Child
Development
Project

Unit 1 and Unit 10

Certificate in Children and Young People Workforce.

Unit 10.1.2
Principles of development.

Although children develop at different rates and, therefore, the notion of interindividual differences exists, a single child can show more rapid change in some developmental areas than in others

Development is influenced by heredity and environment. Although there has been much discussion by experts in the field about which is more important, there is no doubt that they both play a role in a child’s development. A child’s genetic inheritance (i.e., heredity) provides the basic foundation for many physical and personality attributes, but the influences of social, cultural, and familial variables (i.e., environment) also contribute to development.

All development is interrelated. Although it is convenient for the student or early interventionist to discuss development in terms of discrete developmental areas, such as motor skills, development in other areas such as social-emotional or communication functions does not cease, nor is it necessarily separate from other areas. The student or child practitioner must recognize how different areas of development are interrelated to understand how a particular child develops.

Holistic development.

The links between areas of development.

A child's health is connected to preparedness for school and performance in school. Optimal motor development is essential, from the large/gross motor movements that occur on the playground to the small/fine motor work required for holding a crayon or putting together puzzles.

Relationships give meaning to school experiences. Stable interactions in children's early lives provide a sense of well-being that enables children to participate positively in classroom activities. Emotional support and secure relationships help children acquire such characteristics as self-confidence and the ability to function as a member of a group.

A child can be successful in school in many ways, and these approaches vary within and between cultures. By understanding the various styles that involve children in learning, adults can encourage and increase a child's engagement. Curiosity, creativity, independence, cooperation, and persistence are some of the approaches that enhance early learning and development.

Language empowers children to participate in both the cognitive and affective parts of the educational program. Experience with written and oral language provides children with the tools to interact with others, and to represent their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Communicating effectively with adults and other children and having experiences with diverse forms of language are basic parts of this dimension.

Children need opportunities to interact with people and materials in their environment, and to learn from their surroundings. Experiences in learning settings with skilled and appropriate adult interaction allow children to construct knowledge of patterns and relations, cause and effect, and ways of solving problems in everyday life.

Nature vs Nurture

Nature, which is also known as heredity, is the genetic code you are born with. It is passed on to you from your parents. Some examples of nature or heredity could be your height, behavior, and IQ just to name a few.

Knowing that nature plays a role in a child's development, educators can use this to determine possible disabilities. For example, if two parents have a reading disability, it is more likely that their child may develop a reading disability as well. It gives teachers a heads up on what to look out for. This can help educators be proactive and intervene at earlier ages.

The influence of a person's environment on their behavior is a very commonly accepted factor. The question is how much can the environment affect the behavior and abilities of a person. Some basic factors such as nutrition can be shown to have