the environment. Children who are rejected by their peers are at a greater risk for delinquency, school dropout, and mental health problems.

Divorce Divorce is especially hard on children because it dissolves the family structure they depend on for secure development. Sigelman & Rider (2003) identified 5 factors that can help smooth the aftermath of a divorce for children: Emotional support from the noncustodial parent Adequate parenting from the custodial parent Additional social support Adequate financial support A minimum of additional stressors

Behavior

ADHD It is associated with many psychosocial difficulties such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder characterized by a combination of attention problems and hyperactivity. It is associated with many psychosocial difficulties such as family problems poor school achievement difficulties with peers Low self-worth

Discipline vs. Behavior Modification Example (Hoffman, 1970): Power-assertive strategy Physical punishment Physical control Threats Love withdrawal Verbal discounting Ignoring the child Induction Explanation and rationality Example: Behavior specialist develops a treatment plan to increase positive behaviors. Each time the child displays the desired action, the parents are instructed to praise the child

Disability

U.S. Public Law 94-142 Established the right to a free, appropriate public education for all “handicapped” children Was amended and renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 1990 Has been referred to as the “bill of rights for the handicapped

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Guarantees children the right to special education and related services Includes social work services and rehabilitative counseling Provides transition services (services that promote students’ movement from the school environment to post school activities)

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act The IEP team must include: the student's parent(s) or guardian(s) (who may invite professionals who have worked with the child a special education teacher and at least one regular teacher a representative of the school or district who is knowledgeable about the availability of school resources an individual who can interpret the instructional implications of the child's evaluation results (such as a social worker or the school psychologist Other professionals as mandated by state law

Review Things to Remember Biological development Cognitive development Identity development Environment Relationships Behavior Disability issues

The End! (Whew!) Questions???