CASE STUDY OF A

CHILD AGE 5
MONISHA PATTERSON
EDU-220
 BRIEF REVIEW OF 5-YEAR-OLD
OBSERVATION
• Physical Development – Maturing motor control, Skips and jumps with good
balance
• Emotional Development - Develops responsibility
• Cognitive/Intellectual Development – Can answer “why” questions
• Physio-social/Social Development – Prefers to play with other children, and
becomes competitive
• Moral and Character Development – Shows less aggressive behavior and says “I’m
sorry” when appropriate
 Typical Physical Development According to
Snowman (Age 4-5)
• “Children at this age become leaner and stronger”
• “Some children may begin to deal with obesity at this time”
• “Motor skill differences begin to become apparent”
• “Hand-eye coordination is still developing but becoming stronger”
 5-Year-Old Physical Characteristics
(Observation)
The student I observed is much shorter than her classmates and weighs less,
she wears glasses and even still has a slight lazy eye her family is trying to
correct.
She keeps up with her peers when playing outside, her balance is equal to her
peers when playing on the beam at recess.
 Physical Development Recommendations
• At age 5 your child should be able to:
• Do a somersault
• Hop and possibly skip with a bit of instruction
• When eating, use a fork and spoon sometimes a knife (with help)
• Swing and climb when playing
According to the CDC- As a parent, you know your child best. If your child is not meeting the milestones for
his or her age, or if you think there could be a problem with your child’s development, talk with your child’s
doctor and share your concerns. Do not wait.

(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)

 Typical Emotional Behaviors
• “Has confidence in themselves and the world”
• “Tests elders to see which people can be controlled”
• “Often boasts about family and themselves”
• “Often demands things rather than asks”
• “Is easily embarrassed when child fails”
 Typical Emotional Behaviors according to
Snowman
• “Jealousy begins to become common among peers”
• “Children seek attention and approval from teachers or adults in charge”
• “Children begin to develop self-image, self-esteem and self-concept”
• “Disruptive family relationship may start to effect the child and lead to
negative behavior”
5-Year-Old Emotional Behavior Characteristics
(Observation)
“The child I observed was constantly trying to get my attention when I was working
with other students. She is an extremely sweet child and kept asking to be my “helper”
when I had to do any task. She would get jealous and try to maintain my attention
when I was helping other children on the playground and would dance around until I
put my attention on her again.”

“She played well with other students, they payed a lot of imaginary games where one
child would be the “mom” and the rest of the children were animals she had to take
care of. The child I observed never wanted to take the leadership role she was happy
being a part of the group.”
 Emotional Development Recommendations

“Establish limits with children when they test to see if they can “control” you”
“Keep a sense of humor when children show extreme behavior”
“When children begin to grow self-confidence, reassure them and stay positive”
“Provide outlets for children when they are feeling emotional provide creative outlets”
“If your child shows extreme behavior or doesn’t show a wide set of emotions, it is
time to speak to a doctor sooner than later, these are a few signs that your child has a
developmental delay.”
 Typical Cognitive/Intellectual Development

• “A child has interest in language and is excited about silly sounds”

• “Asks multiple questions about anything and everything”
• “Likes to use “potty” language”
• “Incredibly curious and talks/babbles about everything”
• “Uses imagination and plays fantasy games”
Cognitive/Intellectual Development According
to Piaget and Vygotsky
Piaget:
“Preoperational (2-7 Years) Gradually acquires ability to conserve and decenter, but not capable of operations
Strongly influenced by peers”
“Formal instruction does not have a significant impact”

Vygotsky:
“More strongly influenced by those more intellectually advanced”
“Cognitive Development is more heavily aided by interacting with intellectually advanced peers-adults and older
children”
 5-Year-Old Cognitive/Intellectual
Characteristics (Observation)
The child I observed fits the typical age characteristics in many categories. She
followed me around trying to include me in games she made up and was
constantly seeking my approval. She doesn’t necessarily engage in conversations
with her peers, she instead sits back and lets her other peers take charge when
playing. I think if I was observing a boy I would have heard more “potty”
language. The little girl I observed did ask quite a few questions about me
personally, she then compared my answers to her parents.
 Cognitive/Intellectual Development
Recommendations
• “When a child begins asking questions and using new words, start offering
stories and games that will increase their vocabulary.”
• “Children will use “potty” language to shock adults, when this happens
ignore the language instead of drawing attention to it.”
• “Encourage fantasy and imaginary language by asking questions about a
child’s imaginary friend or game.”
 Psychosocial/Social Development
• According to PBS, “they are creative problem solvers, eager to understand
“why” and “how” things work”
• “Children may get into conflicts in group play situations”
• “Enjoy imitating adult behavior”
• “Has strong imagination”
• “Will begin to be selective about playmates”
 Psychosocial/Social Developments According
to Erikson
“Basic Principles Of Erikson’s Theory-Epigenetic Principle – Idea that development
progresses through a series of interrelated stages and that each stage has a critical
period of development”
• “Initiative vs. Guilt (4-5 Years)”
• “Erikson states that a sense of identity is composed of a few components”
1. “Being comfortable with one’s body”
2. “Knowing where one is going in life”
3. “Knowing you will be recognized by significant others”
5-Year-Old Psychosocial/Social Characteristics

When the child I observed I noticed that while she was confident in herself
when she was talking to me, she seemed to be a follower instead of a leader in a
group setting. I thought this was surprising for her age group until I noticed
another little girl bossing her around anytime an adult wasn’t there. When I
confronted the girls about it, the child I am observing said, “it is okay Miss
Taylor can we go play on the balance beam again?” Rather than try and resolve
the problem she sought for my approval and switched to a new activity.
 Psychosocial/Social Development
Recommendations
• “Begin taking children to a pre-school or class where they can interact with
other children, encourage play in groups although children may prefer a one
on one play date at first.”

• “Begin including your child in activities you would normally do without

them, (chores), helping feed pets or taking out the trash are a great start.”

• “Children should be able to follow simple directions and rules at this age.”
 Moral/Character Development
“Aware of right and wrong and begins to have the desire to do right.”

“Will attempt to blame others for their own mistakes.”

“Enjoys role playing to learn.”

“Aware of gender.”
 Moral/Character Developments According to
Kohlberg
Kohlberg’s Description of Moral Development – “Moral Reasoning develops
through a fixed sequence of six stages that range from narrow, concrete, and
self-centered to board, abstract, and other-centered.”

Level 1: Preconventional Morality

Stage 1: “Punishment-Obedience orientation”
Stage 2: “Instrumental Relativist orientation”
5-Year-Old Moral Characteristics (Observation)

The child I observed was mostly driven by her desire to impress the adults around her.
She was constantly seeking some form of attention. Many times she would ask to hold
my hand or follow me when I was working elsewhere.
She was shy around her peers but was able to enjoy playtime.
She was aware when other children were upset or fighting when they were all playing
together and at that time, she would come to talk to me and ask if the other children
were going to get in trouble.
She was aware of right and wrong but looked to me for an example of what to do.
 Moral/Character Development
Recommendations
• According to the University of Washington, “Help the child be responsible
and discover the consequences of his/her behavior. Be aware of your
feelings and try to understand his/her perspective.”
• Encourage students to have positive relationships with other peers.
• Encourage students to sing, dance and play games to connect with a sense of
self.
 Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development
“Authority is internalized but not questioned, and reasoning is based on the
norms of the group to which the person belongs.”
Level 2: “Conventional Morality”
Stage 3: “Good Interpersonal Relationships”
Stage 4: “Maintaining the Social Order”
 Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development
“Individual judgement is based on self-chosen principles, and moral reasoning
is based on individual rights and justice. According to Kohlberg this level of
moral reasoning is as far as most people get.”
Level 3: “Post – conventional Morality”
Stage 5: “Social Contract and Individual Rights”
Stage 6: “Universal Principles”
 Problems with Kohlberg’s Methods
The Sample is biased
According to Gilligan (1977), because Kohlberg’s theory was based on an all-
male sample, the stages reflect a male definition of morality. Men’s morality is
base on abstract principles of law and justice, while women’s is based on
principles of compassion and care.
Although, the gender bias issue raised by Gilligan is a reminded of the
significant gender debate still present in psychology, when it is ignored, it can
have a large impact on the results obtained through psychological research.
 Problems with Kohlberg’s Theory
Is justice the most fundamental moral principle?
Gilligan (1977) suggests that the principle of caring for others is equally important.
Kohlberg claims that the moral reasoning of males has been quite in advance of that
of females.
Girls are mostly found to be at stage 3 in Kohlberg’s system (good boy-nice girl
orientation) whereas boys are more often found to be at stage 4 (Law and Order
orientation).
The very traits that have traditionally defined the goodness of women, their care for
and sensitivity to the needs of others, are those that mark them out as deficient in
moral development.
 Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development
Positions of Moral Development according to Gilligan
Position 1: Survival orientation – Action that considers one’s personal needs
only”
Position 2: Conventional care – Action that considers others needs or
preferences, but not one’s own
Position 3: Integrated care – Action that attempts to coordinate one’s own
personal needs with those of others
 References
Kohlberg, L., Levine, C., & Hewer, A.

(1983). Moral stages: A current formulation and a response to

critics. Basel: S. Karger.

Kohlberg, L. (1984). The Psychology of Moral

Development: The Nature and Validity of Moral Stages

(Essays on Moral Development, Volume 2). Harper &

Row

Gilligan, C. (1977). In a different voice: Women’s

conceptions of self and morality. Harvard

Educational Review, 47(4), 481-517

Piaget, J. (1932). The Moral Judgement of the Child.

London: Kegan Pau, Trench, Trubner & Co