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The Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles

Human Development

Human development is the pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and continues
through the life span. Development includes growth and decline. This means that development can be positive
or negative (Santrock. 2002).
Major Principles of Human Development
1. Development is relatively orderly.
a.) Proximodistal Pattern
Development proceeds from the center of the body outward.

b.) Cephalocaudal Pattern

Development proceeds from the head downward.

2. While the pattern of development is likely to be similar, the outcomes of developmental processes and
rate of development are likely to vary among individuals.
3. Development takes place gradually.
4. Development as a process is complex because it is the product of biological, cognitive and socio-
emotional processes.
 Biological processes involve changes in the individual's physical nature.
 Cognitive processes involve changes in the individual's thought, intelligence, and language.
 Socio-emotional processes include changes in the individual's relationships with other people,
changes in emotions, and changes in personality.
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Approaches to Human Development

1. Traditional Perspective
• Believes that individuals will show extensive change from birth to adolescence, little or no change in
adulthood and decline in late old age
2. Life-Span Approach
• Believes that even in adulthood, developmental change takes place as it does during childhood.
Characteristics of a Life- Span Perspective
a. Development is LIFELONG- It does not end in adulthood. No developmental stage dominates
development.
b. Development is MULTIDIMENSIONAL- Development consists of biological, cognitive and
socio-emotional dimensions.
c. Development is PLASTIC- Development is possible throughout the lifespan.
d. Development is CONTEXTUAL- Individuals are changing beings in a changing world.
e. Development involves GROWTH, MAINTENANCE and REGULATION- Growth,
maintenance and regulation are three (3) goals of human development. The goals of individuals vary
among developmental stages. For instance, as individuals reach middle and late adulthood, concern
with growth gets into the back stage while maintenance and regulation take the center stage.
Principles of Child Development and Learning that Inform Practice
1. All the domains of development and learning-physical, social and emotional, and cognitive-are
important, and they are closely interrelated. Children's development and learning in one domain
influence and are influenced by what takes place in other domains.
2. Many aspects of children's learning and development follow well documented sequences, with later
abilities, skills, and knowledge building on those already acquired.
3. Development and learning proceed at varying rates from child to child, as well as at uneven rates across
different areas of a child's individual functioning.
4. Development and learning result from a dynamic and continuous interaction of biological maturation
and experience.
5. Early experiences have profound effects, both cumulative and delayed, on a child's development and
learning; and optimal periods exist for certain types of development and learning to occur.
6. Development proceeds toward greater complexity, self-regulation, and symbolic or representational
capacities.
7. Children develop best when they have secure, consistent relationships with responsive adults and
opportunities for positive relationships with peers.
8. Development and learning occur in and are influenced by multiple social and cultural contexts.
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9. Always mentally active in seeking to understand the world around them, children learn in a variety of
ways; a wide range of teaching strategies and interactions are effective in supporting all these kinds of
learning.
10. Play is an important vehicle for developing self-regulation as well as for promoting language, cognition,
and social competence.
11. Development and learning advance when children are challenged to achieve at a level just beyond their
current mastery, and also when they have many opportunities to practice newly acquired skills.
12. Children's experiences shape their motivation and approaches to learning, such as persistence,
initiative, and flexibility; in tum, these dispositions and behaviours affect their learning and
development.

Test Your Understanding

Do the following to ensure the understanding of the topic presented.
1. Meaning of Human Development
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2. Four principles of human development and their educational implications.

Principle Educational Implication
Development is relatively orderly

While the pattern of development is likely to be

similar, the outcomes of developmental
processes and rate of development are likely to
vary among individuals.

Development takes place gradually.

Development as a process is complex because it

is the product of biological, cognitive and socio-
emotional processes.
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3. Patterns of Development
a. The direction of growth following the cephalocaudal pattern is from_______________________
to the ___________________.
b. The direction of growth following the priximodistal pattern is from_______________________
to the ___________________.

4. In the light of researches on human development, which of the two approaches is closer to the truth
traditional or lifespan? Why?
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_________________________________________________________________________________
5. Interpret the quotation.
"Man is an unfinished project. He is always in the process of becoming."
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Reference:
Corpus, B.B., Lucas, M.R.D., Borabo, H.G.L, & Lucido, P.I. (2015) Child and Adolescent. Lorimar
Publishing, Inc, Quezon City, Philippines.