FIELD STUDY 1 LEARNING

EPISODE Learning Diversity:

2 Developmental Characteristics, Needs

and Interests

SPARK Your Interest

Episode 2 provides me with an opportunity to observe learners of different ages and grade levels. It highlights
the differences in their characteristics and needs. As a future teacher, it is important for me to determine my learners’
characteristics and needs so that I will be able to plan and implement learning activities and assessment that are all
developmentally appropriate.

TARGET Your Intended Learning Outcome

 At the end of this Episode, I must be able to describe the characteristics, needs and interests of learners from
different developmental levels. (3.1.1).

REVISIT the Learning Essentials

Here are major principles of development relevant to this Episode:

1. Development is relatively orderly. Development follows directional patterns such as, from the head
to the toe (cephalocaudal), and from the center of the body then outwards (proximodistal)

2. Development takes place gradually.

3. All domains of development and learning – physical, social and emotional, and cognitive- are important, and they
are closely interrelated. (NAEYC, 2009)

4. Development proceeds toward greater complexity, self-regulation, symbolic or representational capabilities.

(NAEYC, 2009)

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OBSERVE, ANALYZE, REFLECT
Activity 2.1 Observing learner characteristics at different stages
Resource Teacher: _______________________ Teacher’s Signature: ____________ School: _______________________
Grade/Year Level: _______________________ Subject Area: __________________ Date: _________________________

To realize the Intended Learning Outcomes, I will work your way through these steps:
Step 1 Observe 3 groups of learner from different levels (preschool, elem., and high school).
Step 2 Describe each of the learners based on my observations.
Step 3 Validate my observation by interviewing the learners.
Step 4 Compare them in terms of their interests and needs.

OBSERVE
Use the observation guide and matrices provided for you to document your observations.

An Observation Guide for the Learners’ Characteristics

Read the following statements carefully. Then write your observation report on the provided space. Your teacher
may also recommend another observation checklist if a more detailed observation is preferred.

Physical
1. Observe their gross motor skills how they carry themselves, how they move, walk, run, go up the stairs, etc.
2. Are gross movements clumsy or deliberate/smooth?
3. How about their fine motors skills? Writing, drawing, etc.

Social
1. Describe how they interact with teachers and other adults.
2. Note how they also interact with peers. What do they talk about? What are their concerns?

Emotional
1. Describe the emotional disposition or temperament of the learners. (happy, sad, easily cries, mood-shifts)
2. How do they express their wants/needs? Can they wait?
3. How do they handle frustrations?
4. Describe their level of confidence as shown in their behavior. Are they self-conscious?

Cognitive
1. Describe their ability to use words to communicate their ideas. Note their language proficiency.
2. Describe how they figure out things. Do they comprehend easily? Look for evidence of their thinking skills.
3. Were there opportunities for problem solving? Describe how they showed problem solving abilities.

Learners’ Development Matrix

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Record the data you gathered about the learners’ characteristics and needs in this matrix. This will allow you to compare
the characteristics and needs of learners at different levels. The items under each domain are by no means exhaustive.
These are just sample indicators. You may add other aspects which you may have observed.

Preschooler Elementary High School

Indicate age range of Indicate age range of Indicate age range of
Development Domain children observed: children observed: 11 to 12 children observed:
_________ years old _________

Physical For physical development

domain the elementary tend
Gross-motor skills to be playful, walking
around, going to comfort
Fine-motor skills room but not all pupils,
other tend to be sitting and
Self-help skills minding their own business
and actively participate in
Others dancing.

Social For Social Domain the

pupils listens well to the
Interaction with Teachers teacher especially in the
subject they want, the pupils
Interaction with interact and tells story to
Classmates/friends each other after finishing the
activity the teacher gave
Interests

Others

Emotional

Moods and temperament,

expression of feelings

Emotional independence

Others

Cognitive

Communication Skills

Thinking Skills

Problem-solving

Others

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 ANALYZE

Write the most salient developmental characteristics of the learners you observed. Based on these characteristics,
think of implications for the teacher.

Example:

Level Salient Characteristics Observed Implications to the Teaching-Learning Process

Preschool  Preschoolers like to move around  Therefore, the teacher should remember to use
Age range of Learners a lot. music and movement activities not just in PE
observed 3-4 but in all subject areas.
 Therefore, teachers should not expect
preschoolers to stay seated for a long period of
time.

Level Salient Characteristics Observed Implications to the Teaching-Learning Process

Preschool
Age range of Learners
observed _____

Elementary
Age range of Learners
observed _____

High School
Age range of Learners
observed _____

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 REFLECT

1. While you were observing the learners, did you recall your own experiences when you were their age? What
similarities or differences do you have with the learners you observed?

2. Think of a teacher you cannot forget for positive or negative reasons. How did she/he help or not help you with your
needs (physical, emotional, social, and cognitive)? How did it affect you?

3. Share your other insights here.

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 LINK Theory to Practice

Directions: Read the items given below and encircle the correct answer.

1. A 14-year-old felt ignored by her crush whom she believes is her one true love. She is crying incessantly and
refuses to listen and accept sound advice that the teacher is offering. Her refusal to accept is because _________.
A. she thinks what she feels is too special and unique, that no one has felt like this before
B. the teenager’s favorite word is “no,” and she will simply reject everything the teachers says
C. 14-year-olds are not yet capable of perspective taking and cannot take the teacher’s perspective
D. teenagers never listen to adult advice

2. A preschool teacher is thinking about how best to develop the fine motor skills of the 4-year-olds. Which of the
following should he best consider?
A. Provide daily coloring book activities.
B. Ask the children to do repeated writing drills everyday.
C. Encourage children to eat independently.
D. Conduct a variety of fun and challenging activities involving hand muscles daily.

3. Science Teacher Rita showed her class a glass of water with an egg in it. She asked the class: “What happens to the
egg if I add three- tablespoon salt to the glass of water?” This is hypothesis formulation. What can you infer about
the cognitive developmental stage of Teacher Rita’s class?
A. Formal operational stage
B. Concrete operational stage
C. Pre-operational stage
D. Between concrete and formal operational stage

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 SHOW Your Learning Artifacts
Which is your favorite theory of development? How can this guide you as a future teacher? Clip some readings about
this theory and paste them here.

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 EVALUATE Performance Task

Evaluate Your Work Task Field Study 1, Episode 2 – Learner Diversity: Developmental Characteristics, Needs, and Interests
Learning Outcome: Determine the characteristics, needs and interests of learners form different developmental levels.

Name of FS Student: __________________________________________________________ Date Submitted: _______________________________

Year and Section: ____________________________________________________________ Course: ______________________________________

Learning Episode Excellent Very Satisfactory Satisfactory Needs Improvement

4 3 2 1
Accomplished All observation One (1) to two (2) Three (3) observation Four (4) or more
Observation Sheet questions/tasks observation questions/ tasks questions/tasks observation questions/ tasks
completely answered/ not answered/ not answered/ not answered/accomplished.
accomplished. accomplished. accomplished.

Analysis All questions were All questions were Questions were not Four (4) or more
answered completely; answered completely; answered completely; observation questions were
answers are with depth and answers are clearly answers are not clearly not answered; 1 answers
are thoroughly grounded connected to theories; connected to theories; one not connected to theories;
on theories; grammar and grammar and spelling are (1) to three (3) more than four (4)
spelling are free from error. free from errors. grammatical/spelling grammatical/ spelling
errors. errors.

Reflection Profound and clear; Clear but lacks depth; Not so clear and shallow; Unclear and shallow;
supported by what were supported by what were somewhat supported by rarely supported by what
observed and analyzed. observed and what were observed and were observed and analyzed.
analyzed. analyzed.

Learning Artifacts Portfolio is reflected Portfolio is reflected on in Portfolio is not reflected Portfolio is not reflected on
on in the context of the the context of the learning on in the context of the in the; context of the
learning outcomes; outcomes. Complete; well learning outcomes.. learning outcomes; not
Complete, well- organized, very relevant to Complete; not organized. complete; not organized,
organized, highly the learning outcome. Relevant to the learning not relevant.
relevant to the learning outcome.
outcome
Submission Submitted before the Submitted on the Submitted a day after Submitted two (2) days
deadline deadline the deadline or more after the
deadline

COMMENT/S Rating:
Over-all Score (Based on
transmutation)

TRANSMUTATION OF SCORE TO GRADE/RATING

Score 20 19-18 17 16 15 14 13-12 11 10 9-8 7-below
Grade 1.0 1.25 1.5 1.75 2.00 2.25 2.50 2.75 3.00 3.5 5.00
99 96 93 90 87 84 81 78 75 72 71-below

____________________________________ ________________
Signature of FS Teacher above Printed Name Date