some basic facts regarding the principles of growth & development. this slides are made for the classroom presentation.

1. Growth & Development
: Its Principles
Bijoy Krishna Panda
Department of Education, Jadavpur University

2. What is ‘Principle’ ?
 A fundamental, primary or general law or truth from which
others are derived.
What is ‘Growth’ ?
 Growth refers to an increase in some quantity over time.
 The quantity can be physical.
What is ‘Development’ ?
 Development is systematic and orderly change, organisms
experience as they live and either gain or loose abilities.
Change is the inevitable law or phenomena of human being

3. Are Growth & Development two similar process?
 Growth is quantitative change, but development is both qualitative
quantitative and functional change.
 Growth is initial matter where development comes afterward as a
result of growth and maturity. So the sequence may be arranged like :
Growth >> Maturity >> Development
 Growth only creates the ability in the individual but development
helps in make use of that ability.
 Human body ceases to grow after attaining maximum maturity
level, but development continues till the end of life.

4. Principles of Growth & Development
 Continuity
 Development is Cephalocaudle
 Development is Proximodistal
 Locomotion
 Generality to Specificity
 Depend on Maturation & Learning
 Growth is a personal matter

5. Continuity
 From conception to death (Womb to Tomb)
 Leads child to be an adult in respect of body size,
functioning, behaviour.
 Adulthood changes to old age.
 Then comes the death which ends the life cycle.

6. Development is Cephalocaudal
 Describes the direction of growth and
development
 Proceeds from head downward
 Control comes in this order :
HEAD >> ARMS >> LEGS

7. Development is Proximodistal
 This also describes the direction of growth &
development
 The direction is Centre to Outwards
 Spinal cord develops first, then the other
parts of the body
 The sequence is like : ARMS >> HANDS >> FINGERS

8. Locomotion
 It is related to the movement of the body.
 Every species follows a similar pattern.
 Each one has to pass through the stages accordingly.
 This is like : CREEPING >> CRAWLING >> STANDING >>
WALKING >> RUNNING

9. Generality to Specificity
 DEVELOPMENT PROCEEDS FROM GENERAL TO SPECIFIC.
 GROWTH OCCURS TO LARGE MUSCLE MOVEMENTS TO
SMALLER MUSCLE MOVEMENTS.
 THIS RESEMBLES WITH THE WHOLE AND PART. WE FIRST SEE
THE WHOLE THEN COMES THE PARTS.
 INFANT GRASPS THE OBJECT WITH HIS WHOLE HAND BEFORE
USING THUMB OR FOREFINGER.

10. Depends on Maturation & Learning
 MATURATION STANDS FOR BIOLOGICAL GROWTH &
DEVELOPMENT.
 THESE OCCURS IN SEQUENCE.
 PREPARES THE CHILD TO ACCEPT NEW SKILLS AND
PROGRESS ON IT.
 LIKE, A SIX MONTH OLD CHILD CANNOT USE LANGUAGE
AS THE INFANT’S BRAIN HAS NOT YET ATTAINED THAT
MATURITY LABEL TO TALK.

11. Growth & Development are personal matter
 RATE AND AMOUNT OF GROWTH IS NOT SAME FOR ALL.
 THIS IS CAUSED BY BOTH HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT.
 THERE IS NO TWO INDIVIDUAL WHOSE DEVELOPMENT RATE IS
SAME.
 THERE IS NO VALIDITY IN COMPARING ONE CHILD’S
PROGRESS WITH OR AGAINST ANOTHER CHILD.

12. Educational Implications
 The education process or the learning process should be continuous and
life long
 Learners should be introduced to basic concepts preceding elaborated
information.
 Subject matters should be presented in step by step.
 General ideas should be developed in the learners in order to make them
think specifically.
 The knowledge of concrete objects will be helpful to draw abstract ideas.
 Law of readiness must be considered while framing subject topic and
curriculum.
 Diversified learning strategies, course of study and developmental task
should be provided to learners in order to keep pace with their
individualistic developmental context.

13. Thank You