SAN JOSE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

SAN JOSE, MALILIPOT, ALBAY

Subject: PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION 1 (Child and Adolescent Learners and

Learning Principles)
Units: 3
Instructor: MARITES C. BASILLA
MODULE 2
(Week 3-5)
Unit 2- BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
OBJECTIVES:
This module aims to:
1. Identify the physical and motor development in childhood and adolescence.
2. Give the factors affecting biological/physical development.
3. Make a concept map illustrating the concepts on physical/biological development of
different stages.
INTRODUCTION
Psychology accepts that no mam came into this world with a fully developed
physique and set of abilities. As man grows he undergoes different stages of
development whose outcome is continuously changing organism interacting with a
continuously changing environment.
Life is a constant change and growth is among the greatest and most exciting. It
is an extraordinarily complicated process in living organisms. The mechanisms of
growth in inanimate objects are simple accretion, while living organisms grow by
metabolism, from within. In addition to increase in size, organic growth involves
differentiation and change in form.
Physical changes in height and weight happen at a comparatively slower rate in
the preschool years than in infancy. Normally a child adds about 2 to 3 inches in
height and about 6 pounds in weight yearly. Alongside with the physical changes are
the changes in motor development. More than the ability to walk the child is also able
to acquire skills and begin to explore as part of his acquired independence.
PRELIMINARY ACTIVITY:
Look closely at the changes in the sizes of the human body parts as a person grow

Please Answer:

1. What do you notice about the size

of the head in relation to the other
parts of the body as a person grows
older?

2. Doe physical development begin

from the top or below? From the
side to the center?

Explain your answer.

I. Physical and Motor Development
A. Infancy and Toddlerhood

Overall growth is clearly in height and weight measures. While there is no indication that height
is correlated with professional accomplishments, life insurance statistics have established a positive
correlation although there is no direct evidence pointing to tall people becoming brighter, creative, and
superior to shorter people.
Growth is manifested at the earliest stage, usually following a cephalocaudal trend in
lengthening of the neck and torso, followed by the legs. Brain and neck develop earlier than legs and
trunks, following the proximodistal pattern, development occurs from the center outward: Example, the
internal organs develop earlier than the arms and hands.
According to Tanner (1990 as cited by Hetherington, et. Al.,2006) genetic factors strongly
influence physical characteristics. However, growth is not seen as influenced only by genetic factors but
also by nutrition, physical and psychological disorders and even climate. When placed under the same
environmental condition, individual growth curves tend to assume similarities. It is when placed with
unfavorable conditions, lie inadequate nutrition, that growth rates become depressed seriously (Pollit,
1994).
It is between ages 6 and 12 that children grow 2 to 3 inches high and add 6 pounds each year. At
this stage, large muscles are coordinated and they acquire more skills hand-rendering them able to
engage in activities requiring motor coordination added strength and speed like bike riding. It is also
during this stage that children acquire hand-eye coordination. With the hand-eye coordination they are
able to engage in activities involving vision with body movements such as shooting a basketball or
playing the piano or violin.

Among school-aged children, this development is seen in the fine motor coordination as
exemplified in writing, drawing, cutting and other related school tasks. The uses of the hands are made
possible by the so-called maturation of the wrists which is an earlier occurrence among girls than boys
(Tanner, 1990 as cited by Bee and Boyd, 2002).

Motor development improves with age. Such motor skills involve large muscle movements along
with fine motor skills, controlled by small muscles. Example of fine motor skills are in-hands
manipulation and bi-manual coordination. There are however few sex differences that are noted in the
pre-school years.

Reflexes:

 Sucking reflex- The sucking reflex is initiated when something touches the roof of an infant’s
mouth.

 Rooting reflex- Most evident when an infant’s cheek is stroked. The baby responds by turning
his/her head in the direction of the touch and opening their mouth for feeding.

 Gripping Reflex- Babies will grasp anything that is placed in their palm. The strength of this grip
is strong, and most babies can support their entire weight in their grip.

 Curling Reflex- When the inner sole of a baby’s foot is stroked, the infant respond by curling his
or her toes.
  Startle/Moro Reflex- Infants will respond to sudden sounds or movements by throwing their
arms and legs out, and throwing their heads back.

 Galant Reflex- Shown when an infant’s middle or lower back is stroked next to the spinal cord.
The baby will respond by curving his or her body toward the side which is being stroked.

 Tonic/Neck Reflex- Demonstrated in infants who are placed on their abdomens. Whichever side
the child’s head is facing, the limbs on that side will straighten while the opposite limbs will curl.

B. Early Childhood (The Pre schooler)

BIG IDEAS ABOUT THE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOLERS

1. There are significant changes in physical growth of preschoolers.

Physical growth increases in the preschool years, although it is much slower in pace than in
infancy and toddlerhood. At around 3 years of age, preschoolers move, from the remaining baby like
features of the toddler toward a more slender appearance of a child.

2. The preschoolers’ physical development is marked by the acquisition of gross and fine moor skills.

Gross Motor Development refers to acquiring skills that involve the large muscles. This is
categorized into three:

a. Locomotor skills- involve going from one place to another like walking, climbing skipping etc.

b. Non-locomotor- are those were the child stays in place, like bending, stretching etc.

c. Manipulative Skills- are those that involve projecting and receiving objects like throwing,
striking, bouncing etc.

Fine Motor Development- refers to acquiring the ability to use the smaller muscles in the arm,
hands and fingers purposefully. Examples picking, squeezing, pounding and opening things.

3. Preschoolers can express themselves artistically at a very early age. Stages of Drawing in Early
Childhood according to Viktor Lowenfeld:

Stage 1. Scribbling age. This stage begins with large zig-zag lines which later become circular
markngs.

Stage 2. Preschematic Stage. May already include early representations. At this point adullts
may be able to recognize the drawings. Children at this stage tend to give the same names to their
drawings several times.

Stage 3. Schematic Stage. More elaborate scenes are depicted. Children usually draw from
experience and exposure. Drawings may include houses, trees, the sun and the sky and people.

4. Proper nutrition and the right amount of sleep are very important for the preschoolers.

5. Caregivers and teachers can do a lot in maximizing the growth and development of preschoolers.
6. Preschoolers with special needs in inclusive classrooms can thrive well with the appropriate
adaptations made in the classroom, materials and activities.

C. Middle Childhood (The Primary Schooler)

Physical Growth during the primary school years is slow but steady. During this stage, physical
development involves: 1. Having good muscle control and coordination(2) developing eye-hand
coordination (3) having good personal hygiene and (4) being aware of good safety habits.

In this developmental stage, children will have started their elementary grades, specifically their
primary years. These children are extremely active. Because most of the activities in traditional schools
are sedentary, they often release their unusual amount of energy in some forms of nervous habits
including fidgeting, nail biting and pencil chewing.

Here are some Motor Milestones of Primary School-Age Children:

FINE MOTOR SKILLS GROSS MOTOR SKILLS

 Zip zippers and lace shoes  Hop

 Able to learn piano or violin  Skip on alternating feet

 Control pencil with the finger and thumb.  Jump rope

Movement comes from the elbow.
 Walk on a balance beam
Write and draw with more control, but writing
looks choppy and uneven. Letters are getting  Throwing, catching, and kicking become
smaller. Uppercase letters are somewhat smoother
mastered, but lowercase letters continue to be
challenging through 3rd grade, especially letters  Begin to participate in organized games
with slants and curves. and sports.

 Skate, ski, bike and other specialized skills

with training.

D. Late Childhood (The Intermediate Schooler)

Late childhood is generally defined as ages 9 through 12, Others may call this stage as preteens.
Physical changes during this stage is fairly unpredictable among children in this group. The steady and
gradual changes happening in children at this stage, especially with their increasing familiarity with
school work and other possible activities provide them with greater opportunity to develop their motor
skill functioning

Children in their late childhood stage are always seem to be in a hurry-they get so busy with
their school work, interacting with their friends, exploring other possible activities, but this period of
physical development seems to take on a leisurely pace.
 Here are some changes that may happen to both girls and boys during early puberty.

GIRLS BOYS

Breast  Small lumps from behind the  May also have swelling on
nipple may occur, which their chest but tends to go
sometime could be painful but away within a year or two.
eventually, the pain goes away.

 It is normal for one breast to

develop more slowly than the
other.

Genitals  The vulva starts in increase a  Subtle increase in testicles size

bit.
 Penis and scrotum start to
 The vagina gets longer grow

 The uterus gets bigger.  Semen may be released when

he is awake or even during
sleep.

Hair Growth  Hair will start to grow in the  Hair will start to grow and
armpits and pubic areas. become thicker

 New hair will also grow in the

armpits and pubic area
around the genitals.

 May start developing chest

and facial hair.

E. Adolescence (The High School Learners)

Adolescence is a stage of human development that coincides with puberty, a biological

development occurring at the average age of 11 for girls and 12 for boys. There are factors, however,
which contribute to early puberty and delayed puberty. These factors include heredity, diet, exercise
and socio-environmental influence.

This is a period of transition in terms of physical, cognitive and socio-emotional changes. The
period of adolescence begins with the biological changes of puberty. The specific ages for this period
vary from person to person but (i) early adolescence characterized by puberty may come at the ages of
11 and 12 (ii) middle adolescence may meet identity issues within age of 14 and 16 (iii) late adolescence
marks the transition into adulthood at ages 17 and 20.
 Puberty brings about the physical differences that differentiate females and males. For instance
in the reproductive system itself. We see in females the growth of the ovaries and in males, that of the
testes. These constitutes primary sex characteristics.

The secondary changes include the growth of pubic hair, the development of the breasts in
females and growth of facial hair in males.

The principal sign however of sexual maturation in boys is the sperm in the uterine. Boys
become fertile as soon as sperm is present in the urine.

Spermache- is the first ejaculation of semen containing ejaculate for the males.

Menarche- is the beginning of the menstrual cycle for the female. Actually, menstruation which
is the shedding of tissue from the lining of the womb is the most dramatic sign of sexual maturation for
girls.