UNIT #2 BLOG
You have been reading a great deal of information in this section of the course about the infant-toddler's (1) cognitive, (2) language/literacy, (3) social-emotional, and (4) physical development. For each of these developmental areas discuss a research finding that you learned from the course readings or videos that you did not know before about infants and toddlers. Consider too how knowing this information influences your ideas and perspectives on infant-toddler curriculum. How can this information be incorporated into caregiving activities, curriculum, and your teaching practices?
I have learned a lot about the development of infants and toddlers in this course, as this is not in my area of expertise. I have always worked with early elementary-aged children and I have no children of my own. I knew a lot of the developmental theories and such, but there was definitely a lot for me to learn in these chapters. In the chapter on cognitive development, I learned about the value of self-regulation and how this works with young children. In my experience working with elementary-aged children, I definitely see the benefits of children that have self-regulation skills, but I never realized how this was taught in the younger ages. I can see how these skills would carry over into the older years as the skills get refined. The example given in Deiner (2009) is if an infant is waiting for something, you cannot make them wait 5 minutes without support, but you should explain to them what is causing the delay. With support, the child can be expected to wait a minute or two. This begins to teach them about delayed gratification and the need to wait when there is a specific reason to do so. This is important to know, as this is something that needs to be explicitly taught by caregivers and parents. I think that as an early childhood educator, it is important to know and implement learning opportunities for children with these skills.
ReplyDeleteI have taken many courses on language and literacy for early learners, so I actually did not come across any brand new information in these readings. One aspect that I was happy to be reminded of though, was how important language is for all children. It is essential that children are exposed to new and interesting language opportunities as they develop, as these skills build throughout their lives. This is so important because the language skills that children develop as infants and toddlers have an impact on language throughout life. This includes the ability to learn how to read, write, and draw, as these are all forms of language and communication. I find this so important to implement in early care settings, as many parents are unaware of how essential this is for their child’s current and future language development. Many language opportunities should be available in the home and school settings so that children are exposed to rich language.
One aspect of social-emotional development that shocked me was the number of children that are exposed to media. Deiner (2009) states that “70 percent of American children under two watch television on a typical day and spend an average of two hours and five minutes in front of the television” (p. 316). This seems so excessive to me. I think that as early childhood educators, it is important to keep statistics like this in mind so that we can ensure that school and childcare situations include more developmentally appropriate learning experiences for children with very minimal use of media. It can also be helpful for caregivers and teachers to provide parents with suggestions of other activities to engage their children with so that they get less screen time each day.
There were some statistics about physical development that were also very interesting to me. I never realized that by age 2 children tend to already be 50% of their adult height (Deiner, 2009). I also never realized that the height that children are born is not an indication of how tall they will be later in life. This was new information to me and very interesting! This information does not directly impact childcare practice, but I just found this to be a new and interesting fact.
I feel like the social emotional health of children is different from what it was 10 years ago. I would be curious as well to see any new statistics about screen time as well. Having tablets in my classroom was something that I felt strongly about. Now that I have them I use them much less then I expected. I see the children who are very obsessed with using them and not being able to respect time limits without it causing them distress. This makes me feel like they are already getting to much of this at home already.
DeleteAlthough they can be highly motivating for students to use I find them most beneficial to keep communication handy with families as well as take pictures to share with families.
After reading reading the chapter as well as reflecting on your blog post I feel confident in the choice I have made to make technology a minimal part of our day to day. This was a good example about information I learned in class has changed my perspective of what is necessary. Maine's healthy kids movement focus on children not having more then 2 hours of screen time daily. I don't want to be contributing to these miniature more then I need to. What scares me the most is just how young children are being set in front of the T.V.
Hi Emily,
DeleteI know that I also use iPads much less frequently than other teachers. I think that children get so much of this at home that I would much rather expose them to different forms of learning while they are at school. I have found that my students are not upset about this. In other classrooms that use iPads frequently, the children get very worked up about putting them away and often refuse. I am appreciative that they understand that in our classroom iPads are just one tool for learning and not the only tool!
Hi Vicky,
DeleteThe portion of your post which resonated most with me was your discussion of delayed gratification and self-regulation. I feel like most people (including myself until now) are unaware that the process of developing self-regulation is taking place during infancy. I support preschool classrooms which I full of children who are unable to regulate their emotions and impulses. It makes me reflect on what opportunities may have been missed during their younger years. Of course with many, they have experienced trauma which has caused disconnects in their emotional development. To me, this solidifies and validates the need for high quality care. Whether it is at home with the parent or with a caregiver, this is a fact that cannot be ignored. I feel like many of my teachers are teaching children who are academically ready to learn, yet unable to emotionally maintain their inner state to allow the learning to occur. Thank you for sharing this, it was helpful in my reflection!
Tammy-- Your last sentence about having children who are academically ready to learn but they are emotionally unable really resonated with me. This is so true for many students that I come across. It can be so challenging to move these children forward because they aren't emotionally ready/able to do the learning that we are expecting of them.
DeleteVicky, I also found many of the facts very interesting! When I was reading your comments on delayed gratification it made me think back to when I used to work in daycare with infants and toddlers. There were plenty of instances when a child would need to wait before being able to have what they wanted. An instance that came to mind was with feedings. One child would be being bottle fed when another child would want to be fed also. I would tell the infant that as soon as the current child was finished, they would be the next one to get a bottle. Most of the time it seemed as though they understood; however, sometimes the child that was waiting would cry until they had the gratification of receiving their own meal. It is great to keep in mind how important talking to them is! They may not understand right away, but they will develop greater understanding with time if you are consistent with good communication.
DeleteI was sad (but not surprised) at the average of two hours a day of tv for 70 % of 2 year olds. I would be curious to know what the updated statistics are for screen/media usage for children under two for 2018.... with so many iPads, kindles, iPods, tablets and "learning apps" that so many people are so excited about.
ReplyDeleteIn my readings for the course, I found I was familiar with many of the concepts, but perhaps not in as much detail or specific to infants/toddlers. I did a lot of reading when my son was born 17 years ago, so admittedly it was old info & I don't have a photographic long term memory) and I have taken some SPED grad classes focusing on speech and early intervention that focused on 0-5.
ReplyDeleteChapter Vll explored social development, which triggered multiple memories for me. I had always believed society and parents played a huge role in social development- specifically about gender differences. My son was conceived by A.I from an anonymous donor, consequently he had no male role model in the home. I purposely had 'gender neutral' toys, books and wardrobe items. He developed an early fascination with vehicles and at 9 months old began pushing board books around on the floor and making motor sounds. When he could walk and pull a wagon- he had no interest in giving stuffed animals rides and would remove any soft items from the wagon, only to replace them with trucks and trains. For me, my experience with my own son disputes the social learning theory described on page 286, "We think that boys learn to be boys and girls learn to be girls by observing many different models and noticing which behaviors are performed by each sex." (Deiner, 2009) Gender identity and gender roles have become a hot bed of discussion in today's world. How this affects I/T teachers? Stay neutral! Men and women can and DO share careers, hobbies, clothing, hairstyles, etc. But also respect familial preferences for their child; observe and follow their choices.
In my previous readings about emotional development, I don't recall coming across "the four A's": arousal, attention, affect and action (Williamson & Anzalone, 2001)" (Deiner, 2009) but the tenets contained within this theory of behavioral regulation mimics Montessori's belief of preparing the environment and following the child. "Learn how individual infants and toddlers respond to their environment so that you can provide them with a level of sensory input they can manage." (Deiner, 2009) Attention to stimuli and modify program expectations to allow for individual differences is key; giving a slow to wake infant time to wake from sleeping, reducing light and sound stimuli to minimize distraction, providing uninterrupted time for infants and toddlers to explore their environment are all ways to help infants and toddlers regulate their behaviors.
One of my students has limited hearing and vision due to a brain bleed that resulted in literally half of his brain being destroyed. The one eye he relies on for sight is believed to be limited to tunnel vision. The specifics in chapter lV about vision was especially interesting to me. He also suffered physical impairments- left side partial paralysis. Reading this chapter gave me new awe and admiration for the strength of his family- and the resiliency of his spirit. Consistency, kindness and respect are the main ingredients we use in encouraging him to be independent. Again, following parental preferences and asking specific questions to create goals- not just for an IEP, has been integral in his growth in my classroom.
Julie-- I connected most with your statements about social development. I think that it is so important to have all the options for children to play with and be exposed to. In today's world, anyone can have any career and they shouldn't be limited from an early age. I think that this upsets some families because they don't want their little boy playing with dolls, or dressing up. I do feel as though this mainly impacts boys--- I have never heard a parent saying that they do not want their daughter playing outside with cars and trucks. I think that it is important to follow family's preferences, but it is also important to let the child know they can access what is in the classroom, just as all of the other children can.
DeleteJulie, I really enjoyed reading your response! There are many things that can impact a person and the way they develop (such as your example of the student with limited vision). There are also things, such as gender influences, that may or may not impact a person in the 'expected' ways many of us would think of. I remember when I read the quote you have shared about boys learning to be boys, and girls learning to be girls, from viewing the models around them; I felt that in some instances this simply was not true (same as it seemed to be for your son). My brother and I grew up raised by our mother (each of our father's were seldom in the picture), yet he developed 'more masculine' traits and had what would be considered boy-ish hobbies. Like your son, my brother developed these traits and hobbies without a consistent male role model to observe.
DeleteIt was neat to feel a connection from my own upbringing after having read some of Deiner's work (2009) and your response to it. Your piece is well-written; thank you very much for sharing!
I too was interested when reading in Deiner on Gender roles specifically since I knew this was a hot topic in today's current world. I think it is most important for early educators to have a strong grasp on how to remain neutral and provide equal opportunities to explore the world around them with out any biased being placed on things or roles based on sex. It is so very common for family to have strong beliefs about boys wearing pink or girls wanting their hair short just to name a few of the many silly ideas. It shocks me every single time and also puts me in a odd situation when I have to remind fathers that it is wonderful that their son loves to play with dolls and how wonderful it is for every child to display care taking skills. Last year I had a little girl who was struggling to get to school her mom was extremely upset that she didn't want to get dressed in what the mother wished. Come to find out it was due to feeling uncomfortable in girl clothing. It was horribly sad to see something as silly as picking a battle over clothing effect a child's love to school.
ReplyDeleteI love to embrace and celebrate the differences in personality in my students, Deiner also mentioned how much personality can effect the development of language. It is also so true for their drive to learn to walk. My own kids were late talkers and super early walkers! Neither one of having an outgoing and talkative personality now either. I love watching them change and grow.
As I was reading the chapters over the past few weeks I was reminiscing about my first college years and how when I took classes for my Early Childhood degree I LOVED learning and soaking up new information. I was working in the field and I couldn't wait to go back to the daycare and share all my "did you knows!" with anyone who would listen. All the while I kept pockets of this information handy for when I was raising my own babies too. The same thing couldn't be said about the memories I have from taking statistics or public speaking.
ReplyDeleteOne interesting tidbit I took from the chapter on cognitive development was the idea of private speech. "self-talk" Vygotsky saw this as a valuable way to guide yourself though actions. Today in my class I teach the a social skill lesson on the importance of using "self talk" to remember what expectation or to keep ones self focused and motivated. I was shocked to see that some people thought of this as a waste that served little purpose. I LOVE coaching kids to get their self talk going. Having a strong inner voice and using it in positive ways is helpful for me! and I hope all my students too. Thank you Vygotsky!
When reading about language and communication I was shocked to see this fact laid out. "To be successful readers, children need to acquire two new word meanings a day from the time of their first birthday. For them to do this you must plan language learning experiences for each day." (Deiner, 2009) Also in the chapter I was compelled to think over the idea of learning to use speech and language to communicate can be debated as nature vs. nurture.
I had never thought deeply about what a "language learning experience" is. To think of the missed opportunities some children have to just converse with an adult. It made me think deeply about quality of care and also just parent education. I love that the Doctors office gives out books at every appointment, I wish they could give families examples of more or extra language learning experiences for their one year old. To some of us it is common sense but for others they may need to be told just how much their future and literacy success could benefit from some minor enrichment at a young age.
Hi Emily, I love your comments about self-talk. I think that this is so important for gaining self-regulation skills. Children need to know how to work through issues and remind themselves of routines and expectations. Self-talk is one way of going about this. I have found that so many of my students have not come to me with these skills. It is so necessary to teach these skills to children so that they can be independent and know how to take care of certain tasks and skills on their own. It can be so hard to fit this into the curriculum in school, but it is also too important not to!
DeleteHi Emily,
DeleteI also take interest in the language learning experience. It is amazing that simply narrating and engaging during care-giving routines, can have such a profound impact on language development. I also agree with your suggestion regarding how we can support parents to understand that there is more to interacting than reading (not to negate reading as important). The daily interactions and rich vocabulary that our littlest ones are exposed to has the greatest impact on closing the achievement gap in later years. Thanks for sharing your insights!
1. Cognitive Development: After watching the clip of The Social Womb (Lally, 2014). I was reminded that infants are born with all the tools they need to take in information and learn. How we prepare the environment and their experiences they have are critical to the foundation of their cognitive development. Lally describes an infants cognitive development as, too eventful to leave to chance. That really stood out to me. As we look at policy change and building a stable future for infants, we must understand the first 3 years of development. This informative video was a great capture of how this research based information can be shared to educate others.
ReplyDeleteThis has a huge influence on how we plan experiences and environments for infants and how we support parents to provide the same at home. Seeing infants as participatory and capable allows us to look at their current development and plan for next steps.
2. Language Development: What stood out most after reading about the Program for Infant and Toddler Care (PITC), was the importance of daily care giving routines in an infant's development of language. Lally & Mangione share that learning occurs during the consistent routines. The infant begins to predict what will come next, and start to develop self-regulation. These routines provide opportunities for the teacher to talk with the infant. Through the use of narration and self-talk of the steps occurring during the routine, the infant is engaged in a conversation; fostering language development throughout the day(Lally & Mangione, 2013).
This would have a major influence on the planning of a child's day. As a teacher or parent, you could look at these predictable routines and find ways to engage and stimulate the child. Through language modeling, reciprocity, etc. The opportunities to use these predictable times are endless. I could see this having an impact on enriching the interactions.
3. Social/Emotional Development: Again, what stood out most to me, is the infant's ability to engage and interact from the minute they enter the world! I know this to be true, but I am seeing it differently as I look deeper into the research. Lally & Mangione share in Chapter 2, an emphasis must be placed on achieving relationship stability and emotional connection for each child and family. The purpose of the PITC policies were to help each child become emotionally secure in care, which serves as the foundation for enhancing the child's learning, development and overall well-being. (Lally & Mangione, 2013). This stuck with me as I appreciated how they honored the emotion security as the foundation upon which all other learning occurs.
This would influence the planning of experiences for infants. It would be necessary to honor the child's emotional state and individualize what experiences would be most beneficial for that child. In my preschool experience, the same is true.
4. Physical Development: Deiner describes the role of the caregiver, as the motivator of physical development for infants and toddler. This spoke to me as I appreciated how it was written. Often times as teachers, we plan activities or experiences that we like, rather than focusing on the child. If you ask yourself, what will motivate this child to develop physically? Your planning will be child based and appropriate for the individual. This would allow for the supportive fostering of motor skills. The infant must have the environment brought to them. For mobile infants it shifts to planning the setting for success. (Deiner, 2009). I could see this having a positive influence on planning and sharing with families.
Tammie, I enjoyed reading your response. It is truly amazing what an infant can do! They are born equipped with tools, and we as caregivers provide them with opportunities to use those tools. What stood out to me most in your response was about daily routines. Children, even as young as infants and toddlers, do tend to pick up on trends. Having a consistent daily routine helps them to develop an understanding for what comes next in their day. Verbalizing what comes next is a great idea to help them understand words and what will be going on around them.
DeleteTammie- I really appreciated your comment about making the learning child-based. This is so important for us to focus on the child, what they need, and where they are. It can be so challenging in education to do this when there are various expectations all around us. I have found this to be especially true in my work as a first grade teacher. We are focusing the learning experiences on what we need them to learn, rather than their interests. There needs to be a change, where we meet children where they are at and where their interests lay.
DeleteThere have been many great sections of reading so far in this course! I have racked my brain around different concepts and ideas from the texts, and have reflected on various experiences I have had in connection to what I have read. It amazes me how good quality childcare sounds like it would be simple to provide, yet there is so much information to take into account when working with children. The Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) seeks to ensure that America’s infants get a safe, healthy, emotionally secure, and intellectually rich start in life (Lally & Mangione, 2013). This quote really spoke to me! Having a safe, healthy, emotionally secure, and intellectually rich learning environment is essential to good quality care and for any classroom.
ReplyDelete1) Cognitive Development: Deiner (2009) points out the importance of preparing the environment for learning and enabling infants and toddlers to have experiences that will set the foundation for their cognitive growth. The State of Maine Guidelines for Learning and Development (2005) also provide examples of setting the tone of the environment to provide young learners with the right amount of stimuli. I recall seeing a segment that had information about leaving 20-50% of your classroom wall space empty to keep it from being overstimulating. I cannot find the source location now that I wanted to include it. However, the room set-up should reflect important things for the children to view. There should not be an abundance of décor just for the sake of having it decorated. I have been trying hard to have my own classroom be a clean, welcoming area that provides just the right amount of stimuli. This can be a challenge to find the right balance.
2) Language/Literacy Development: Lally & Mangione (2013) discuss how high quality childcare impacts infants’ and toddlers’ language development and prepares them for future learning. Cowen & Ewen (2008) are cited in Lally & Mangione’s work (2013) saying “Studies that examine children’s development over time have shown that higher quality child care is a predictor of improvement in children’s receptive language and functional communication skills, verbal IQ skills, cognitive skills, behavioral skills, and attainment of higher math and receptive language scores—all of which impact later school success”. Talking to an infant or toddler provides them with new words, helps them gain new understanding, and aids them in their growth. I was aware that talking to children and reading to them were especially beneficial in helping them learn to read. I was not aware that conversations would heighten their math performance as well. It makes sense that the more they feel connected to a person, and have greater understanding of words, that they will be more apt to perform well academically and behaviorally. I have seen instances (in regards to behavior) where a child struggles to express themselves and then becomes angered and demonstrates ‘undesirable’ behaviors due to being unable to form the words they wanted to express. Talking and reading with them at a young age helps them to make more sense of their environment and be more equipped to respond to the things around them.
**Continued in comments**
3) Social/Emotional Development: Developing relationships and making the child feel secure in their environment is essential for their social/emotional well-being. To teach infants and toddlers we have to know them—really know them. We need to know where they are developmentally, but we also need to know what upsets them and what comforts them, how they go to sleep and what they like when they wake up, what they like to play with and how to play with them (Deiner, 2009). I absolutely love this quote from Deiner! It is true that we need to get to know a child and their needs in order to provide them with appropriate goals for their development and learning. It made me think about my own students and how much I know about them. I teach grades Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st, so some of my students I have taught before while others are new to me this school year. Some of my students I already know a lot about due to having had a longer relationship. Others I am still working to build a better relationship with. No matter their age, they all need someone they can confide in, someone to comfort them, someone to engage them, and someone to provide them with tools, materials, and the right environment to aid in meeting their goals.
ReplyDelete4) Physical Development: When I think about physical development, I think of gross motor and fine motor activities. Deiner expresses that it encompasses physical growth and movement, along with sensory and motor development. Experience is the architect that determines how blueprints are turned into reality. Brain development is an interplay between the genes the child was born with and the experiences he has. These early experiences shape not only the child’s behavior but the child’s brain itself (Deiner, 2009). We as caregivers and educators are responsible for providing children with opportunities they need to grow their mind and develop their bodily strengths and abilities. In this section of the readings, I kept making connections to my own students. I strive to provide each of them with opportunities to develop essential skills and to grow in specific areas (depending on their current needs).
The information in our readings (while written in regards to infants and toddlers) has given me insight into behaviors and had me thinking about the current levels of academic progress for the students in my classroom. Even though my current students are between the ages of four and seven, areas of development still apply. I have been working on observing my own students more so that I can see where they need to grow, and be better able to aid them in developing greater skills.
Ashley-- I agree that although this content is focused on infants and toddlers, it has given me insight into my own current first grade students. It has made me think about how I am teaching them, but also where they have come from. It is evident the impact that low-quality childcare settings have on children. It is sad that there is such a struggle for some families to have access to high-quality care. This has also made me reflect on how although some children have access to high-quality care, the quality of care that they receive at home also plays a huge role. Children need all-around high-quality care!
DeleteVicky, I completely agree with your comment of children needing all-around high-quality care! It is sad to see some of the struggles children have in their learning due to low-quality care, whether it had been in a childcare setting or in their own home. I have a few students with specific circumstances in their day to day life that hinders their ability to grow in their learning. It is good to recognize those things, so that we can try to provide them with a caring environment that will help them in their education. The readings in this class have influenced me to do a lot of reflecting in my classroom, and build upon ways that I can better help my students.
DeleteTammie I always love to think that I am big believer in emergent learning and following the child's lead. I hadn't ever thought about how different that looks for the I/T age. I also think I sometimes focus so much on the what the children are into to brainstorm a theme/craft. I forget how important it is to make inviting areas and opportunities in the environment and let learning happen. I think the key word is "motivate" or even inspire their learning and promote their physical motor development. When I was reading what you had mentioned from the Denier reading about shifting the setting for success.This was something that also stood out to me, a much needed reminder. It reminded me so much the the I/T playgroup space in Farmington. The room was filled with pockets of inviting areas. Each one had something to offer, sensory, a long step for cruisers, crinkly pit for sitters. It inspired me to think more about setting up my space rather then planning formal activities. Even as an adult I was drawn into the checking out the spaces!
ReplyDeleteCognitive Development-
ReplyDeleteI was fascinated over the differences between Piaget and Vygotsky as described in the textbook (Deiner, 2009). Piaget explored the process of how children think and argued that infants are active participants in their own development. He believed children not just that children learn by solving problems, but that they can understand problems in a different way than adults (p. 190). Vygotsky believed that a child's environment determined their cognitive development, and that language development followed interactions with adults (p. 205). I also found it interesting that the author noted that Vygotsky's theory was a little narrower, as he died at age 37 (p. 202). I just wonder what he would have thought of the current field of neuroscience; would Vygotsky have been more or less convinced that infants' language development depends on their cultural context?
Physical Development-
ReplyDeleteEverything in Chapter 4 in Deiner (2009) was new to me. That Infant/Toddler brains allow one part to take over a function of another if damaged (p. 140) is scientific proof that children are resilient. Children the age of 3 have twice as many synapses as needed, creating room to learn (p. 142) is also so interesting. I also enjoyed reading the principles of motor development, especially the Table of Principles of Motor Development (p. 149); infants first gain control horizontally, then vertically, this seems so simple, but important to know when working with infants and toddlers.
When reading about social development I was interested most in the topics that I felt were very relevant to what I am seeing in my daily work with Pre-K students. Most everything was relevant and most of it review.One area that was a hot topic for me to come across was separation anxiety. This year was the first year EVER that we struggled with many difficulty with separations and transitioning from adults to teachers at school. The first day of school was a nightmare. All the teachers met the buses out front of the school to meet the children, there were families all over and I have two children run away, in opposite directions. The fight of flight reaction was extreme for these two. There were tears and planned drop off plans for weeks into the school year. I am happy to say that has greatly improved and this seems to be a fluke since we never had had an issues like this before. Two students who were very young ended up making the decision to wait a year before coming to public school.
ReplyDeleteThese children were experiencing separation anxiety. All the children were nervous the first weeks of school, some were coping with it very well and others were experiencing lasting effects. I didn't realize that for it to be considered separation anxiety disorder it has to be something that is lasting at least 4 weeks. In Chapter 7 Denier talks about how the anxiety can become so extreme for these children that they become physically ill or feel the stress so much that they do not sleep or have nightmares. This broke my heart to read, I know how painful anxiety can be and any young child who is experiencing this must be so scary and confusing.
As I read about attachment I was reminded about how different these forms of attachment can look. So many behaviors can be linked to weather or not a child has healthy attachments. Thinking of today's mental health crisis I was terrified to read what Denier (2009) had to say about the crucial role of healthy attachments. Young children expect adults to respond to them and their needs. When mental health is in play children may be scared of unpredictable reactions and also parents may not be responding to the child's ques that they need comfort or care. Denier describe secure attachment as the blueprint for all other relationships including peer relationships.
Both Attachment and separation anxiety were topics from this chapter that I feel I would benefit from knowing more about. I wish I could create something to help families better understand how they can help as well as educate teachers.
When reading the chapter on physical development a few new connections were made. I was worried when taking this class that it wouldn't apply to what I do daily. But everything I read is so amazing to back track and think about the foundation of all these skills. The thought was Kinesthetic perception was very interesting to think more about the bodies wiring. The human body is constantly trying to interpret feedback from the systems. The feed back can have a purpose to protect or to discriminate. The connections I made were about children who were not applying the right amount of pressure to toys or writing tools. This is something I see daily. They are not aware of their body entirely and they are still learning how much pressure to apply. I learned a fun new word for it " proprioceptive feedback". I also learned that this is the same internal system that tells the body when it is full. I think back to a child in my class who was REALLY struggling with many areas of of this physical development. They child often overfilled his mouth, fell down, and really struggled with writing tools. After reading this chapter I felt like I had an "ah-ha" moment. Maybe his wiring was off and he wasn't able to interpret all the different sensations his body was receiving.
ReplyDeleteAnother really interesting thing I learned during this chapter was about the effects of hearing loss during the I/T years. I learned the different kinds as well as the caused and effects it can have. I was highly interested in learning more about conductive hearing loss since my son has had many ear infections and we are returning to the audiologist for the second time. Denier (2009) states that build up of wax or fluid in the ear is very common in children. The issues with hearing is often missed due to the problem being intermittent between colds and illnesses. Sometimes issues within the ear exists without any signs of illness and can be linked to learning disabilities.