Lesson 2.1: Child Development and Learning

Lesson Summary

This introductory lesson emphasizes the importance of parents' impact on foundational skills, child development, and learning.

Key Understandings

Parents understand the four competencies in child development.
Parents identify proven practices for school success.

BEFORE: Engage in Learning

Today we will focus on increasing our understanding of child development and its impact on foundational skills and later learning.

Brain development in the early years

The video discusses the early years of brain development or brain architecture. This is a major part of building a strong developmental foundation.

What does it mean to build a strong foundation?

DURING: Explore new concepts

There are four competencies in child development. Understanding your children better helps you to be a more effective, patient, and tolerant parent. This will allow you to ‘fine-tune’ your parenting approach to meet the needs of your child.

Four Competencies in Child Development

The first competency is Physical Health and Safety. This means that nutrition and exercise promotes health. Allowing your infant to be active gives them the opportunity to explore and try new things, which is early learning.
The second competency is Emotional and Behavior. This means emotional needs are necessary for survival and growth. Children need to get that feeling of warm care that comes through the loving arms of the parents and persons who take care of them
The third competency is Social. Children learn to talk by watching the people around them.
The fourth competency is Cognitive. Cognitive needs begin at birth. Cognitive needs are taken care of by having many kinds of experiences. The more experiences one has, the more he learns.

For more information visit: https://avanceprograms.wixsite.com/componentes

Physical Health and Safety

2. Emotional and Behavior

3. Social

4. Cognitive

AFTER: Extend your learning

Six Conditions for Children Who Did Well in School

Why do some children do well in school?

A researcher, R. H. Dave (1963) found six (6) conditions in the home that contributed to better school performance.
Since then, researchers have studied the impact of environment upon learning and development and have explored the relationships between the availability of resources, as well as a parent’s ability to provide them within the home (Corwyn & Bradley, 2005).

The handout highlights what Dave found in the homes of children who were doing well in school.

Take a few minutes to read and reflect on the six conditions:

What are some ways you can urge your child to do outstanding work?
What are some ways to support your child’s language development at home?
How can you get involved in your child's school?
- What are some opportunities to be involved? Think about activities such as field trips, book fairs, family learning nights, track and field day, etc.

Handout Six Conditions.pdf

Results of R.H. Dave's Study

R.H. Dave concluded that the home environment had a very strong influence on word knowledge (good vocabulary) and reading. His findings suggested that the home has the greatest influence on the language development of the child.
The six conditions he found in the homes of children doing well in school proved that it was not how much parents had, but what they experienced in their environments, that had the strongest influence.

Exit Ticket: Final Reflection

As you listen to the song Magnolia Tree, write down your reflection on the lesson: