62 Unit 2 The Learner
Stacy has invited fi ve girls from her kindergarten class to her sixth
birthday party. In the past, she always invited her cousin, Jake, to her
birthday party, but now she only plays with girls at school. The girls play
games Stacy’s parents planned, and Stacy opens presents, including the
newest fashion doll, a soccer ball, nail polish, and books.
On the same day, Becca is celebrating her thirteenth birthday. A couple
of her girlfriends come for pizza and a sleepover. They stay up until the
early morning hours laughing, listening to music, and talking. Their talk
centers on boys, sports, and the upcoming dance at school. There are no
games, and Becca’s friends give her gift certifi cates.
six-year-old is very different from a 13-year-old. Both are differ-
ent from an infant or an adult. Why? Life is a process of growth
and development. Growth refers to physical changes in size,
such as gains in height and weight. Most growth occurs during the fi rst
20 years of life. Development is related. It is the gradual increase in skills
and abilities that occurs over a lifetime. While each person progresses
in an individual way, the stages of development are similar for almost
everyone. Babies learn to walk, talk, and feed themselves. Children learn
to jump, tell a joke, and spell. Human development occurs throughout
the lifespan.
Areas of Development
There are four main types of development. These are physical, cognitive
(or intellectual), social, and emotional. Social and emotional development
are intertwined, and they are often referred to together as social-emotional
development. During each stage of life, a person’s physical, cognitive, and
social-emotional development can be identifi ed.
Physical Development
The rapid physical growth of the fi rst years of life is matched by amaz-
ing strides in physical development. Physical development is advances in
physical abilities. A newborn cannot change position, but a two-year-old
can run. Many individual developmental steps make this change possible.
Random movements of the newborn’s legs and arms add strength. The
infant eventually becomes strong enough to roll over. Crawling follows.
Next, the baby learns to stand upright and fi nally takes a few steps. It takes
months of walking practice for steadiness and coordination to improve,
then running is possible.
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