This will be our first substantive discussion and it will also serve as a way for us to get to know each other better.
Before posting to this DB forum, please review the key controversies about the major influences and controversies about development that were discussed in the text and the lecture.
Then think about how these influences might apply to your development (or to others in your "everyday" life. Please note, you do not need to discuss any matter that you don't feel comfortable sharing with the class. But at the same time, I'd like you to think about how the ideas in these concepts APPLY to real life.
Questions
Strong "developmentalists" emphasize the importance of "maturation," as essential to the process of learning and development. The concept is described in your Theories Text on (cu
ently) p. 23 describing Gessell's theories- primarily as maturation plays a role in motor development and behavior.
How might maturation influence a child as far as learning to read ? math? language?
Does a child who learns to walk at age 9 months walk "better" than the child who learns to walk at 13 months?
Consider your answer and discuss this in terms of learning to read. The cu
ent emphasis in western culture (and perhaps elsewhere) is on "earlier is better." (Infant toys for 6-9 month old attempt to introduce children to numbers, colors, and letters. What might a strong maturationist say about this?
How might the emphasis on early learning potentially have a negative impact on children's learning (according to strong maturationists?)