Child’s Growth Stages of Learning

Learner in the elementary stage (6-10 years)

In this stage of education the child is hyperactive. He spends a lot of time playing,
running and doing other motional activities. He enthusiastically shifts from a certain activity to
another without feeling tired.
Boys’ activities tend to be more violent than girls’ activities, because boys usually depend
on their muscles more than girls do. Girls tend to use simpler and safer toys and participate in
less violent games.

Physical Activity Growth:

In the elementary stage of education a pupil engages himself in many physical activities.
He spends his time practising outdoor physical activities such as scouting, cycling, camping,
tree climbing and other energetic risky activities.

Linguistic Growth:

A child’s mastery of vocabulary increases so does his fluency. He becomes more

aware of the proper use of expressions and understands grammatical usage through practice
in his daily life. A child in this stage is to describe what he sees and to express his ideas. He
likes to read much, especially about plants, animals, children of other nations, agricultural
crops, boats, ships and means of transport (i.e. cars, trains and planes) He cherishes the
tendency to read about travels, journeys, adventures and acts of heroism. A child is also able to
recognize logical linguistic relations and distinguish between meanings.

Emotional Growth:

In this stage a child is more able to express his feelings in words rather than motion
expressions. Since he enjoys personal freedom, his emotions are usually pleasurable and
quiet. Sometimes he feels frustrated and could not achieve his needs or wishes because of his
classmates’ jealousy, anger and competition.
A child usually tends to play with his school fellows or with groups. This is usually an output for
different hidden emotions. He likes to play games that need mental thinking such as
assembling and disassembling toys. Flattery and encouragement positively affect him. He
enjoys others’ love and affection and cherishes personal sense of success.
 (2)
In this stage of study a child weeps less and laughs more and enjoys humour and
merry -making. He understands jokes and likes to mimic others and cleverly imitates their
behaviour. Reward and punishment - but not physical punishment - affect him.
When a child is about 10 years old he develops a liking for thing acquisition,
ownership and collection such as stamps, shells and trees leaves. He learns a lot about them.

Social Growth:

At the end of this stage, he tends to join small groups in which they enjoy playing
together. They cooperate and participate in joint activities. However, these gatherings rarely
last for a long time. Children’s tendency to group has its merits. Some behavioural
characteristics become evident. We can notice different tendencies to leadership,
subordination, cooperation, competition jealousy or solitude. That is why primary schools
take interest in forming school groups to practise different activities. Sportive teams and scouts
are good examples. Encouraging pupils to perform collective tasks and carry out joint projects
is an effective method of teaching. Through imitation, assimilation and personification a child
usually acquires different methods of behaviour.
This emphasizes teachers’ role in forming children’s customs and social behaviour such
as principles of justice , benevolence, impartiality, anti-fanaticism, perseverance, discipline,
equality, righteousness and duty.

Some Educational Applications:

1- A child should be accustomed to discipline and good distribution of time on play and
work in this early stage. He should have the ample chance to move freely and participate in
free activities in a social atmosphere void of undue restrictions but not breaking rules and
regulations.
2- Subjects of study in this stage should suit the pupils’ standard and learning capability.
Proper methods of teaching should be applied to enhance the pupils’ ability to assimilate
and understand what they study and foster in them the love for learning.
3- Education in this stage should be based on the method of learning by doing. Theoretical
information should be acquired through practice. Pupils could be educated through collective
projects in which they cooperate to attain common objectives.
No Characteristics Applications
1 Discipline and good
Hyperactive. distribution of time.
Motional activities. Free activities in a
social atmosphere.
2 Learning by doing.
Physical activities. Practice. Collective
projects to attain
common objectives.
3 His mastery of voc. Proper methods of
and fluency increases teaching to foster the
He likes to read. He love for learning.
recognizes logical
linguistic relations.
4 Using words rather Teaching should
encourage oral
than motion.
fluency.
Playing with others. Group and pair work.
Teaching through
Easily affected.
games.
A sense of humour. Praise and encourage
Use verbal punishment
Thing acquisition.
and be affectionate.
Encourage hobbies
like collecting things.
5 He tends to join small Collective tasks and
groups. joint projects.
Some behavioural School groups to
characteristics practise activities.
become evident.
 Growth Characteristics of Learners in the Primary Stage
No Characteristics
1 The child is hyperactive. He spends a lot of time playing, running
and doing other motional activities. He shifts from one activity to
another without feeling tired.
2 A pupil engages himself in many physical activities such as
scouting, cycling, camping, tree climbing and other energetic
risky activities.
3 A child’s mastery of vocabulary increases so does his fluency.
He becomes more aware of the proper use of expressions and
understands grammatical usage through practice in his daily life.
He likes to read much especially about plants and animals. A
child is also able to recognize logical linguistic relations and
distinguish between meanings.
5 In this stage a child is more able to express his feelings in
words rather than motion expressions. Since he enjoys personal
freedom, his emotions are usually pleasurable and quiet.
A child usually tends to play with his school fellows
or with groups. This is usually an output for different hidden
emotions. He likes to play games that need mental thinking such
as assembling and disassembling toys. Flattery and
encouragement positively affect him, enjoys others’ love and
affection and cherishes personal sense of success.
In this stage of study a child understands jokes and likes
to mimic others and cleverly imitates their behaviour. Reward
and punishment - but not physical punishment - affects him.
When a child is about 10 years old he develops a liking for
thing acquisition, ownership and collection such stamps, shells
and trees leaves. He learns a lot about them.
Educational Applications
A child should be accustomed to discipline and good distribution
of time on play and work. He should have the ample chance to
move freely and participate in free activities in a social
atmosphere void of undue restrictions but not breaking rules.
Education in this stage should be based on the method of
learning by doing. Theoretical information should be acquired
through practice. Pupils could be educated through collective
projects in which they cooperate to attain common objectives.
Subjects of study in this stage should suit the pupils’ standard
and learning capability.
Proper methods of teaching should be applied to enhance the
pupils’ ability to assimilate and understand what they study and
foster in them the love for learning.
Teaching should encourage oral fluency.
Encourage group and pair work.
Teaching through games.
Always praise and encourage but do not over praise.
Develop a sense of humour.
Use verbal punishment and in the mean time be affectionate.
Encourage hobbies like collecting things.
 Growth Characteristics of Learners in the Primary Stage

No Characteristics Educational Applications

6 At the end of this stage, he tends to join small groups in Encouraging pupils to perform collective tasks and carry out joint
which they enjoy playing together. They cooperate and projects is an effective method of teaching.
participate in joint activities. However, these gatherings rarely This emphasizes teachers’ role in forming children’s customs and
last for a long time. Children tendency to group has its merits. social behaviour such as principles of justice, benevolence,
Some behavioural characteristics become evident. We can impartiality, anti-fanaticism, perseverance, discipline, equality,
notice different tendencies to leadership, subordination, righteousness and duty.
cooperation, competition, jealousy or solitude. That is why
primary schools take interest in forming school groups to practise
different activities. Sportive teams and scouts are good
examples. Through imitation, assimilation and personification a
child usually acquires different methods of behaviour.