Nature and Theories of Early Childhood Education Development
1. Nature and Theories of
Early Childhood
Education Development
Presenter:
Mr. Juanito Q. Pineda
MASE 422-Early Intervention Program for
Children with Developmental Delay
August 2017
Al-Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Presented to:
Dr. Flordeliza R. Magday
University of Perpetual Help Dalta (UPHD)
Las Piñas City, Philippines
2. Content Outline:
• Objectives
• Areas & Principles of
Development
• Theories of Early Childhood
Education Development
• Normal Developmental
Patterns from Birth to 8
Years Old
• Atypical Development
Among Infants and Toddlers
3. Objectives: At the end of the presentation,
you are expected to:
• Describe the areas and principles of
development.
• Compare and contrast the developmental
theories of Erikson, Piaget, Vygotsky, and
Gardner.
• Identify the normal development patterns from
birth to 8 years old.
• Recognize atypical development among infants
and toddlers.
6. Physical
• Relatively stable, predictable sequence
• Orderly not random
• Includes:
• Changes in bone thickness, vision, hearing,
muscle, size and weight
• Results:
• Gross-Motor Development
• Running, skipping, bike riding
• Fine-motor Development
• Grasping, holding, cutting, drawing
7. Cognitive
• Called intellectual development
• Processes people use to gain knowledge
• Includes:
• Reasoning & imagination
• Results:
• Language & thought
• Needed for:
• Planning
• Remembering
• Problem Solving
8. Social-
Emotional
• Learning to relate to others
• Involves feelings & expression of feelings
• Includes:
• Emotional traits (trust, fear, confidence,
pride, friendship, humor, timidity, interest
& pleasure)
• Person’s self-concept & self-esteem
• Results:
• Confidence flourishes
• Leads to healthy self-concept & sense of
worth
9. (From the head downward)
The child gains control of the head, then the
arms, then the legs.
(From the center of the body outward)
The spinal cord develops before other parts of the
body.
(Sequence of biological changes in children)
It gives children new abilities & assists them to
improve their thinking abilities and motor skills.
Principles of Development
Cephalocaudal
Principle
Proximodistal
Principle
Maturation
Each part of the body develops at
different rate even though the human
being develops as a unified whole.
10. “Nature or Nurture”
Brain Development
Human development depends on the interaction between
nature and nurture, often called heredity and environment.
11. Brain Development
The parts of the brain develop at different
times and different rates.
specific span of time
13. Theories of Development
A theory is a principle that is proposed, researched, and
generally accepted as an explanation.
14. Four Major Developmental Theories
Erik
Erikson
Psychosocial Theory
Jean
Piaget
Cognitive
Development Theory
Lev
Vygotsky
Sociocultural Theory
Multiple
Intelligences Theory
Howard
Gardner
15. Erik
Erikson Psychosocial Theory
Erikson believed that development occurs throughout the life span. His
theory provided new insights into the formation of a healthy personality.
17. Lev
Vygotsky
Sociocultural Theory
Vygotsky believed that children build knowledge through experiences/
exploration with hands-on activities. His theory assumed that children
learn through social and cultural experiences.
21. Characteristics of Development in Period of the
New Born (Birth to 1 year old)
• Motor Milestones: An infant
• pushes up on arms, lifts and holds head up while lying on tummy
• is able to move fists from closed to open and bring hands to mouth
• moves legs and arms off of surface when excited
• uses hands to support self while sitting
• rolls from back to tummy and tummy to back
• accepts entire weight with legs while standing with support
• reaches for toys while on tummy
• reaches both hands to play with feet and transfers a toy from one hand to the other
while lying on back
• releases objects into a container with a large opening
• takes several independent steps
• moves in and out of various positions to explore environment and get desired toys
• stands alone
• pulls to stand and cruises along furniture
• uses thumb and pointer finger to pick up tiny objects
• maintains balance in sitting when throwing objects
• claps hands
22. • Sensory Milestones: An infant
• attempts to reach for a toy held above their chest,
visually tracks a moving toy from side to side, keeps
head centered to watch faces or toys while lying on
back
• is able to calm with rocking, touching and gentle
sounds
• enjoys a variety of movements
• uses both hand to explore toys
• is generally happy when not hungry or tired
• brings hands and objects to mouth
• is not upset by everyday sounds
• enjoys a variety of movements
23. • Communication Milestones: An infant
• quiets or smiles in response to sound or voice
• turns head towards sound or voice
• shows interest in faces
• makes eye contact
• cries differently for different needs (e.g. hungry vs. tired)
• coos and smiles
• listens and responds when spoken to
• begins to use consonant sounds in babbling, e.g. “da,da,da”
• reacts to sudden noises or sounds
• uses babbling to get attention
• makes different kinds of sounds to express feelings
• notices toys that make sounds
24. •Feeding Milestones: An infant
• latches on to a nipple or bottle
• moves tongue forward and back to suck
• drinks 2 oz to 6 oz of liquid per feeding, 6 times per day
• sucks and swallows well during feeding
• shows interest in food
• begins to eat cereals and pureed foods
• opens mouth as spoon approaches
• moves pureed food from front of mouth to back
• Finger feeds self
• Is eating an increasing variety of food
• Is ready to try soft fruits, soft-cooked vegetables and finger foods
• Enjoys a great variety of smells and tastes
• Might be ready to start self feeding with utensils
• Begins to use an open cup
25. Features of Cognitive Development
• Realizes that the world exist even if he/she cannot see it (object permanence)
• Unable to see the perspective of other (egocentric)
• Absence of logical thinking
• Believes that all things (living and nonliving) possess life and feelings
• Indulges in fantasy and make-believe play
• Easily confused by surface appearances
• Uneven attention
• Limited memory
• Confused about causal relationships
• Acquires basic concepts of color, shape, size, number, days etc.
• High level of curiosity
• Language changes from tow word utterances to full sentences and grammatical usage
Characteristics of Development in
Early Childhood (2 to 6 years of age)
26. Features of Physical Development
• At 2 years: A child
• is 23-30 pounds in weight, 32-35 inches in height
• is capable of bowel and bladder control
• can run, kick a ball, build a 3 cube tower
• At 2-3 years: A child
• is 32-33 pounds in weight and 37-38 inches in height
• can jump of a step, ride a tricycle, use crayons, build a 8 cube tower etc.
• At 3-4 years: A child
• is 38-40 pounds in weight and 40-41 inches in height
• is self-sufficient in many routines in house e.g. dressing
• can stand on one leg, jump up and down, draw a circle and a cross etc.
• At 4-5 years: A child
• is 42-43 pounds in weight, 43-44 inches in height
• has mature motor control, skips on him/her self, do long jump, copy a
square and a triangle
27. Features of Emotional Development
• At 2 years: A child
• throws temper tantrums
• resents new baby (if present)
• has negativism
• At 2-3 years: A child
• fears separation from others
• is negativistic
• differentiates facial expressions of anger, sorrow and joy
• has sense of humor
• At 3-4 years: A child
• displays affection towards parent
• pleasure in genital manipulation
• imaginary fears of dark, monsters, injury etc.
• At 4-5 years: A child
• experiences feelings of responsibility and guilt
• feels pride in accomplishment
28. Features of Social Development
• At 2 years: A child
• does opposite of what he is told
• At 2-3 years: A child
• copies parent’s action
• is dependent, clinging
• is possessive
• enjoys playing alongside a child
• At 3-4 years: A child
• learns to share
• has cooperative play with other children
• may enter nursery school
• begins to identify with same “sex parent”
• imaginary friends
• interest in human body
• practices sex role activities
• At 4-5 years: A child
• prefers to play with other children
• becomes competitive
30. • Not rolling by 7 months of age
• Not pushing up on straight arms, lifting his head and shoulders, by 8 months of age
• Not sitting independently by 10 months of age
• Not crawling ("commando" crawling--moving across the floor on his belly) by 10
months of age
• Not creeping (on all fours, what is typically called "crawling") by 12 months of age
• Not sitting upright in a child-sized chair by 12 months of age
• Not pulling to stand by 12 months of age
• Not standing alone by 14 months of age
• Not walking by 18 months of age
• Not jumping by 30 months of age
• Not independent on stairs (up and down) by 30 months of age
...an early intervention/developmental therapy referral may be appropriate.
Gross Motor: If a child is...
31. • "walking" their hands up their bodies to achieve a standing
position
• only walking on their toes, not the soles of their feet
• frequently falling/tripping, for no apparent reason
• still "toeing in" at two years of age
• unusual creeping patterns
• any known medical diagnosis can be considered a "red flag":
Down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, congenital heart condition
etc.
Here are some other gross motor "red flags":
32. • Frequently in a fisted position with both hands after 6 months of age
• Not bringing both hands to midline (center of body) by 10 months of age
• Not banging objects together by 10 months of age
• Not clapping their hands by 12 months of age
• Not deliberately and immediately releasing objects by 12 months of age
• Not able to tip and hold their bottle by themselves and keep it up,
without lying down, by 12 months of age
• Still using a fisted grasp to hold a crayon at 18 months of age
• Not using a mature pincer grasp (thumb and index finger, pad to pad) by
18 months of age
• Not imitating a drawing of a vertical line by 24 months of age
• Not able to snip with scissors by 30 months
Fine Motor: If a child is...
33. • Not imitating body action on a doll by 15 months of age (ie,
kiss the baby, feed the baby)
• Not able to match two sets of objects by item by 27 months of
age (ie, blocks in one container and people in another)
• Not able to imitate a model from memory by 27 months (ie,
show me how you brush your teeth)
• Not able to match two sets of objects by color by 31 months
of age
• Having difficulty problem solving during activities in
comparison to his/her peers
• Unaware of changes in his/her environment and routine
Cognition/ Problem Solving: If a child is...
34. • Very busy, always on the go, and has a very short attention
to task
• Often lethargic or low arousal (appears to be tired/slow to
respond, all the time, even after a nap)
• A picky eater
• Not aware of when they get hurt (no crying, startle, or
reaction to injury)
• Afraid of swinging/movement activities; does not like to be
picked up or be upside down
• Showing difficulty learning new activities (motor planning)
• Having a hard time calming themselves down appropriately
• Appearing to be constantly moving around, even while
sitting
Sensory: If a child is...
35. • Showing poor or no eye contact
• Frequently jumping and/or purposely falling to the floor/crashing into
things
• Seeking opportunities to fall without regard to his/her safety or that of
others
• Constantly touching everything they see, including other children
• Hypotonic (floppy body, like a wet noodle)
• Having a difficult time with transitions between activity or location
• Overly upset with change in routine
• Hates bath time or grooming activities such as; tooth brushing, hair
brushing, hair cuts, having nails cut, etc.
• Afraid of/aversive to/avoids being messy, or touching different textures such
as grass, sand, carpet, paint, playdoh, etc.
(Continuation) Sensory: If a child is...
36. • Having difficulty biting or chewing food during mealtime
• Needing a prolonged period of time to chew and/or swallow
• Coughing/choking during or after eating on a regular basis
• Demonstrating a change in vocal quality during/after eating (i.e. they sound gurgled or
hoarse when speaking/making sounds)
• Having significant difficulty transitioning between different food stages
• Not feeding him/herself finger foods by 14 months of age
• Not attempting to use a spoon by 15 months of age
• Not picking up and drinking from a regular open cup by 15 months of age
• Not able to pull off hat, socks or mittens on request by 15 months of age
• Not attempting to wash own hands or face by 19 months
• Not assisting with dressing tasks (excluding clothes fasteners) by 22 months
• Not able to deliberately undo large buttons, snaps and shoelaces by 34 months
Self-care: If a child is...
37. Social/ Emotional/ Play Skills: If a child is...
• Not smiling by 4 months
• Not making eye contact during activities and interacting with peers and/or
adults
• Not performing for social attention by 12 months
• Not imitating actions and movements by the age of 24 months
• Not engaging in pretend play by the age of 24 months
• Not demonstrating appropriate play with an object (i.e. instead of trying to
put objects into a container, the child leaves the objects in the container and
keeps flicking them with his fingers)
• Fixating on objects that spin or turn (i.e. See 'n Say, toy cars, etc.); also
children who are trying to spin things that are not normally spun
• Having significant difficulty attending to tasks
• Getting overly upset with change or transitions from activity to activity
39. References:
1. Armstrong, K.H. et al. (2014) Evidence-Based Interventions for Children with Challenging Behavior
: Early Childhood Development Theories. Springer Science-Business Media New York, 21-30.
2. Decker, Celia Anita Ed.D. (2016) Child Development Principles and Theories. Goodheart-Willcox Co,
Inc., 68- 87.
3. Kendra, Cherry. (2017) Child Developmental Theories and Examples, Some Key Ideas About How
Children Grow and Develop. [Online] Available: https://www.verywell.com/child-development-
theories-2795068 [Accessed 8 August 2017]
4. Zimmerman, Jennifer (2015) The Difference Between Typical and Atypical Development in
Children. [Online] Available: http://www.livestrong.com/article/561905-the-difference-between-
typical-and-atypical-development-in-children/ [Accessed 10 August 2017]
5. Pathways. Assuring the Best for All Children’s Development. [Online Video Files] Available:
http://pathways.org/growth-development
6. A Child Developmental Checklist: Find Out When Early Intervention Or Developmental Therapy May
Be Needed [Online] Available: http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/child-developmental-
checklist.html
7. Developmental Patterns in Early Childhood. 61- 80. [Online] Available:
http://download.nos.org/srsec328newE/328%20Optional%20Module%20B%20L26.pdf