1 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Childhood Chapter 9 2 Did You Know If current trends continue, nearly 50% of the children in North & South America, 39% in Europe, and 20% in China will be overweight in 2010? The incidence of asthma has been increasing worldwide? Research indicates that playing with Barbie dolls can make girls feel bad about the way they look? Children who believe they can master schoolwork are more likely to do so? Studies support the value of high-quality bilingual education? 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 3 Aspects of Physical Development Growth Weight: Doubles between ages 6-11 Height: About 2-3 inches each year Girls retain more fatty tissue than boys African American boys and girls grow faster than Caucasians 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 4 Nutrition in Middle Childhood Children need about 2400 calories per day Less than 10 percent of calories should come from saturated fat 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 5 Sleep Needs in Middle Childhood Children age 9 need approximately 10 hours a night Should be alert in the daytime 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 6 Brain Development Loss in density of gray matter,or pruning of unused dendrites Increase in white matter, or materials that transmit information Another measurement used is thickness of cortex Patterns of development in prefrontal cortex 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 7 Recess-Time Play Games tend to be informal and spontaneous Boys are more physical Girls tend to favor games with verbal expression (jump rope) Rough-and-tumble play Vigorous play that involves wrestling, kicking, chasing, and screaming Seems to be universal 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 8 Organized Sports Approximately 40% of 9- to 13-year-olds participate in organized athletics To improve motor skills, sports programs should: Offer a variety of sports Coach towards skill building, not winning 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 9 Box 9.1 Do Barbie Dolls Affect Girls Body Images? 99% of 3- to 10-year-olds in the U.S. own at least one Barbie doll. Role models or cultural ideals of beauty? Research suggests age is a factor Effects were greatest in 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 year olds 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 10 Causes of Obesity/Overweight Inherited tendencies Too little exercise Too much of the wrong kinds of foods 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 11 A Serious Concern: Overweight Children Overweight children: o Fall behind peers in physical and social functioning o May have lower health-related quality of life o Tend to suffer emotionally and compensate by indulging themselves with food and treats o Tend to become overweight adults at risk for hypertension, heart disease, orthopedic problems, diabetes and other medical issues 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 12 Prevention and Treatment of Overweight Less time in front of TV and computers Healthier school meals Education to help children make better food choices Regular physical activity Parents should address eating patterns before the child becomes overweight 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 13 Acute Medical Conditions Occasional and short-term Infections Allergies Flu Warts 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 14 Chronic Medical Conditions Stuttering o Regarded as neurological condition o Four times more common in boys as girls Asthma o Chronic respiratory disease o About 12% of children 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 15 Accidental Injuries As children take part in more physical activity and are supervised less, accidents are more common 88 percent of brain injuries could be prevented by using helmets High risks from snowmobiles and trampolines 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 16 Cognitive Advances: Spatial Relationships & Causality Concrete-operational children have a clearer idea of distance from place to place Better use of maps and models 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 17 Cognitive Advances: Number & Mathematics Learn to count on More adept at solving simple story problems Some intuitively understand fractions Able to estimate How much time do I need to walk to school? 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 18 Information Processing Executive functionconscious control of thoughts, emotions and actions Prefrontal cortex develops Processing speed improves Selective attentionability to shut out distractions Working memory increases 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 19 Mnemonics: Strategies for Remembering External memory aids A note pad Rehearsal Repeating a phone number in your head Organization Placing information into categories (animals) Elaboration Imagining items associated with something else 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 20 The IQ Controversy In favor of using IQ tests: Extensive information about validity and reliability Scores from middle childhood are fairly good predictors of school achievement Criticisms of IQ tests: The tests can underestimate children who do not test well The tests do not directly measure native ability, only test current knowledge 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 21 Factors Affecting IQ Scores Brain development Schooling Children whose schooling is delayed scorer lower on IQ tests IQ scores drop during summer vacation Race/ethnicity and SES Leads to claim that the tests are unfair to minorities Genetic arguments? 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 22 Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences IntelligenceField or Occupation Where Used Linguisticwriting, editing, translating Logicalscience, business, medicine Bodilydancing, athletics, surgery Intrapersonalcounseling, psychiatry, spiritual leader Interpersonalteaching, acting, politics 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 23 New Directions in IQ Testing Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC-II) Evaluates cognitive abilities in children with special needs Autism, language disorders Dynamic Tests Emphasize potential, rather than present, achievement 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 24 Language: Vocabulary, Grammar and Syntax Children use increasingly precise verbs Children start to use the passive voice and conditional sentences Syntax structure continues to become more complex 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 25 Second-Language Education English-immersion Children are immersed in English Bilingual education Children are taught in two languages First their native language, then English Two-way or dual-language learning Native English speakers and English-language learners learn together in both languages Research shows that children in bilingual programs outperform those in English only programs on English proficiency Despite these findings public opinion has turned against bilingual programs California, Arizona, and Massachusetts have outlawed bilingual education 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 26 Child in School Worldwide, more children are going to school than ever before With strong instructional and emotional support, first-graders at risk of school failure make progress similar to low-risk peers 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 27 Writing Skills Develop along with reading Early compositions are short Child must keep in mind many restraints: Spelling Punctuation and grammar Capitalization 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 28 Influences on School Achievement Self-efficacy beliefs Gender Parenting practices SES and social capital Educational system & school environment Social Promotion promoting students who do not meet standards Computer and Internet use Culture 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 29 Children with Learning Problems Mental retardation Learning disabilities (LD) Dyslexia Hyperactivity and Attention Deficits (ADHD) Issues of diagnosis, heritability and drug therapies 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 30 Educating Children with Disabilities Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Ensures free, appropriate public education for all children with disabilities Inclusion Programs Integrating disabled and non-disabled children for all or part of day 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 31 Identifying Gifted Children Criterion is high general intelligence IQ score of 130 or higher Tends to exclude: Highly creative children Disadvantaged children Children with specific aptitudes 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 32 Defining and Measuring Creativity Two kinds of thinking: 1. Convergent The kind IQ tests measure Seeks a single answer 2. Divergent (Creativity) Comes up with a wide array of new possibilities Example: Listing unusual uses for a paper clip 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 33 Educating Gifted Children Enrichment Broadens knowledge through classroom activities, research activities, field trips Acceleration Speeds up education through grade skipping, fast-paced classes or advanced classes 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc