Child Development Theories and Their Impact on Learning

This article discusses the impact of child development theories on learning and education. It covers social learning theory, behavioral theory, parental influence, communication and language, and more. The article emphasizes the importance of nurturing self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-regulation in children for their overall development.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Table of Contents
Psychology.................................................................................................................................1
Name of the Student:..................................................................................................................1
Name of the University:.............................................................................................................1
Author Note:...............................................................................................................................1
Introduction................................................................................................................................4
Discussion..................................................................................................................................4
Social Learning Theory..........................................................................................................4
Behavioral Theory..................................................................................................................4
Role of self-efficacy...............................................................................................................5
Parental Influence on Cognitive Development.....................................................................6
Communication and Language..............................................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
Appendices.................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
There are a number of theories for a comprehensible understanding of child development and
how children mature and change over time. Some of the approaches like constructivism and
behaviorism are developed to understand the complex process behind absorbing, processing
and conceptualizing using cognitive abilities is essential.
Discussion
Social Learning Theory
Social learning theory revolves round the learning that takes place within the social
context. The main principles of social learning theory states that people learn and grow as
they observe their surrounding environment, that is by the phenomenon of observation.
However the theory states that learning may or may not be apparent in the learners’ behavior
(Barac et al. 2014). In the whole process however, the learners’ cognitive abilities which help
in the acquiring and processing of knowledge through a complex network (See Task 4). In
Bandura’s theory, the social learning process is enhanced by the observation of behaviors,
attitudes and emotional reaction of the people populating the learners’ environment (See Task
10). According to this theory human interaction and reciprocity influences the learning
process, it is therefore that the social process of learning through interaction individual learns
to participate in community (Barac et al. 2014).
Behavioral Theory
Behavior is esteemed as a standard measure used for learning, experiencing responses
in any situation (Whitehurst and Zimmerman 2014). According to this theory, in a society,
children are surrounded by many figures that play an influential role in their growing up, for
instance their friends, family or caregiver. Therefore the children are in a position to imitate

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behavior according to the accepted standard of behavior by the society. Children will learn
more about emotional self-efficacy without which he child is incapable of forming new ideas,
develop personal relationships, achieve academic excellence as well as maintaining an overall
well-being (Whitehurst and Zimmerman 2014). Parental influence plays a important role in
developing children’s efficacy. If the parents and teachers are more responsive towards the
ward, the children will develop a better self efficacy, because the infant begins to experience
a sense of self-importance with the surrounding environment (Resnick 2017).
Role of self-efficacy
Self-efficacy and its development can get impaired in a child if they sense a feeling of
differentiation from the people surrounding (See Task 8). Therefore parental and educational
importance are essential for the development of social and emotional self-efficacy that would
promote an all round development of psychological and physical well-being within a child.
This would lead to a complete development within the child eliminating lack of self-
confidence, social phobia or lack of self-motivation. Furthermore, the behavior which the
child is producing will either insinuate punishment or reward. The child will continue to keep
on repeating the behavior that had been rewarding (Resnick 2017). Secondly, since the child
will learn based on what is happening as a consequence to the other person in respect to that
behavior, it will impact on the child’s learning process. At this juncture the child gets
motivation from the person he/she is imitating which implies that the child will absorb the
other person’s values, beliefs and attitudes. Social learning theory in a nutshell implies that a
person tends to execute the behavior if there is a feeling of gratification and reward. As
human inherently belong to one particular community or the other, individuals are bound to
learn through their social interactions. Education has a positive influence on cognitive
development within children.

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The behaviorism theory proposed by John Watson elaborated how speech and
emotional responses was a product of stimulus and response. According to Watson the basic
differences amongst individual behavior is basically a product of their educational
background. The development takes place at cognitive level, physical and emotional level
when the child develops his/her self-esteem, creative faculties, brain and perception. In case
of parental influence the child learns through the parents’ attitudes and beliefs which have a
powerful impact on the child’s socio-emotional and cognitive development ((Knapp, Gottlieb
and Handelsman 2017).
Parental Influence on Cognitive Development
The influence of educators is paramount in emotional and social development,
however, the extent of impact that individual teachers have on a child may vary. With
understanding cognitive development in a child the teacher’s role in his/her emotional
development is also quite apparent. In the learning and development process is understood in
a comprehensible manner with the framework of development theories since the development
process in human beings is essentially a complex process. Moreover, there is no single theory
that justifies the developmental process. However with the lucid reading of cognitive
development process one can come in terms with the processing of taking in information and
forming a complete understanding that a child develops with time. Jean Piaget’s adaptation
theory takes onto account the stages of assimilation, accommodation, adaptation and
equilibrium according to Jean Piaget these four stages complete one’s understanding of the
world as well as their surrounding environment (Lefa et al. 2014).
Communication and Language
Communication is an essential aspect of child learning and development and it has
been proved that children with communicational difficulties are more prone to behavioral
difficulties. Communication also facilitates the absorption of values, norms and cultural

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beliefs that the children acquire from their parents (Krampe, Hestermann and Meijer 2017).
This has a larger role to play in influencing their behaviors (See Task 11). Children should
therefore be equipped with more than one language which will not only enhance their
communication skills but also enable them at multi-tasking since it has been proved that
bilinguals are more capable of focusing on more than one task and complete in a coherent
manner (Paap, Johnson and Sawi 2015). Cognitive development accelerates itself as children
are trained in more than one language from an early period. With language proficiency one
can expect in children advanced level of concept formation, creativity and innovation,
association of symbol with real life objects, analogical reasoning and development of logic
and rationale (Krampe, Hestermann and Meijer 2017).
Conclusion
Therefore from the above discussion it can be concluded that to achieve an all-
inclusive development in child, he/she should be placed under good parental, educational and
societal influence that would promote their mental well-being. They would only learn to
communicate and interact better if only they are placed in a social surrounding and given the
benefits of care and responsiveness. Children should also be left to use their observational
powers and engaged in social activities to expand their scope of learning and development of
personal attributes.

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Appendices
Task 2
Summary of Skills Audit
Interpersonal Characteristics
Strengths:
Creativity and Inventive skills: I have been always innovatively inclined towards things
which give me a whole new perception about the reality around me. It has always helped me
in gaining innovative strategies whenever required.
Adaptability skills: I have always been keen in adapting to new surroundings around me as
well as develop extensive cope up methods.
Leadership skills: I have always managed to showcase strong leadership skills with effective
group management and executing plans and ideas for the best interest of the group.
Weaknesses
Communication Skills: My verbal communication skills are under-developed and therefore I
am unable to express my views and ideas in a comprehensive manner to the people around
me.
Unable to work under pressure: I need time in order to properly implement my ideas. I fail
to work in a coherent manner within a stifled time schedule.
External Factors:

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i. With the funding and motivation I will be able to start my new school of creative
art and learning that would equip me with communication skills
ii. Taking up group projects that deals with urgent group works can teach me first-
hand about time management.
Threats to achieving
i. Encountering mental breakdown while handling pressure
ii. Unforeseen financial expenses
iii. Crisis of not knowing a number of languages
Task 3
Define what reflection is. What does reflection do….
Reflection is the act of considering something in a deep and analytical manner. In the
process of reflection the phenomenon of introspection is deeply interrelated along with the
act of decision-making. With reflection one needs to deeply analyze the event and shift the
focus in order to critically reflect on the particular thing concerned (Barrouillet 2015). The
skills required are concentration and ability to form a continuous thought with the help of
cognitive skills.
I am in charge of my reflections and sometimes I set a stipulated time aside for it.
Task 4
How my family has influenced me as a learner and my educational experiences

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My parents have influenced me by their attitude towards education in itself which had
ingratiated in me concentration and dedication towards it. Furthermore my parents’
responsiveness towards me have helped me to build a strong foundation to base my learning
skills and abilities. My parents’ behavior to accept my decisions have encouraged me to take
my own responsibility.
‘The Impact of Parental Involvement on Children’s Education’; What this document
makes me think about my own parents' involvement in my learning and education
My parents have always been supportive and since my childhood have helped me to
develop my cognitive skills. Mother had always engaged me in various sports and indoor
games that built my reasoning and concentration powers which later improved my problem to
facilitate learning. My mother had also engaged me in various parent-child interaction
processes which helped me to gain a more optimistic role in educational process. These
activities had improved my imaginative faculties and the willpower to venture into more
challenging activities. These had helped me in my learning process both in real life as well as
in academia.
Task 5
Definition of attachment and a statement of their importance to development and
learning
Attachment theory deals with the relationship or bonding between human beings. The
foundation of this theory is the fact that a child primarily needs to develop an intimate
relationship of love and trust with the caregiver for their complete development. Infant seeks
this caregiver during the times of stress and crisis.

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It is essential in development and learning because it enhances the understanding as to
why a child reacts in a particular way with caregiver as well as the surrounding environment.
An unhealthy relationship will denote a strain in between the child and caregiver.
My experience of attachments and broken attachments and their influence on me and
my learning and education
Broken attachments result from a strenuous relationship and include tension and a
feeling of passive aggression within them. I have experienced some of long-term broken
attachment from friends and relatives and it had a profound influence on my life. For instance
broken attachments lack of self-esteem, low confidence and a pessimistic outlook towards
new relationships. I have also experienced bouts of depression and anxiety due to broken
relationships.
TASK 6
Reflections on my schooling and teachers, and how they may have affected my learning
and achievement…
My teachers were co-operative during my school days, and they had been my pillars.
During childhood I had extreme lack of concentration skills however, which my teachers
helped me to overcomes with the help of several physical activities and memory games.
These had a lasting impact on me and had helped me to become more coherent and
disciplined with my thoughts for the timely completion of activities. Furthermore, sports have
also taught me leadership qualities.
I have retained some of the skills and therefore I can still manage multiple numbers of
tasks within a stipulated time-frame that I had previously set aside for myself. I still utilize
my strategic skills in complicated situations in order to produce the best result possible.

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Task 7
Considering how wider social influences may have impacted on my educational
experiences. Theories e.g. Bronfenbrenner will be used to discuss these.
During my lifetime social influences like my friends, family and neighbors have
played a significant role in my educational experiences. According to Bronfenbrenner theory,
postulates how the surrounding environment affects a child’s growth and development by
labeling four different aspects of the environment:
Microsystem: my closest friends at schools and family members have immensely supported
me. They have influenced me with their interaction pattern and beliefs.
Mesosystem- the environment where I stayed was very friendly and it encouraged me to
interact more and express myself. Such an environment helped me to address my internal
issues and ease them out.
Exosystem- my social circle which consisted of my closest friends and teachers helped me to
develop my social skills and do away with my introvert nature that I initially had. These
circles had also immensely helped me to learn things outside textbook.
Macrosystem- My learning environment where in have spent maximum of my time has
helped me to embrace new scope of learning and systematic learning methods. Such
institutions have helped me to stay strong and focused with my core beliefs and values.
TASK 8
Reflections on the importance of nurturing self-esteem, self-efficacy ….
As far as the writing and theories of Bandura is concerned, self-efficacy, self-esteem
and self-regulations are shaped by various environmental factors and are important in a

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number of aspects of one’s life (Leonard 2011). For instance in educational sector, one
cannot expect achievement without self-motivation. Consequently, self-motivation is
practically impossible to achieve without the above stated factors that help the individual to
gain self-competency and faith. Self-esteem and self-efficacy are also essential for the
essential choices that people make in their lives that can change the due course of action.
In my case, self-efficacy and self-esteem helped me in my academia and sports by
making me stay confident in my skills and capabilities. It decided my behavioral process and
therefore several traits of my personality. These factors increased my social capabilities and
achieved the best outcome with the careful utilization of these skills.
Task 9
Using theory/evidence to evaluate my view of the best way to manage children’s …
Children’s behavior can be steered towards the better through effective
communicational process in the environment where the child resides or spends most of
his/her time. A child must have knowledge about the clear demarcation between the right and
wrong from the very beginning before external influences starts having an impact on him/her
clouding the judgments. The child will develop interpersonal skills only with the help of
effective communication.
When a reflection and reaction occur I tend to take it professionally which gives me a
very optimistic attitude towards life because in case of personal cases, the emotion becomes
heightened and takes to take the upper hand. This interferes with multiple-decision making
capability.

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Task 10
Reflecting on my views regarding the theories of Piaget, Vygotsky and Bruner; are they
still relevant to education?
As per Piaget’s theory of cognitive development process, children primarily pass through
four stages of mental development, they are:
[1] Sensorimotor Stage (comprising from birth to 2 years)
[2] Preoperational Stage (2-7)
[3] Concrete Operational stage (7 to 11)
The four stages enumerates on how infant builds a complete understanding of his own
self as well as the reality around him in order to form an abstract concept. The formation of
ideas from concrete physical environment to complete conceptualization takes place on the
part of the child. In the last stage the child reaches a stage where the formation of
hypothetical reasoning becomes possible (Barrouillet 2015).
Vygotsky emphasized on the socio-cultural setting beyond or outside which the
behavior of children cannot be examined. His theory was groundbreaking in laying the
foundation of constructivism. The main difference between Piaget’s theory and Vygtosky is
that Piaget Believed that intelligence is born out of action where as Vygtosky stressed more
on history and symbolism.
How knowledge of Piaget may affect how I support children in my role as
carer/educator

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Since Piaget focused more on the observational powers of children through which they
tried to make a well-constructed meaning, here are some of the few ways they can learn
i. Establishing interactive sessions for the students
ii. Modeling as well as re-shaping and creative sessions
Applying Vygotsky’s theory in teaching practices:
i. Integrate the children socially to develop their own learning skills
ii. Setting up more communicational classes for the children
How Bruner’s theory may be relevant to my own learning
Bruner’s theory is very much relevant today in the domain of development and
learning since he regarded learning as an active process and is more akin to the intellectual
development within the individual. His beliefs that the development of problem-solving skills
so that the child will be able to conceptualize things is relevant today since it has helped me
in the construction of new ideas. To Bruner like Vygotsky, language played a significant role
in enhancing an individual response while stimulated in a natural environment (Knapp,
Gottlieb and Handelsman 2017).
Some criticisms of the constructivist theories
It neglects the individuality of most learners and therefore acts as a potential obstacle
for the new learners. It is insufficient in giving a complete picture in the realm of learning.
Some potential problems in implementing constructivist theories in the classroom
Some of the problems of such an approach are:
i. It provides an inadequate mode of learning since teachers adopt a more activity
based learning rather than textbook based.

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ii. Learning sessions can become mere entertainment sessions due to the over-
whelming presence of such frolicking activities that mainly focuses on social
interaction.
Task 11
Reflect on your own aptitude in relation to language skills …
I have command over English and French and besides I have decided to take up German
for communicational purpose. Being a bilingual I can speak both English and French with
fluency. My language has developed by the interaction of people whose mother-tongue is
French. Another influential factor has been my teachers one of whom has instilled within me
the keen urge to learn German.
Speaking in more than one languages help me to communicate with more number of
people and learn about their perspectives as well as view-points. It will help me to survive in
a foreign country for jobs or higher studies.
Reflections on some key points that I have learned that will help me to support children
in my care in regards to language development
[1] I will always encourage children with social interactions as they are tremendously
helpful in making children adopt themselves with self-learning activities,
development of cognitive and discourage passivity and lack of enthusiasm within
them.
[2] I would ask them to participate in group work as that would improve their leadership
skills and abilities, helping them to learn social skills like communication skills.
Reflection on some key points that I have learnt that will help me to support children….

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I would ensure the proliferation of group activities which will foster their interaction
and in the process help them to overcome their communication barriers (if any). If the child is
working side by side with an adult, he or she would be able to overcome language nuances,
inappropriate body languages and other such hindrances that could bar them from having a
full-fledged social interaction. Working in a group would also ensure that the child is learning
from the surrounding environment.
Summary of tutor/peer feedback…
My tutor is impressed on my progressed and has been encouraging for me in order to
stay motivated. In one of the assignments my tutor has commented has my concentration and
participation level has improved impressively which has automatically resulted in better
performance in class. In 2013 my tutor commented that I complete my assignments with
critical and in-depth analysis that make my assignments superior in quality and lucid. My
tutor 1204 and 1206 commented that I would be able to produce better results with practice
and more concentration and that I have a firm grip on the theories that are relevant to my
study. These feedbacks have so far acted in a positive manner and have helped me to
overcome all obstacles in academia.
Task 12
Reflection on Intelligence and related theories
Intelligence can be regarded as somewhat diffused concept that has been fundamental
in evoking a positive attitude within oneself. The oldest theory regarding intelligence is the
faculty theory which elaborates how mind is made up of different faculties like memory,
reasoning, discrimination and imagination. According to Sternberg’s theory of intelligence
which measured intelligence in terms of the person’s capability to perceive the changing

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world around him. The basic elements in the theory are componential- Analyctic skills,
experiential- Creativity skills and Practical-Contextual Skills.

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