Growth & Development

: Its Principles
Bijoy Krishna Panda
Department of Education, Jadavpur University
What is ‘Growth’ ?

 Growth refers to an increase in some quantity over time.

 The quantity can be physical.

What is ‘Development’ ?

 Development is systematic and orderly change, organisms

experience as they live and either gain or loose abilities.

What is ‘Principle’ ?
 A fundamental, primary or general law or truth from which
others are derived.

Change is the inevitable law or phenomena of human being

Are Growth & Development two similar process?
 Growth is quantitative change, but development is both qualitative
quantitative and functional change.

 Growth is initial matter where development comes afterward as a

result of growth and maturity. So the sequence may be arranged like :
Growth >> Maturity >> Development

 Growth only creates the ability in the individual but development

helps in make use of that ability.

 Human body ceases to grow after attaining maximum maturity

level, but development continues till the end of life.
Principles of Growth & Development
 Continuity
 Development is Cephalocaudle
 Development is Proximodistal
 Locomotion
 Generality to Specificity
 Depend on Maturation & Learning
 Growth is a personal matter
Continuity

 From conception to death (Womb to Tomb)

 Leads child to be an adult in respect of body size,

functioning, behaviour.

 Adulthood changes to old age.

 Then comes the death which ends the life cycle.

Development is Cephalocaudal

 Describes the direction of growth and

development

 Proceeds from head downward

 Control comes in this order :

HEAD >> ARMS >> LEGS
Development is Proximodistal
 This also describes the direction of growth &
development

 The direction is Centre to Outwards

 Spinal cord develops first, then the other

parts of the body

 The sequence is like : ARMS >> HANDS >> FINGERS

Locomotion
 It is related to the movement of the body.

 Every species follows a similar pattern.

 Each one has to pass through the stages accordingly.

 This
is like : CREEPING >> CRAWLING >> STANDING >>
WALKING >> RUNNING
Generality to Specificity

 DEVELOPMENT PROCEEDS FROM GENERAL TO SPECIFIC.

 GROWTH OCCURS TO LARGE MUSCLE MOVEMENTS TO

SMALLER MUSCLE MOVEMENTS.

 THIS RESEMBLES WITH THE WHOLE AND PART. WE FIRST SEE

THE WHOLE THEN COMES THE PARTS.

 INFANT GRASPS THE OBJECT WITH HIS WHOLE HAND BEFORE

USING THUMB OR FOREFINGER.
Depends on Maturation & Learning
 MATURATION STANDS FOR BIOLOGICAL GROWTH &
DEVELOPMENT.
 THESE OCCURS IN SEQUENCE.
 PREPARES THE CHILD TO ACCEPT NEW SKILLS AND
PROGRESS ON IT.
 LIKE, A SIX MONTH OLD CHILD CANNOT USE LANGUAGE
AS THE INFANT’S BRAIN HAS NOT YET ATTAINED THAT
MATURITY LABEL TO TALK.
Growth & Development are personal matter

 RATE AND AMOUNT OF GROWTH IS NOT SAME FOR ALL.

 THIS IS CAUSED BY BOTH HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT.

 THERE IS NO TWO INDIVIDUAL WHOSE DEVELOPMENT RATE IS

SAME.

 THERE IS NO VALIDITY IN COMPARING ONE CHILD’S

PROGRESS WITH OR AGAINST ANOTHER CHILD.
Educational Implications
 The education process or the learning process should be continuous and
life long
 Learners should be introduced to basic concepts preceding elaborated
information.
 Subject matters should be presented in step by step.
 General ideas should be developed in the learners in order to make them
think specifically.
 The knowledge of concrete objects will be helpful to draw abstract ideas.
 Law of readiness must be considered while framing subject topic and
curriculum.
 Diversified learning strategies, course of study and developmental task
should be provided to learners in order to keep pace with their
individualistic developmental context.
Thank You