MODULE CONTENT

COURSE TITLE: The Child and Adolescent Learner and Learning

Principles
MODULE TITLE Physical, Cognitive, and Socio-emotional
Development of School-Age Children
MODULE NO: EDTC-123-9

NOMINAL DURATION: 3 HRS

SPECIFIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this Module, you must be able to:
1. Explain the Physical, Cognitive, and Socio-emotional Development of
School-Age Children

TOPICS:
Physical, Cognitive, and Socio-Emotional Development of School-Age
Children
Brain Development in School-Age Children
Puberty
Cognitive Development
Social-Emotional Development
Adolescent Development
Types of Cognitive Growth Through the Years
Emotional Development

ASSESSMENT METHOD/S:
Quiz
Written work and activity
Assignment

REFERENCE/S:
Gray, C. & Macbrail S. (2012). Learning theories in childhood. USA: Sage
Publications.
Anonat, R. D. (2009). Child and adolescent development. Mandaluyong
City: Books Atbp. Publishing Corp.
Corpuz, B.B., Lucas, M.A., Borabo, H.L., and Lucido, P.I. (2010). Child
and adolescent development. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
Feldman, R.S. (2012). Child development. The USA. Pearson Education.
Tuckman, B. Monetti, D. M. (2011). Educational psychology. USA:
Cengage Learning.

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 INFORMATION SHEET EDTC 123-9

Physical, Cognitive, and

Socio-emotional Development of School-Age Children

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:

Physical, Cognitive, and Socio-emotional Development of School-Age

Children

Developmental milestones are a set of benchmarks consisting of skills and

abilities that children reach throughout their lifetimes. Educators and health-
care providers use these milestones to check a child’s development. Although
each milestone corresponds with an age or grade level, it is important to
remember that all children develop at their own pace. It is normal for members
of a peer group to reach milestones at a variety of ages, even spanning a few
years in either direction.

Physical Developmental Milestones for School-Age Children

School-age children, ranging in age from 5 years to about 12 years of age, will
have a vast range in their cognitive development. The same is true for their
physical development. Below are general guidelines for physical developmental
milestones for school-age children:
School-age children will gain between four and seven pounds each year and
continue to have height increases. Increases in height will vary, and a three- to
six-inch height difference in an age group is typical.
Growth spurts are common in school-age children, as are periods of slow growth.
Children in a growth spurt usually need an increase in calorie intake. Growth
spurts can also lead to body parts being out of proportion. For example, a child
could stay at one height while his or her feet keep growing. This can lead to
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school-age children feeling awkward or clumsy. This feeling of awkwardness or
clumsiness typically passes once puberty is over.
 School-age children will begin to see an improvement in their motor skills.
They will have better control, coordination, and balance.
 Muscle mass increases in school-age children, making them stronger.

Brain Development in School-Age Children

A child's brain develops rapidly during the first few years of life. Because of rapid
changes and growth spurts, there is much focus on children's brains from birth
until 5 years of age. A school-age child's brain is still developing as they learn
how to do new things and think differently. School-age children can understand
logic and concrete information, especially in their own lives. They may still
struggle to grasp abstract concepts, especially events that will happen in the
long-term future. School-age children begin to be less egocentric and can think
about and understand different viewpoints. Other brain functions begin to
improve such as:
 Concentration: School-age children can focus on a task or topic. They
also begin to develop methods of ignoring distractions when they have a
task to focus on.
 Memory: Both long- and short-term memory skills improve in school-age
children. They can recall important things from months or even years in
the past and remember where they left their jacket after outdoor time.
 Attention span: School-age children can focus on important tasks for
longer periods. They begin to read longer books, stay interested in topics
at school, and may participate in long-term projects.
PUBERTY: WHAT TO EXPECT
Typical changes for boys
 The development of the testosterone hormone creates physical changes to
the male reproductive organs.
 Hair growth can begin in the underarms, pubic area, chest, and face.
 Shoulders grow wider.
 The voice begins to change or deepen. This usually involves a period when
the voice “cracks” as it begins to deepen.
Typical changes for girls
 Hormones begin working together to create estrogen, which prepares a
girl’s body to begin menstrual cycles.
 Hair growth in underarm and pubic areas can begin.
 Bodies begin to change and become curvier with wider hips and breast
development.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT: SCHOOL-AGE

Milestones
School-age children's thinking skills become increasingly sophisticated as they
encounter new people, places, and ideas. They develop the ability to learn in
abstract ways from books, art, movies, and experiences. You have the exciting
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opportunity to witness some children's first encounter with formal schooling and
to watch others learn as they move between grades and schools. As a school-age
program staff member, you also have the opportunity to observe all the ways
school-age children learn outside of school time. The chart below highlights
cognitive development during the school-age years. Keep in mind that individual
differences exist when it comes to the specific age at which children meet these
milestones and each child is unique. As you may have already learned in other
courses, milestones provide a guide for when to expect certain skills or behaviors
to emerge. Think of milestones as guidelines to help you understand and identify
typical patterns of growth and development, or to help you know when and what
to look for as school-age children mature. You can use this information, what
you learn from families, and your knowledge in the interactions, experiences,
and environments you create for school-age children.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES

Middle childhood (ages 5-7)

 They begin to see things from other school-age children's perspectives and
begin to understand how their behavior affects others.
 They are developing their oral language skills, acquiring new vocabulary,
and sentence structures.
 They enjoy planning and building.
 They understand concepts of space, time, and dimension. They
understand concepts like yesterday, today, and tomorrow. They know left
and right.
 They begin to develop a sense of self-confidence and mastery of their
learning.
 They are learning to read and write and can sound out simple words.
 They begin to reason and argue.
 They can perform simple addition and subtraction.

Early adolescence (ages 8-12)

 Most early adolescents are fully capable of perspective-taking and
understand and consider other's perspectives.
 They begin to think hypothetically, considering several possibilities, and
can think logically.
 They become more goal-oriented.
 They may develop special interests that are a source of motivation.
 Cognitive development may be impacted by school-age children's
emotional state.
 They begin to understand facets of the adult world like money and telling
time.
 They may enjoy reading a book. They can interpret the context of a
paragraph and writes stories.
 They appreciate humor and word games.

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN

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Milestones
Let’s look at school-age children’s social-emotional development. The chart
below provides an overview of the social-emotional developmental milestones in
school-age children adapted from the book, What Teachers Need to Know about
Social and Emotional Development by R. Leyden and E. Shale:

5- to 7-Year-Olds

 Develop greater empathy

 Establish and maintain positive relationships and friendships
 Start developing a sense of morality
 Control impulsive behavior
 Identify and manage emotions
 Form a positive self-concept and self-esteem (identity formation has begun)
 Become resilient
 Begin to function more independently (from looking after personal
possessions to deciding without needing constant support)
 Form opinions about moral values and learn right and wrong
 Be able to express an opinion and negotiate
 Begin understanding different viewpoints
 Start making more sense of “who I am” (“Who am I like?” “Who likes me?”)
 Develop a sense of family history (identity)
 Tackle questions about death
 Accept that parents are not all-powerful

8- and 9-Year-Olds

 Fit in and are accepted by peers (preoccupied with comparisons—“do I fit

in?”)
 Have a best friend
 Strengthen cooperative skills
 Adjust to a sexually developing body and handle the agonies of feeling
awkward and self-conscious (“What will I look like?” “Do I look normal?”)
 Continue refining a sense of self (fluid and constantly changing)
 Work out values and beliefs and often passionately adopt an ethical stance
 Establish independence and individuality (intensely private, wanting alone
time, displays of noncompliance at school and home)
10- and 11-Year-Olds

 Behave appropriately in a variety of social situations

 Refine communication skills
 Resolve interpersonal conflicts and understand the difference between
passive, assertive, and aggressive responses
 Become more independent and responsible for actions
 Value and respect rules and authority
 Know how to act appropriately and safely online, including social media
 Manage emotional changes accompanying puberty (torn between needing
the security of the familiar and craving the unknown)
 Develop more positive self-esteem and resilience by building strengths and
accepting limitations
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 Acknowledge “who I am” through an optimistic lens
12 Years and Onward

 Establish independence
 Adjust to a larger social world with greater expectations and demands
 Overcome the awkward and clumsy stage
 Find acceptance within a peer group
 Becoming more self-assured and able to say no
 Move further away from family and closer to friends for support
 Handle issues and growing concerns about sexuality and relationships
 Manage confusing and unexpected feelings, such as anger and rebellion
 Move toward self-acceptance

ADOLESCENT PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Adolescents experience a tremendous amount of physical growth and

development. This rapid physical development begins during the prior
developmental stage called Puberty and continues during adolescence. The
reader may wish to review the article on Puberty for a more complete
understanding of these physical changes and a more detailed explanation of
chemical and hormonal factors that trigger these physical changes.
This section will identify the typical, average ages when youth reach certain
developmental milestones; but, it is important to keep in mind that individual
youth will develop according to their body's timetable. As such, a youth's
development may not always follow these averages but their development may
still be considered healthy and normal. If parents have concerns about their
child's growth or development, they should discuss these concerns with their
child's health care provider.
Because the rate of physical development is so varied during adolescence, it often
becomes a source of difficulty and discomfort for youth. Some teens will develop
more slowly than their peers. As a result, they may feel self-conscious about their
bodies' lack of maturity, relative to their peers. They may even feel disappointed
or resentful they are not receiving the same kind of attention their more
physically mature friends seem to enjoy. This can lead to feelings of frustration
because their bodies aren't maturing as fast as they would like, or they may
worry that something might be wrong with them.
Conversely, some teens may mature more quickly than their peers. This earlier
development may also cause feelings of frustration and self-consciousness.
These teens may be teased about their changing bodies and they may receive
more attention than they desire, which can cause them to feel uncomfortable
and conspicuous. This can be especially true for teen girls as the overt
admiration of the female body is generally considered an acceptable practice in
our culture. A young female teen may not be emotionally prepared to be viewed
and admired sexually. Parents may wish to assist their daughters to determine
the limits of what is respectful and acceptable to them and to develop strategies
for handling situations that make them feel uncomfortable. Teenage boys who
develop sooner than their male peers may have an easier time because although
physical prowess in males is respected and admired, it is less common for them
to receive unwanted public attention.
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 CHANGES IN HEIGHT AND BODY COMPOSITION

During adolescence, most growth in height generally occurs during one, single
growth period, or "growth spurt." Girls normally start their growth spurt between
the ages of 8 and 13 years, with the most rapid growth occurring between the
ages of 10 and 13 years. Girls reach their adult height between the ages of 10
and 16 years. Boys tend to begin their growth spurt a bit later than girls. On
average, guys start their growth spurt between the ages of 10 and 16 years, with
the most rapid growth occurring between the ages of 12 and 15 years. Boys reach
their adult height between the ages of 13 and 17. Even though guys reach their
adult height later than girls, young men grow to become taller than their female
peers. The average height of adult women is 5'5", and the average height of adult
men is 5'10". Several factors can influence potential height such as genetics and
nutrition, as do certain medical conditions and medications that interfere with
digestion and appetite.
During adolescent growth spurts, the arms and legs also lengthen and eventually
become proportional to the rest of their body. However, teens may suddenly feel
awkward and uncoordinated during this time because growth does not always
occur at a perfectly proportional rate. Their limbs may become longer or shorter
relative to the rest of their bodies and it may confuse or frustrate young teens to
inhabit a body that no longer seems familiar.
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENT

From ages 12 to 18, children grow in the way they think. They move from
concrete thinking to formal logical operations. It’s important to note that each
child moves ahead at their rate in their ability to think in more complex ways.
 Each child develops their view of the world.
 Some children may be able to use logical operations in schoolwork long
before they can use them for personal problems.
 When emotional issues come up, they can cause problems with a child’s
ability to think in complex ways.
 The ability to consider possibilities and facts may affect decision-making.
This can happen in either positive or negative ways.

TYPES OF COGNITIVE GROWTH THROUGH THE YEARS

A Child in Early Adolescence:

 Uses more complex thinking focused on personal decision-making in school and
at home
 Begins to show the use of formal logical operations in schoolwork
 Begins to question authority and society's standards
 Begins to form and speak his or her thoughts and views on many topics. You
may hear your child talk about which sports or groups he or she prefers, what
kinds of personal appearance is attractive, and what parental rules should be
changed.

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A Child in Middle Adolescence:
 Has some experience in using more complex thinking processes
 Expands thinking to include more philosophical and futuristic concerns
 Often questions more extensively
 Often analyzes more extensively
 Thinks about and begins to form his or her code of ethics (for example,
what do I think is right?)
 Thinks about different possibilities and begins to develop own identity (for
example, who am I?)
 Thinks about and begins to systematically consider possible future goals
(for example, what do I want?)
 Thinks about and begins to make his or her plans
 Begins to think long-term
 Uses systematic thinking and begins to influence relationships with others
A Child in Late Adolescence:
 Uses complex thinking to focus on less self-centered concepts and
personal decision-making
 Has increased thoughts about more global concepts, such as justice,
history, politics, and patriotism
 Often develops idealistic views on specific topics or concerns
 May debate and develop intolerance of opposing views
 Begins to focus thinking on making career decisions
 Begins to focus thinking on their emerging role in adult society

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENT

The teenage years are a time of tumultuous learning and growing. Teens are
trying to establish a sense of identity and a sense of liberation from the fences of
childhood. These years are a time when teens push adults away and spend a lot
of time with friends. However, parental input is still extremely important (Block,
2009). Though the change is most apparent in the physical aspect, social
development and emotional development seem to vary dramatically in this age
range. Students at this age are attempting to realize their place in society and
how to proceed with their futures. It is also during this time that they learn to
self-regulate their emotions and, as time passes, become more aware of their
sense of self as well as the needs and feelings of others. Teens in this stage are
now capable of reflecting on more than just their own past experiences. This time
of adolescence serves as a foundation from which these youthful individuals will
progress into their futures.

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The high school realm provides ample room for experimentation. During this
time, students can determine preferences and reaffirm, or even forge entirely new

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views on various topics. High school also provides young people with the
opportunity to form bonds such as friendships and romantic ties. Parent-teen
interaction may become increasingly limited, as a major goal of teens at this
stage of development is autonomy and independence from parents (Mersch,
2009). Although the relationship between student and parent may hinder,
school-related relationships become more crucial; relationships between peers
and educators become increasingly more necessary for healthy emotional
development and overall well-being, "For example, when students lack social and
emotional connections to learning educators, schools, and their peers, it often
leads to behavior issues or disengagement, which inevitability leads to declining
achievement and, in the worst cases, students dropping out of high school"
(Finn, 1996).

During these years, teens develop the ability to reason abstractly and form
and consider multiple hypotheses. They have a less concrete thought process,
enabling them to see grays and not just black and white (Mersch, 2009). One of
the biggest questions that teens are looking to answer is, "who am I?" They may
not always realize this, but their behavior indicates they are searching for this
answer (Block, 2009). Teens are looking to establish identity. This consequently
leads to high-risk behaviors (Mersch, 2009). This can be attributed to the fact
that teenagers are taking much more pride than they used to in responsibility
and respect of others (Cox). Teens are seeking intimacy with other teens.
However, this does not necessarily include sex. They often form close bonds with
members of the same gender. Despite these close bonds, however, most teens
still keep a lot of information to themselves, as they evaluate themselves in terms
of how others see them.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
It is during high school that adolescents are making the transition between
childhood and adulthood. Their social understanding of the world is changing
and progressing, and they think daily about their social interactions. For
example, normal adolescent development often revolves around joining cliques,
wanting to join cliques, or being excluded from cliques. Cliques can have a strong
positive effect on self-worth. They provide a social niche and help kids develop a
sense of belonging, support, and protection (Mendal, 2005). Although cliques are
often beneficial to the high school experience, they can also negatively impact
social development. The desire to gain acceptance in certain social groups allows
peer pressure to play a large part in determining actions and behavior; which is
a common concern about drug and alcohol use, as well as sexual activity.
However, peer pressure can also have a positive influence throughout the high
school experience; it can boost overall confidence, compel a student to join an
athletic team, or push a student to run for class president when they might not
have before.

During late adolescence, a person is more able to understand, decipher, and

explain the actions and motives of others. At this point in their lives, teenagers
have had a variety of social experiences with different people from different
backgrounds. They are gaining social insight and able to consider another

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person's perspective. Adolescents will use a group of their peers in social
situations as an outlet for self-exploration. They begin to recognize that people
are a result of their environment and that the past and present influence both
behavior and personality in a person. Just as they understand others, they are
trying to gain a social understanding of who they are. Opinions of their peers
begin to take the focus of how they view themselves.

Bachelor of Technical - Bulacan Date Developed:

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The Child and
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Learning Principles
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