Who is the Child and Adolescent Learner College PDF

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PART I(Week 1 and 2) At the end of these module you should be able to: Understand the principles on the child and adolescent as learners, and the situation of Filipino children and young person.  Described the process of the different ages that the learners go through (Early Childhood, Late Childh...

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PART I (Week 1 and 2) At the end of these module you should be able to:  

Understand the principles on the child and adolescent as learners, and the situation of Filipino children and young person. Described the process of the different ages that the learners go through (Early Childhood, Late Childhood, Adolescent).

WHO IS THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNER? Principles of Child and Adolescent Learners The child’s learning process cannot be described simply as it is determined by various factors – his nature as learner, the goal of learning: pedagogy; and the intervention of the environment on the learning process. Let us have a look, first of allfirst, at the Child and Adolescent Learner. There are important developmental principles relevant to the Child and Adolescent Learning that should be consider. 1) The child or the adolescent learner should among other things be considered as a living human organism. As such, he undergoes the process of growth and development. To every child, the potentialities of growth are inherent at the time of conception and are determined by the genes – the carriers of the heredity – but without the favorable environment, normal growth and development cannot occur. The first important happenings at the time of conception is determination of the newly created individual’s hereditary endowment. This is the time when contribution to physical and mental traits are endowed from the maternal and paternal ancestors to the new person. The importance of hereditary endowment is greater at the stage of conception than it would be if it were subject to later change. Hurlock (1982) gave two ways by which determination of hereditary endowment affect later life. First, heredity places limits beyond which individuals cannot go. If prenatal and postnatal conditions are favorable, and if people are strongly motivated, they can develop their inherited physical and mental traits to their maximum potential. Second, heredity is a matter of chance. There is no known way to control the number of chromosomes from the maternal and paternal side that will be passed on to the child. After birth, the child’s normal growth and development are determined by two factors – heredity and environment. Heredity inherently equips the child with for growth and development. How that seed is to be nurtured is the role played by the environment. There are many environmental factors that influence growth: an adequate supply of proper nutrients being of greater importance. Nutrients are the chemical substances in foods that must be used by the cell to reproduce itself to specialize and to carry out its prescribed functions. The living organism grows by metabolism. While inanimate objects grow from outside, by accretion or by merely adding into its surface more of the material of which it is composed like crystals and the mechanisms of icicles, stalactites and stalagmites; the organisms grow’s from within by metabolism. That is, the body takes in all kind of substances, breaks them down into their chemical components to provide energy and then reassembles them into new materials as needed by the body for growth. While the achievement of optimal growth is determined in a large part by the child’s genetic makeup, the environment into which he is born markedly influences his future course. 2) The three elements – increase in size, differentiation of structure , and alteration of form – constitute something more than simple growth. Together, they comprise development, the series of orderly and irreversible stages that every child goes through from the beginning of its life to the end. In everyday speech, the words “growth” and “development” are used almost interchangeably. It must be clear when dealing with learners that growth is only one aspect of the process of development. These opportunities for growth and development are determined in every large part by his parents. The environment into which they bring up sharply influences the future course of his growth, and his heredity greatly determines the characteristics he will have. The home, school and community environment, nutrition, values, beliefs and customs are the child is subjected to all contribute to the total person he becomes. 3) No two living individuals, as the learners, we are studying about are exactly alike. Each grows and develops in a unique fashion within the limits that his heredity and environment permit. Every child has his own way of growing and developing. To the educators and parents and those involved in the education and the formation of the learner, the

many processes involved in the growth and development are of great importance. The multiplicity of these processes,

the intricacy of some of them, and the recurrence of many of them subject to varied learning situations are far more interesting and should attract their attentions.

4) Science now knows that all children grow in much the same partner: rapidly at first, then more slowly, but very quickly indeed when puberty arrives. Studies have shown that this general pattern leaves room for considerable individual variation: in the child’s overall speed of growth, in the ages at which he grows most rapidly; and the trajectory he follows to reach his destined height. It has also been shown that the child who is ahead of or behind his contemporaries, physically or mentally, will not necessarily remain in that position. 5) Learners responds differently to academic stimuli. Using some measuring instruments, Fels Scientist (Begley, 1999) for example, have found out among other things, that simple problems in mental arithmetic can, under certain circumstances, cause massive increase in heart rate and blood pressure. The greatest increase is found in young adults who as school children were speciallyespecially interested in high marks. From there are other findings, the researchers have concluded that every person has certain “constitutional” traits that influence the way his body organs responds to stress. These traits maybe inherited, acquired in early childhood or both, but they tend to persist throughout life. Thus, a boy who “tenses up” over arithmetic problems in school may, as an adult react the same way to an income-tax blank. The researcher has also found hints of other differences. In some experiments, for example, the palms of girl’s hands perspired more in response to stress than boys. 6) Nearly all human behavior is learned rather than inherited. Man is much less a creature of instinct than any other animal. Indeed, the capacity to learn, to substitute flexible thinking for the rigidities of instinct, is a basic measure of intelligence in man or any other species. But learning is a time-consuming business. Hence, mansman’s stage by stage development from childhood is a necessity to give him time to acquire the mass of information and skills without which he could not survive as an adult. These principles have universal application so long as every human being undergoes the developmental stages as he grows up. Next discussion revolves around the stages of growth and development which brings into focus the characteristics of development in every stage. An understanding of these stages is essential in concept formation relative to other topics found in this module. Activity No. Answer the following: 1. Why do we need to study child and adolescent learner?

2. Explain “No two living individuals, as the learners, we are studying about are exactly alike” cite an example

3. What do you mean by learner?

4. What is the relationship between “No two living individuals, as the learners, we are studying about are exactly alike” and “Learners responds differently to academic stimul i” explain your answer?

5. Do you agree that behavior is learned rather than inherited? Defend your answer

EARLY CHILDHOOD Childhood, as a developmental stage of a person, can be divided into early childhood and late childhood. Early childhood refers to that stage between 2 years to 6 years. This is a critical period wherein the foundation of later development is laid. Growth trends in physical aspect and body proportion is rapid. Motor skills development at this stage is dependent on the child’s physical conditions. At this stage, the child undergoes changes in his pattern of intellectual development. Emotions are easily stimulated, openly expressed and felt most strongly. As for social development, at an early age, the child already develops his self-concept and sex-role identification in the family with is relationship with other people. CHARACTERISTICS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD Since early childhood is a distinct period in life3 span, it possesses certain characteristics by which it is tagged by some groups of people (Hurlock, 1982). Some parents consider early childhood a problem age or troublesome age. most of the problem trouble centers are more than the physical care of baby hood. At this stage, children develop distinctive personalities and demand an independence which, in most cases, they are in capable of handling successfully. Some children at this stage are found to be obstinate, stubborn, negativistic, and antagonistic. They have frequent tantrums and often bother by the irrational fears, and jealousies. Some parent preferprefers to early childhood as the toy-age because most children spend their waking time playing with toys, although toy play decreases, when they reach school age. most of the children are already encourageencouraged to engage in games and modified forms of sports. To educator, this stage is called pre-school age. they are called preschooler rather than school children since they are not yet old enough physically and mentally to coup with the workwork, they will be expected to do their formal schooling. The pressure and expectations young children are subjected to are very different from those they will experience when they begin formal education and the first grade. Psychologist various name such as Pre-gang age, the time when children are learning the foundation of social behavior as the preparation for the more highly organized social life they will be required to adjust to when they enter the first grade. This is also called the exploratory stage, astage, a label which implies that children want to know that their environment is, how it works, how it feels, and how they can be a part of it. This includes people and inanimate objects. One common way of exploring in early childhood, is by asking questions; thus, preferring to this as the questioning stage. since most their lives, psychologist also regard this as the creativity stage. Activity No. Explain…… 1. Among the characteristics of early childhood, what do you think is agreeable? And what are not?

2. What is the importance of knowing the characteristics of early childhood?

3. What is the purpose of early childhood education?

4. Make a research about the characteristics of early childhood LATE CHILDHOOD Late childhood stage comes at the age of 6 – 12 years which coincide with the elementary schooling age from

grade 1 up to grade 6. The child s entrance to first grade, which is the beginning of late childhood, requires major change

in the pattern of his life even if they are already have a year or more experience in the pre-school situation. At first, the child may experience a state of disequilibrium: emotionally disturbed in difficult to work with. As entrance to formal schooling is a milestone in a child’s life, he is responsible for the changes that take place in attitudes, values and behavior.

CAHARACTERISTICS OF THIS STAGE One cannot be precise in making the time when this period comes to an end because sexual maturity – the criterion used to divide childhood from adolescence – comes at the varying age wherein boys and girls becomes sexually mature. As in the previous stage, the characteristics of the late childhood are better described according to the names it is given (Hurlock, 1982). This is a troublesome age, some parent may say at this stage, when children are no longer willing to do what they are told to do. And when they are more influenced by their peers than by their parents and other family members. It is common for children, most specially the boys to be careless and irresponsible about their clothes and other material positions, so parents also called this the Sloppy age, the time when children become careless and slovenly about their appearance and when their rooms are so cluttered that is almost impossible to get into them. Even when there are strict role about grooming in care of positions, few older children adhere to these rules unless parents demand that they do so and threaten them with punishment. Name – calling quarrels, actual physical attacks between siblings are common pattern of behavior among brothers and sisters of this age so that some parents call this the quarrel some age – a time when emotional climate of the home is far from pleasant for all family members. Educators call late childhood the elementary school age. It is the time when the child is expected to acquire the rudiments of knowledge that are considered essential for successful adjustment to adult life. It is also the time when the child is expected to learn certain essential skills bot curricular and co-curricular. This is also regarded as a critical period in the achievement drive – a time when children form the habit of being achievers, underachieves, or overachievers. Once formed, habits of working below, above, or up to one’s capacity tend to persist into adulthood. To the psychologist, late childhood is the gang age – the time when children’s major concern is acceptance by their peers and membership in gang. Because of this concern, children are willing to conform to a group approved standards in terms of appearance, speech, and behavior. This has led psychologists to label this period the age of conformity.

Activity No. Explain… 1. Why do you think that this stage of development child may experience a state of disequilibrium: emotionally disturbed?

2. Why do we need to know the characteristics of early and late childhood? Cite an example

3. What areis the difference between early and late childhood?

ADOLESCENCE Anybody who is familiar with the story of Romeo and Juliet would know that these two people were rebelling against family tradition and eventually engaged in a violent and risky behavior. Although this is a melodrama, it is certain that during Shakespeares time (16th Century) these young people around the age of 13, were considered adults even though they were probably in the puberty stage. In the centuries past, a sexually mature person was never treated as a “growing child”. In this century, sexually mature folks spend some six years, ages 12 to 18, under the authority of their parents. Since the mid-1800’s, Puberty, the advent of sexual maturation and the starting point of adolescence has inched back one year for every 25 years elapsed/. It now occurs on average six years earlier than it did in 1850 – age 11 to 12 for girls, age 12 to 13 for boys (Tanner & Gordon, 1969) The term Adolescence comes from the Latin word “adolescere” meaning “to grow” or “to grow to maturity”. Today, the term adolescence has a broader meaning. It includes mental, emotional and social maturity as well as physical maturity. Piaget says. Psychologically, adolescence is the age when the individual becomes integrated into the society of adults, the age is no longer feels that he is below the level of his elders but equal, at least in rights… this integration into adult society has many affective aspects, more or less linked with puberty… It also includeincludes very profound intellectual changes… this intellectual transformation typical of adolescents thinking enable him not only to achieve hi integration into the social relationships of adults, which is in fact, the most general characteristic of this period of development. Adolescent years mark a passage, from the childhood stage to maturity wherein what has happened before leaves a mark on what happens now and in the future. Although some “childish thing” have to be put away, yet new patterns of behavior and attitudes have to replace those which have been abandoned. Psychologists believe that the psychic structure of the adolescent has its roots in childhood and some characteristics of adolescence have already been present during late childhood. Adolescence is a period of change. In adolescence, the rate of change in attitudes and behaviors parallels the rate of physical change. There are five almost universal comitants of the change that occur during adolescence (Hurlock, 1982). The first, is heightened emotionality. The intensity of which depends on the rate at which the physical and psychological changes are taking place. Second, the rapid changes that accompany sexual maturing make young adolescent unsure of themselves, of their capacities, and of their interest. They have strong feelings of instability which are often intensified by the ambiguous treatment they receive from their parents and teachers. Third, changes in their bodies, their interest, and in the roles the social group expect them to play create new problems. Adolescents feel the influence and pressure their peers exert on them which often may come in conflict with existing family or ethnic customs and traditions. Fourth, as interest and behavior patterns change, so do values. What was important to them as a children seems less important to them now that they are near adults. There are things adolescents would have done away with, persons less interesting to them now than they were before in childhood; and places they would no longer want to go. Fifth, most adolescents are ambivalent about changes. While they want and demand independence, they often dread the responsibilities that go with independence and question their ability to cope with these responsibilities. Adolescence is a problem age. More than in any stage, adolescence is a difficult one for boys and girls to cope with two reason. First, if previously in their childhood, their problems were met and solved by parents and teachers, as they grow more mature, they have the expectancy that they could manage themselves somehow. Second, adolescent feelings that they are independent, rebuffing whatever attempt any adult, parents or teachers may extend. These problems adolescents meet and feel about are not alien to parents own apprehensions. Lawrence Steinberg, a psychologist of Temple University says in his book: Crossing Paths: how your child’s adolescence triggered your own crisis: Majority of adolescents are not contentious, unpleasant, heartless creatures. They do not hate their parents – although they do fight with them. In scrutinizing interviews with adolescents and their families, I reaffirmed that adolescence is a relatively peaceful time in the house. Kids report continued high levels of respect for their parents, whether single, divorced, or together, and regardless of economic background.

The problem lies when parents do not have positive feelings during the time their kids go through adolescence. Scientist have studied the behavior and emotions of parents, as well as, their adolescent children, and found that when children reach puberty, parents experience tremendous changes in themselves. What’s more, they shift their attitudes toward their children. It isn’t just the kids who are distressed, but parents too. Adolescence is a time to search for identity. Throughout the gang age of late childhood, conformity to group standards is far more important to older children than individuality. In dress, speech, and behavior, older children want to be as nearly like their gang-mates as possible. Any deviation from the gang standard is likely to be a threat to group belonging. Gradually, they begin to crave identity and are no longer satisfied to be like their peers in every respect, as they were earlier. One of the ways adolescents try to establish themselves as a individuals is by the use of status symbols in the form of clothes, hairdos, music and any other material possessions. They h...