Child and Adolescent

1. “Teachers have three
loves; love of learning,
love of learners, and the
love of bringing the first
two loves together.”
Scott Hayden

2. UNIT 1
UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC
CONCEPTS OF CHILD AND
ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

3. Why do we need to study child
and adolescent development?

4. OVERVIEW
Childhood and adolescence are two concepts that you
need to understand in this unit. How are you going to
define and characterize them are very important for you
to easily go through the succeeding units of this book .
This unit will also give you an overview on why having a
critical understanding of the different developmental
theories are very relevant for future teachers like you in
understanding your students behaviors.

5. Objectives:
 define child and adolescent
 describe each stage of human development;
 discuss the interplay of nature and nurture in the
human development
 discuss the different domains of development;
and
 analyze the relevance of studying developmental
theories in creating effective pedagogical practices.

6. CHAPTER I
Who is the child and
adolescent learner?

7. Defining Child
Etymologically as defined by UNICEF,
the term “child” comes from the
Latin infans which means ” the one who
does not speak “. For the Roman, this
term designates the child from its birth,
up to the age of 7 years.

8.  In the Philippines, according to Departmemt of Health (DOH),
child “refers to a person below eighteen (18) years old or those
over but are unable to fully take care of themselves.” In
developmental psychology, childhood is divided into five (5)
stages namely though definitions may vary:
 Neonatal (0- 1 month old)
 Infancy (1 month old – 2 years old)
 Toddlerhood (2-3 years old)
 Preschool age (3 -5 years old)
 School Age (6-12 years old)

9.  However, in an article of Action for the Rights of
Children ARC in Africa , it is said that there is no universal
or exact definition of what a child is. Even age itself is not
the only criterion to clearly define it because it may be
understood in different context. Many developmental
theories have varied approaches in discussing it. Aside
from considering this as a stage in life that is physical and
psychological in nature, how it has been defined is also
socially and culturally influenced.

10. Defining Adolescence
 According to United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF), same
with childhood there is a complexity in defining adolescence
because each individual experiences this period differently
depending on her or his physical, emotional and cognitive
maturation as well as other contingencies.
 Puberty for both boys and girls may occur at significantly
different period. Usually, girls show manifestations of this point
12-18 months ahead than boys.

11. For girls, menarche or first menstruation happen
averagely when they reach 12 year and there are
some who experienced it even as early as 8
years old, while boys’ first ejaculation occurs
around age 13. However, recent studies show
that puberty in the last two decades begins
earlier than before for both boys and girls. This
is attributed to higher standards of health and
nutrition.

12. Puberty is the period of several
years in which rapid physical
growth and psychological
changes occur, culminating in
sexual maturity. (Amidon, n.d.)

13. PRINCIPLES ON
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT
AS LEARNERS

14. PRINCIPLES ON CHILD AND ADOLESCENT AS LEARNERS
1. The child or adolescent should among other things be
considered as a living human being.
- He undergoes the processes of growth and development.
- Hereditary and environmental factors (Nature vs Nurture)

15. PRINCIPLES ON CHILD AND ADOLESCENT AS LEARNERS
2. The three elements– increase in size, differentiation of
structure, and alteration of form– constitute something more
than simple growth.
- Growth is only one aspect of the process of development.

16. PRINCIPLES ON CHILD AND ADOLESCENT AS LEARNERS
3. No two individual as the learners we are studying about are
exactly alike.
- Each of them grows in a unique fashion within the limits that
his heredity and environment permit.

17. PRINCIPLES ON CHILD AND ADOLESCENT AS LEARNERS
4. Science now knows that all children grow in much of the
same pattern: rapidly at first, then more slowly, but very
quickly indeed when puberty arrives.
- This pattern has variation in the child’s overall speed of
growth, in the ages at which he grows most rapidly, and
trajectory he followed to reach his destined height.

18. PRINCIPLES ON CHILD AND ADOLESCENT AS LEARNERS
5. Learners respond rapidly to different academic stimuli.
- This means children are reacting in not the same way with
other children.
- Ex: One may like Math but the other one may not.

19. PRINCIPLES ON CHILD AND ADOLESCENT AS LEARNERS
6. Nearly all human behavior is learned rather than inherited.
- Man is much less a creature of instinct than any other animal.

21. Expectations on each Stages of
Children’s Growth and
Development

22. •Early foundations are critical.
•All individuals are unique.
•Each stage has its own characteristics.
•Each stage has its own hazards.
•There are expectations for each stage.
•The various aspects of growth and
development are interrelated.

23. •Children construct their knowledge.
•Development cannot be separated from its social
context.
•Learning can lead to development.
•Language plays a central role in mental
development.

24. STAGES OF
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

25. Pre-natal Period
Infancy
Early Childhood
Middle /Late
Childhood
Adolescence
Early Adulthood
Middle
Adulthood
Late
Adulthood
John Santrock’s
Developmental
Stages

26. STAGES OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT:
 Early Childhood (between 2-6 years old)
Late Childhood (between 6-12 years old)
 Adolescence (between 13-18 years old)

27. CHARACTERISTICS OF EARLY
CHILDHOOD STAGE
 problem age or troublesome age
 toy age
 pre-school age
 pre-gang age
 exploratory stage
 questioning stage
 creativity stage

28. CHARACTERISTICS OF LATE
CHILDHOOD STAGE
 troublesome age
 sloppy age
 quarrelsome age
 elementary school age
 critical period in the
achievement drive
 gang age (age of conformity)

29. CHARACTERISTICS OF
ADOLESCENCE STAGE
 “Adolescere” – “to grow” or “to
grow to maturity”
 Period of change
 heightened emotionality
 changes in their bodies,
interest, roles

30. CHARACTERISTICS OF
ADOLESCENCE STAGE
 feeling of instability (ambiguous
expectation from parents)
 change in values
 independence without responsibility

31. CHARACTERISTICS OF
ADOLESCENCE STAGE
 Problem age (solve problem on
their own)
 Time for search for identity
(gender preference, status
symbol)
 Time of unrealism (want to be
like others)

32. DIFFERENCES IN BOYS AND
GIRLS

33. THE SITUATIONS OF
FILIPINO CHILDREN
AND YOUNG PERSONS

34. THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
to life
 right to a name and a nationality
 right to protection from violence
 right to education
 right to freedom of thought

35. Question
What are the situations (negative) that
Filipino Children are involved nowadays?
What are possible causes of such
problems?

36. Article 2, Section 13
“The state recognizes the vital role of the
youth in nation building and shall promote and
protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual
and social being. It shall inculcate in the youth
patriotism and nationalism and encourage their
involvement in public and societal affairs.”

37. LAWS PROTECTING CHILDREN
 Republic Act 9344 (The Act Establishing a Comprehensive
Juvenile Justice and Welfare System)
- Exempts children 18 years old and below from criminal
liability.
- They will only be subjected to an intervention program.

38.  Republic Act No. 7610 (The Special Protection of
Children against Child Abuse)
- protects children against child prostitution and other sexual
abuse, child trafficking, obscene publications and indecent
shows
- In the person of DSWD
LAWS PROTECTING CHILDREN

39.  Republic Act No. 7658 (An Act Prohibiting the
Employment of Children below 15 years of age. )
- Protects children from being hired as workers in whatever
establishment.
LAWS PROTECTING CHILDREN

40.  The Rights of the Child (5 rights ratified during UN
Convention on the rights of a Child)
 Filipino Children: Child 21 (prioritizes Children in
allocation and utilization of resources; protection)
 Republic Act No. 8049 (An Act Regulating Hazing
and other forms of Initiation Rites)
 Republic Act No. 8353 (Anti-Rape Law)
LAWS PROTECTING CHILDREN

41. -THE END-