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An introduction to child development - Coggle Diagram
An introduction to child development
Patterns of development
Key terms
Almost all children follow the same
sequence
of development
The
rate
of development can vary from child to child or for individual children, who may develop more quickly in some areas than others
In any group of children of the same age some will be at the typical stage of development but some will exceed or fall below this
Chronological stages. e.g.
Infancy (4 weeks to 2 years)
Early childhood (2-6 years)
Neonatal (birth to 4 weeks
Middle childhood (6-12 years)
Late childhood and adolescence (12-18 years)
Prenatal (conception to birth)
Developmental areas
Social, emotional and behavioural skills
Speech, language and communication
Perceptual or sensory development
Cognitive (or intellectual) development
Muscle (or motor) control
Developmental milestones
Most children reach milestones at about the same age
Milestones reflect what the 'average child' can do. Some children reach milestones earlier or later than others
These are key developmental skills used to monitor development.
If a child's performance in any key developmental area is considerably different from that expected for their age there could be an underlying developmental issue
Atypical development can be
Disordered - There are some changes to the typical order of development in one or more areas
Spiky - Development is typical in some areas and delayed in others
Delayed - Children reach developmental milestones in the same order as others but their progress is delayed
Ways of monitoring development
Checklists and 'red flags'
Checklists are used to monitor development and to check if pupils are reaching developmental milestones
'Red flags' are early indicators of a potential difficulty or disability
Early intervention can help lessen or overcome developmental issues
Observation
Observations by TAs can help build a more complete picture of a child's development
Observing pupils over a period of time and in different situations will help build a more accurate picture of their strengths and needs
Can be formal or informal
Formal
observations have a specific focus and are used to support the assessment of development and progress for particular purposes, e.g. annual reviews or diagnoses
Informal
observation is part of everyday practice. Over time, small observations build a picture of pupils development and progress.
Standard measurements
Standardised measures are used by health professionals to monitor children's physical development
Standardised tests are used by teachers and other education professionals to monitor development and progress in e.g. reading, verbal reasoning
Information from parents. guardians, other professionals or pupils themselves can....
Help build a more complete picture of pupils' developmental needs
Inform a collaborative approach to meeting those needs
Some schools invite TAs to key meetings to help provide a full picture of a pupil's learning journey and future needs