Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Core In-Service February
12, 2010 9:00-11:00 a.m. Debbie Richardson, Ph.D. Parenting
Assistant Extension Specialist Human Development & Family
Science Oklahoma State University Child Development 3-12 Part 2:
Ages 6 to 9
Slide 2
Introduction 2 Welcome Centra instructions Overview of
in-service Resource materials
Slide 3
In-Service Objective 3 Extension Educators will be able to
describe growth, tasks, behaviors, and abilities of 6 to 9 year-old
children including physical, cognitive, emotional, and social
development.
Slide 4
Domains of Development 4 Physical Cognitive Social Emotional
Ages 5-7, skills in all domains are emerging Ages 6-8, beginning to
consolidate growth in all domains Learning fundamental
communication, math and problem- solving skills Expanding social
and community awareness
Slide 5
Physical Development Ages 6-9
Slide 6
Growth 6 Rate of physical growth is slower occurs in spurts
Often 3-6 growth spurts a year, each lasting about 8 weeks Height:
Generally 2 to 2.5/year Weight: Average 5-7 lbs./year Loss of front
primary teeth and emergence of permanent teeth about age 6-7
replace about 4 teeth per year Eyes reach maturity in size and
function Brain growth slows - has almost reached adult size Head
circumference increases about 1 Gradual growth of face
Infection-fighting lymphoid tissues (i.e., tonsils, adenoids)
Slide 7
Individual Development 7 Significant differences in appearance
including height, weight and build Heredity, nutrition, normal
developmental variation and physical activity can all affect rate
of growth & development AAP recommends well-child visits at 5,
6, 8, and 10 years
Slide 8
Motor Abilities & Skills 8 Fine and large motor skills
Muscle coordination and control are still uneven and incomplete
Muscular strength, hand-eye coordination, and stamina continue to
progress rapidly allowing older children the ability to perform
increasingly complex physical tasks (e.g., dance, sports, musical
instruments) Skills/abilities influenced by growth, age, level of
practice performing tasks, and individual childs innate
abilities
Slide 9
By age 5-6 Large motor Fine motor 9 Stand on one foot for 10
seconds or longer Hop Somersault Swing Skip Copy geometric patterns
and print some letters Draw a person with a body Use fork, spoon,
and sometimes table knife properly Able to take care of basic
hygiene (e.g., bathing, teeth, toliet)
Slide 10
By age 8-9 10 More graceful with movements and abilities Master
eye-hand coordination Manipulative skills increase Dresses and
grooms self completely Can use tools more effectively Good printing
and writing
Slide 11
Sleep 11 Need about 9-11 hours per night Increasing demands
from school, sports, other activities TV, computers, video games,
caffeine can lead to difficulty falling asleep, nightmares and
disruptions Sleep problems, disorders common Poor/inadequate sleep
can lead to mood swings, behavioral problems, cognitive problems
that impact ability to learn in school Consistent sleep schedule
and bedtime routine Quiet, private time Bedroom dark, cool and
quiet, no TV or computers Avoid caffeine
Slide 12
Cognitive Development Ages 6-9
Slide 13
Cognitive Development - Piaget Preoperational Stage: 2-7 yrs
Concrete Operational Stage: 7-12 yrs Thought processes (operations)
become organized and integrated with one another allow logical
thought Ability to classify objects in multiple ways, order objects
in a logical sequence Make rational judgments and perform
operations about concrete or observable phenomena Abstract
thinking, yet still limited (no hypothetical or complex
abstractions) 13
Slide 14
Cognitive Development - Piaget 14 Better understanding of time
and space, but not yet able to correctly place events in time
sequence Some reversibility - quantities moved can be restored
(e.g., 3+4 = 7 and 7-4 = 3), understand changes in form of object
Deductive reasoning ability to draw conclusions from given facts
& info Relativism realize others thoughts & perspectives
differ from own, can be wrong themselves, their own and others
thoughts/feelings do not reflect reality
Slide 15
The Evolving Brain 15 Continued brain development underlies
changes in cognitive skills Different parts of the brain start to
function more effectively as a coordinated system Newly developed
functions enable children to coordinate their thinking and their
behaviors more effectively Pre-frontal cortex is still immature the
part responsible for good judgment and control of impulses
Slide 16
Metacognition 16 Process of thinking about thinking Automatic
awareness of own knowledge and ability to understand, control, and
manipulate their cognitive processes Begins to think about own
behavior and see consequences for actions Can think through actions
and trace back events that happened to explain situations
Slide 17
Thinking 17 Dramatic increase in real-world knowledge expanding
experiences outside homes, in schools and communities Fantasy
thinking gives way to logical thinking, distinguish between real
& pretend, understand cause-and-effect Occasionally revert to
pre-logical thinking patterns under stress - normal and results
from a healthy, active imagination Increase in speed and capacity
of memory processing allows handling more complex problems; can
consider 2 or more aspects of a problem
Slide 18
Thinking 18 Learn to control attention and concentrate for
longer periods of time - can obtain and use information more
efficiently Practicing and paying attention can improve remembering
new things About age 6, begin to internalize strict moral rules of
behavior (right or wrong) - Can understand and apply rules, make
judgments, and want rules strictly followed Able to develop simple
plans before acting, to achieve goals, more reliable without adult
supervision
Slide 19
Attention and Learning 19 Rarely can sit for longer than 15-20
minutes for an activity Attention span gets longer with age May
begin projects but finish fewmore about exploring Best learn
through activities Can talk through problems to solve them requires
more adult time and childs sustained attention
Slide 20
Language 20 Continually increasing vocabulary By age 8, can
understand about 20,000 words Speak with more precision Begin to
understand a word may have different meanings Begin to read and
write
Slide 21
By age 5-6 21 Recall parts of a story, tell longer stories
Speak sentences of more than 5 words Use future tense Recite
address correctly Count 10 or more objects Correctly name at least
4 colors Know about common items such as money, food, appliances
Most learn to read by age 6-7, but some as early as 4-5 Simple
math, addition & subtraction
Slide 22
By age 8-9 (3 rd /4 th grades) 22 Can count backward and
understand fractions Reading a paragraph extends beyond deciphering
words to understanding content Writing extends beyond correct
spelling and penmanship to composing a sentence and start
paragraphs Enjoy playing strategy games Enjoy word play (e.g.,
puns, insults) to exercise and show off growing cognitive &
language abilities Mostly think in present terms, but may think
about the future
Slide 23
Social & Emotional Development Ages 6-9
Slide 24
Psychosocial Development Erikson o Initiative Vs. Guilt
(Purpose) About 3 to 6 years Feel free to act, create, express self
creatively, and take risks. o Industry Vs. Inferiority 7-11 years
Busily learn to be competent and productive or feel inferior and
unable to do anything well. Tries to develop a sense of self-worth
by refining skills. 24
Slide 25
Expanding Social World 25 Spend more time outside their homes,
in school, with peers, and in activities with other adults and
without adults present Have increased freedom and autonomy to
explore the world Become less dependent on family and less
self-centered Greater physical and cognitive capacities make it
possible to be more responsible for tasks at home and school Very
energetic, like to make things, take risks, and are interested in
accomplishing a task Need to develop a sense of mastery or
competence by performing tasks without adult help
Slide 26
Expanding Social World 26 Changes from fantasy play where
imagination is key element to rules-based games with objective to
win a competition regulated by rules More capable of playing a
larger number of children for longer periods of time and sticking
to rules of a game Belonging and acceptance by peers becomes very
important concern; no longer look to only adults for gratification
Very concerned with justice and fairness Develop and show social
skills (i.e., empathy, compassion) by observing effect of their own
and others behaviors toward others
Slide 27
Emotions 27 Usually able to articulate thoughts and feelings
Although no less articulate than girls, many boys are not as
expressive mainly due to socialization to be masculine By age 9,
most boys have successfully learned to repress feelings except
anger tend to be more physically oriented in self- expression
Common fears include monsters, the dark, the unknown, school,
failure, death, family problems, and rejection
Slide 28
6 Year-Olds 28 Emotions up and down Thrives on approval
Possessive with belongings; not yet able to distinguish mine &
yours Responds negatively at first then cooperates Has trouble
compromising Difficulty making choices Likes to help with routines
Plays best with one friend rather than large group Needs to be
reminded of instructions Money and rewards of greater interest
Slide 29
7 Year-Olds 29 Plays easily with others Wants to be part of a
group May be self-absorbed, moody, Becoming more aware of self and
others Sensitive to others feelings; may feel others dislike them,
are critical or poking fun Dislikes individual praise Does not
listen or take correction well Responds well to rewards
Procrastinates, easily distracted, short memory, tunes out ; loses
interest suddenly Very competitive and does not know how to lose
Lies because of immaturity Immature sense of ownership Fights with
words More modest about body
Slide 30
8 Year-Olds 30 More outgoing and self-confident More self-aware
and self-judging; dislikes being teased about shortcomings Can
respond rapidly to instructions Prefers hint/cue rather than a
direct order; responds to glance Asks for praise; wants time,
attention, affection, approval Tells tales with some truth
Dramatic, impatient, demanding Likes to argue, compete, criticize
Easily disappointed if people dont behave as wished Talks a lot and
gossips Cannot lose gracefully Interested in & concerned about
possessions
Slide 31
9 Year-Olds 31 Quieter; more self-control; can spend more time
alone Increasingly self-confident, independent, responsible,
dependable, cooperative Likes to please Likes organized activities;
likes to be chosen Friendships are more solid Sometimes
temperamental May resist/rebel authority and being told what to do
Great interest in fairness Group standards more important than
parental standards Demanding /critical of others and self
Self-involved; may not hear when spoken to; may appear
absent-minded or indifferent Shows anger at parents but is loyal to
family, friends Takes criticism or commands better if carefully
phrased
Slide 32
Related Issues Ages 6-9
Slide 33
Peers & Friendships 33 Develop ability to communicate
Understand others points of view Enable functioning as part of a
group Learn social rules Develop personality through interaction
Opportunities for give and take, negotiation of differences, shared
experiences, mutual trust Naturally curious about relationships
between genders, but peer group usually consists of same-sex
friendships and typically deny interest in opposite sex
Slide 34
Self-Concept 34 Shift in self-esteem continue to develop a
sense of self and how perceived by others Measure own worth in a
more objective way based on social acceptance and own sense of
competence Parents who demonstrate close relationship, acceptance,
define clear limits for activities and behaviors, and respect
childs stage of development and unique individuality help build
high self-esteem Higher self-esteem can better develop ways to
resist risk factors for aggression, violence, and other negative
behaviors
Slide 35
Stress 35 Growth & development School Peers Schedule
Problems at home Pressure to conform to expectations from family,
teachers, other adults
Slide 36
Relationships with Parents 36 Change as childrens competence
and autonomy increase Parents need to share their control over
childrens lives with the children themselves Parents need to change
parenting strategies to incorporate: reasoning reinforcement of
childrens understanding of right & wrong problem-solving &
prosocial skills use of humor
Slide 37
Discussion & Questions 37
Slide 38
Wrap-up Watch video clip and review resource materials
In-service evaluation Next Session on Ages 10-12: Friday, Feb. 19,
911am 38
