1

Module 1
Overview of Child and
Adolescent Development

In this Module:
1. Learner in Focus
2. Human Development: Defined
3. Issues on Human Development

2
Introduction
This module presents three lessons in which Lesson 1 gives you an overview
of the different theories of child and adolescent development. This is focused in the
learner. Lesson 2 is focused on the human development where important concepts and
terms are defined. Lesson 3 talks about the issues on human development.

At the completion of this module, you should be able to:

 Discuss the relationships of learner-centeredness and developmentally appropriate
 Advocate on the use of learner-centeredness in education
 Explain the human development
 Discuss the issues on Human Development

Are you ready? Then start the lessons now!

Lesson
1 Learner in Focus
-Vivien Grace A. Jubahib, LPT, Ph.D., FRIEdr

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to

a. explain learner centeredness as philosophy

b. identify the five characteristics of Learner-centered
teaching
c. list down the ways to create a teaching plan
d. illustrate the application of learner- centered psychological
principles in teaching children and
adolescent

3
 Introduction
Hello! You are about to begin your journey to explore about the individual learner
which is the center of instruction. All the preparation for the learning activity and its
outcome is geared towards the achievement of the learner.

Every learner must pass life’s different stages from prenatal, childhood,
adolescent, adulthood. Each of these human stages has different characteristics, interests,
and learning complexities. In this lesson, you are going to focus on the philosophy why
the learner is the center for learning. Learners are said to be the most important part in the
teaching-learning process.

John Dewey, an American philosopher and educator has made a mark in changing
the traditional approaches in the teaching-learning process. He gave importance in the
learning experience of every learner by engaging in the actual process because he
believes that one can learn better while doing.

Adjective Action Adverb

Activity INNOVATIVE
HARDWORKING
AMBITIOUS
COMPETENT
What is a learner? DILIGENT
Give 5 adjectives
about the learner, 5
actions that learners
do, and 5 adverbs
related to the actions.

Analysis

From the adjectives, actions, and adverbs you have written, describe the
characteristics of a learner.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

4
 Abstraction
The Learner

The whole educational process is centered on the learner in the early part of the
th
20 century. Educators gave so much emphasis on the student’s interest by directing on
the needs of the learners. Teachers give attention to facilitate students’ learning in the
classroom based from the philosophy as their guide.

The leaner is an individual who aspires to receive knowledge, skills, and values in
life. There are three important domains that learners must achieve. These are the
cognitive, psychomotor, and affective. The cognitive domain involves the mental
development of the learner by remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing,
evaluating, and creating. The psychomotor domain involves the motor development of
the learner such as the coordination of the motor skills or the physical movement by
perceiving, setting, responding as a guide, acting, responding overtly, adapting, and
organizing. The affective domain involves the feelings, emotions, and attitudes through
receiving, responding, valuing, organizing, and internalizing. All these domains must be
focus to the learner as the recipient for learning.

Educators nowadays are guided by the philosophy they have acquired through
training. Progressivism is a philosophy that is rooted on optimism and problem solving.
Educators who are progressivist, do not only give input to the students but focused on the
outcomes. John Jacques Rousseau (1912-1778) and John Dewey (1859-1952) are
progressivist proponents. Rousseau believes that people are basically good, and the
society can be accountable for corrupting them. Dewey believes that problem-solving and
social interaction can be the source of learning. He designed the scientific method in
solving a problem and making an experimentation. Because of this, classrooms which are
progressivist use exploration and experience. Students are directly involved in hands-on
learning and they are the focus of the learning process.

Another student-centered philosophy is based on social reconstruction. It gives a

picture that schools are the tools for problems solving in the society. Recipients and
beneficiary of the schools got their learning from the schools. Reconstructionist education
aims to draw out and suggest means to improve problems in the society through
educating the minds of all individuals. This is not just a philosophy but also a remedy for
objectivity of social order. Again, this focuses on the learner.

5
 Another perspective in looking into the learner-centered instruction is taking the
opportunity to learn the psychological factors in the teaching-learning process. Internal
factors that controls the condition of the learner. These are his attitudes towards learning.
Some learners are active while others are passive. They need to be motivated well in
order to get the maximum learning experience. This can be a great driving force to be
used as the learner is engaged on the his activity he/she is doing.

External factors can also affect the learning process. They can be constructive or
can be destructive. When the learner is set to learn in a good environmental condition, the
learning outcome can be very desirable.

Individual Learning Differences

Learners have different capacities and capabilities in learning. They differ in their
approaches based from their experience and heredity. Some learners are endowed with
unique talents and capabilities which are inherited from their parents. This natural
endowment can be fully developed by proper nurturing of the people around. Good
exposure of a learner in a good environment may help shape his/her characteristics.

Through social acculturation and learning from it, the learner may have his
preferences on how they would like to learn at their own pace. However, those
preferences may not always work in reaching their goals. This is now the function of the
teacher to come in.

It is important that educators need to facilitate learning to the students and check
their learning preferences. They can be modified by making it short but complete so that
expected learning outcomes can fully be achieved.

Another factor that affects in the individual learning differences can be attributed
to the interaction between the learner and his/her curricular environmental conditions.
Remember that the center for process of learning is the student. Good environmental
condition must be sought first in order to come up with a good learning outcome because
this is where the learner interacts to strengthen his skills and knowledge.

Educators must be aware of the different individual differences because they need
to know how they can keep along as the complexity of learning increases. They need to
cater these differences by using the different scientific steps such as techniques,
approaches, methods, and strategies.

6
Application
1. List down some teaching activities that students would enjoy in doing their
activities.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Closure

Congratulations! You made it. You just finished lesson 1 in this module. You
may now move to Lesson 2.

References

7
 Asturias, Marilou C., Henry M. Agong, and Dolores S. Tanawan. Educational
psychology. Mandaluyong City: Books Atbp., ©200. Print.
Brubacher, John. Modern philosophy of education. NEW YORK: MCGRAW-
HILL BOOK COMPANY, 1978. Print.
Corpuz, Brenda B., Ma R.D. Lucas, and Heidi G.L. Borabo. The child and
adolescent learners and learning principles. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing
Inc, 2018. Print.
Santrock, John W. Educational psychology. Boston: McGraw-Hill, ©200. Print.

Lesson
Human Development:
2
Defined
- Jennifer Arbiol, Ph.D.

Objectives:
a) Define development;
b) Contrast development from growth;
c) Explain the different principles of development ; and
d) Show appreciation on the role of development in the study
of child and adolescent.

Introduction:

8
 Welcome to Lesson 2 of Module 1! This lesson focuses on the definition of
development. In this lesson, you will be learning about development and its principles.
Your common understanding of development will help you in teaching children and
adolescents, enquiring nature of people.

____________________________________
Activity __progress___________________________
_____change_________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
CONCEPT MAP ____________________________________
Think of the words that come ____________________________________
to your mind when you hear ____________________________________
the word development. List
____________________________________
down those words and create a
concept map for the word ____________________________________
development. Use shapes and ____________________________________
lines to connect the words ____________________________________
with one another.
____________________________________

Analysis
1. How do you feel about your concept map?
2. What were your sources in deriving at those words?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

9
 __________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________

Abstraction

Definition of Development

Development applies to the qualitative changes that happen in the individual.

This is a process that produces a series of progressive, orderly and coherent changes,
which lead towards and end with maturity (Hurlock, 1982).

An example of development is prior to learning how to walk, an infant needs to

lift its head, sit unsupported, and stand erect.

Development differs from growth. Growth refers to the quantitative changes that
take place in the body. Examples are increase in size, weight, height, increment of body
structure and proportions of internal organs and brain.

Principles of Development

The study of development gives you knowledge on what to expect to children and
adolescent. Hurlock (1942; 1982), pioneering author of textbook in developmental
psychology, outlines principles of development. Learning the principles of development
will help you better understand its nature and causes. The principles of development are:

1. Development involves changes. As observed, children develop in their learning

about the culture of their society. The changes include proportion, disappearance
of old features and acquisition of new features. Examples of old features that
disappear are baby hair and baby teeth. New features that appear are secondary
sex characteristics.

2. Early development is more critical than later development. According to Freud

the first five years are crucial to the formation of adult personality (McLeod,
2019). Indeed, children need to learn developmentally appropriate tasks that
prepare them for later stage of development.

3. Development is a product of maturation and learning. Maturation is the

unfolding of characteristics potentially present in the individual that come from
the individual’s genetic endowment, while, learning is development that comes

10
 from exercise and effort (Hurlock, 1942). Thus, development is a product of
heredity and environment.

4. Developmental pattern is predictable. It can be expected that children develop at

certain period. For instance, when infant starts to crawl it is expected he/she is
ready to walk.

5. There are individual differences in development. Although patterns of

development are predictable, the rate of development varies from one child to the
other. As you might observe, there are children who are advance in learning and
there are those who are late.

6. There are periods of developmental pattern. Developmental patterns follow

through stages. All of us have experienced or will experience the stages from
infancy to late adulthood.

7. There are social expectations for every developmental period. Each stage of
development has corresponding social expectations. Example, children are
expected to spend most of their time at home, then school and play with other
children in order to develop their social skills. However when an individual
reaches adolescence, he/she is expected to act maturely. You might have heard
your parents telling you, “you are no longer a child and not yet an adult.” There
are social demands in each stage like adults are expected to work and help in the
family.

Application
Instructions: Choose two (2) among the principles of development and make a reflection
paper. Reflect on the principles that you have chosen especially to the developmental
changes/patterns that you have experienced.

___________________________________________
11
___________________________________________

___________________________________________
 References
Kunnen, S. E. (Ed.). (2011). A dynamic systems approach to adolescent development.
Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com
Gilmore, K., & Meersand, P. (2014). The little book of child and adolescent
development. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com
Olson, M. H., & Hergenhahn, B. R. (2012). Introduction to theories of learning : Ninth
edition. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com
Rathus, S.A. (2017) Child and Adolescence: Voyages in Development (Sixth Edition).
Cengage Learning, Australia.

12
Corpuz, Brenda B., Lucas, M.R.D., Borabo, H.G.L. & Lucido, P.I. (2018) The Child and
adolescent learners and learning principles. Lorimar Publishing, Quezon City,
Metro Manila.
Britzman, Deborah P.. A Psychoanalyst in the Classroom : The Human Condition of
Education, State University of New York Press, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central,
https://search.proquest.com/legacydocview/EBC/4396568?accountid=31259.

Closure
Great job! You have finished lesson 2. Remember: development is
progressive. Now, you are ready for lesson 3. Lesson 3 is about the issues on
development. It will deepen your understanding about development that will
prepare you for the succeeding lessons. Have fun with lesson 3!

Issues on Human
Lesson Development
3 -Jennifer Arbiol, Ph.D.

Objectives:
a) Determine the issues on human development;
b) Explain the issues on human development;
c) Value the importance of understanding the issues on human
development.

13
Introduction:

Welcome to Lesson 3 of Module 1! This is the last lesson for module 1. Lesson 3
is about the issues on human development. The issues on human development depict the
factors that influence development. Further, you will be able to recognize the differences
in development of children and adolescents. This will help you to deal with them
appropriately.

Activity

Case of Genie

Genie, not her real name, was rescued by a Social Worker in Los Angeles,
California in 1970. Her father does not like noise. She was kept by her father
isolated in a room since she was a baby. Genie’s father would beat her using
baseball bat whenever he heard her making noise like crying. She was tied to
a toilet seat for 13 years until she was rescued. Numerous people worked with
her motor, communication, social, and learning skills. She was able to
improve to some extent, but she was never able to learn a full language, walk
properly, or have normal social skills.

Analysis
1. What can you say about Genie’s development?
2. What did you learn from her case?
__Gennie
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

14
 __________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________

Abstraction

Issues on Human Development

Human development is unique from one individual to the other. In their textbook about
Human Development: A Life-Span View, Kail & Cavanuagh (2018), identifies three (3)
issues on human development. The issues depicts the elements affecting development.
Nature vs. Nurture. Many studies have debated on this issue of nature vs.
nurture. This involves the degree to which genetic or hereditary influences
(nature) and experiential or environmental influences (nurture) determine the kind
of person you are (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2013). Nature depicts that development is
innate, there are characteristics that you are born with it. Conversely, nurture
argues that environment affects development. Your upbringing and learning from
your significant others influence your development. Developmental
psychologists recognize that it is the interaction of nature and nurture that affects
development.
Continuity and Discontinuity. If you will be asked this question: “Are you the
same person as you were when you were 5 years old?” What will be your
answer? The answer maybe yes or maybe no. Continuity and discontinuity
concerns whether a particular developmental phenomenon represents a smooth
progression throughout the lifespan (continuity) or a series of abrupt shifts
(discontinuity) (Kail & Cavanuagh, 2013). The continuity views development as
normative wherein it is continual and cumulative process. This means that
change is gradual. Children become more skillful in thinking, talking or acting
much the same was as they get taller (McLeod, 2017). Meanwhile, the
discontinuity view sees development as more abrupt, there is succession of
changes that produce different behaviors in different age-specific life periods
called stages. The changes can be attributed to the biological changes in the body
(McLeod, 2017).
Universal and Context-Specific Development. This concerns on the issue
whether there is just one path of development or several (Kail & Cavanaugh,
2013). The universal view depicts that the basic order of development of physical
skills in infancy is essentially the same in all cultures. You might observe

15
 common reflexes among infants from different cultures like sucking, startle, step,
and so forth. On the other hand, the context-specific view explains that learning
skills in daily life differs across culture. Learning skills of Filipinos vary with
other countries such as in China or Europe. The way math is taught in the
country is different from Japan. How those skills are encouraged in day to day
life differ across culture.

Application
Recollect and Act!
Going back to the case of Genie, determine and explain the issues that affect Genie’s
development.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

References
Kunnen, S. E. (Ed.). (2011). A dynamic systems approach to adolescent development.
Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com
Gilmore, K., & Meersand, P. (2014). The little book of child and adolescent
development. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com
Olson, M. H., & Hergenhahn, B. R. (2012). Introduction to theories of learning : Ninth
edition. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com
Rathus, S.A. (2017) Child and Adolescence: Voyages in Development (Sixth Edition).
Cengage Learning, Australia.
Corpuz, Brenda B., Lucas, M.R.D., Borabo, H.G.L. & Lucido, P.I. (2018) The Child and
adolescent learners and learning principles. Lorimar Publishing, Quezon City,
Metro Manila.

16
Britzman, Deborah P.. A Psychoanalyst in the Classroom : The Human Condition of
Education, State University of New York Press, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central,
https://search.proquest.com/legacydocview/EBC/4396568?accountid=31259.

Closure
Congratulations! You have completed the lessons in Module 1. You are now ready
for Module 2. Remember: development is influenced by both nature and nurture.
Enjoy learning the lessons in Module 2.

17