COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
First Semester, AY 2025-2026
HANDOUT
Course Code: Educ 2 Term: 1st Sem, AY 2025-26
Course Title: Basic Concepts of Child Development Prerequisite: Degie M. Pacilan
Stages of Child Development
Course Credit: 3.0 Units Professor: Marijul B. Jovero, MAEd
Why is it important to study about child development?
- For parents to understand their children and for teachers to bring out the best in children, they
should both understand how children develop in order to help nurture them. Children go through
different stages in the course of their childhood and it is important to be able to take care of
them in each of those stages of growing physically, cognitively, or emotionally.
What is Development?
- Development can be defined as "progressive, orderly and continuing changes over time
in a person's physical and neurological structure." In other words development is a series of
age-related changes that happen across the life span People pass through different stages in a
specific order, with each stage buildin up on the other. People also build capacities through
those stages.
Child development specifically focuses on the changes and growth that occur from birth
through adolescence. It encompasses physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and language
development.
Stages of Child development
Stages in child development refers to development of children from birth o the age of 18 years.
Children develop physically, intellectually, socially, emotionally and linguistcally through the
years with different rates of growth for each category.
1. INFANCY (birth to 2 years old-"newborn," "infant," "toddler")- During infancy, the child is
totally dependent on the caregiver for the fulfilmet of his her needs. The child experiences
rapid growth during this period.
2. CHILDHOOD (early childhood"-2 to 8 vears old, and "middle childhood'- 9 to 12 years old)-
At this time, the child refines his/her skills he/she learnedin earlier years, from basic to more
complex skills: he/she also learns new skills. The most rapid period of growth and
development is seen in early childhood
3. ADOLESCENCE (12 to 18 years old) -This stage is marked by puberty (11 to 14 years old)
when a child undergoes a series of changes in the body.
4. ADULTHOOD- This is the period when an individual has reached his/her maturity. This is
usually above 18 years of age
Stages of Play and Social Growth
Play helps children learn social and emotional skills.
Unoccupied Play (birth to 3 months): Babies move randomly and observe.
Solitary Play (birth to 2 years): Children play alone, focused on their own activity.
Onlooker Play (around 2 years): Children watch others play but do not join.
Parallel Play (2 to 3 years): Children play beside others but do not interact.
Associative Play (3 to 4 years): Children play near each other and sometimes interact but
do not coordinate.
Social Play (4 to 5 years): Children play together, interested in both the activity and each
other.
Four Aspects of Language
1. Phonology: The study of speech sounds (phonemes) and how they are organized in a
language.
2. Grammar (Syntax): The rules for combining words into meaningful phrases and sentences.
3. Semantics: The study of the meaning of words and sentences.
4. Pragmatics: The social rules and conventions that govern language use in different
contexts.
Theories of Child Development
Jean Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
- Core Idea: Children actively construct their understanding of the world through stages.
1. Sensorimotor (0-2 years): Learning through senses and actions.
2. Preoperational (2-7 years): Development of symbolic thinking but struggle with logic.
3. Concrete Operational (7-11 years): Logical thinking about concrete events.
4. Formal Operational (12+ years): Abstract and hypothetical thinking.
Lev Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD): the area of understanding that lies just outside
what one knows but is capable of learning.
More Knowledgeable Other (MKO): an individual or entity with a higher level of
knowledge, understanding, or ability in a specific task, process, or concept compared to the
learner (a teacher, parent, peer, mentor, or even a tutor in digital form).
Scaffolding: a process through which an MKO aids a student in their ZPD as necessary
and tapers off this aid as the student gains confidence.
Social Development: Vygotsky believed social learning precedes individual development
and is unique to the individual; in other words, students move from"thinking out loud"
through social interaction to using inner speech to learn.
Sigmund Freud's Psychosexual Theory
- Core Idea: Personality develops through a series of psychosexual stages, each characterized
by a specific erogenous zone.
Stages:
1. Oral (0-18 months): Focus on oral pleasure (sucking, biting).
2. Anal (18 months-3 years): Focus on bowel movements and toilet training.
3. Phallic (3-6 years): Awareness of genitals and differences between sexes.
4. Latency (6 years-puberty): Sexual urges are quiet; focus on social and intellectual skills.
5. Genital (puberty onward): Renewed sexual interest and mature relationships.
Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development
- Core Idea: Personality develops through a series of psychosocial stages, each with a unique
conflict that must be resolved.
Stages:
1. Trust vs. Mistrust (0-1 year): Infants learn to trust caregivers.
2. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (1-3 years): Toddlers develop independence.
3. Initiative vs. Guilt (3-6 years): Children learn to initiate activities.
4. Industry vs. Inferiority (6-12 years): Children develop a sense of competence.
5. Identity vs. Role Confusion (12-18 years): Adolescents explore their identity.
