Examining Early and Middle Childhood Development

STUDIES

The cases you are about to view all depict children aged 6. This is a transitional time in which learners can explore early childhood development and how it impacts middle childhood development. View all the case studies and select one as the focus of your assignment in unit 6.

ROSA - DEVELOPMENT ACROSS CULTURES (IMMIGRANT)

Rosa at age 6 is at the transition stage between early and middle childhood. Her family came to work in the U.S. as migrant workers when Rosa was a toddler. Her father had worked in the U.S. for an extended time previous to marrying Rosa's mother. As a family they continue to struggle economically. She lives with her extended family including her mother, father, maternal grandmother and two siblings. She did not participate in formal early childhood preschool experiences but was in the care of her maternal grandmother while her parents worked. Rosa has completed a year of all-day kindergarten in a southwestern state. Her family had previously made many moves, but has been in the same local area for more than a year. The primary language spoken at home is Spanish. Several issues have emerged as Rosa is making the transition to first grade.

The kindergarten teacher completed a checklist/profile of Rosa's development in the areas of Cognitive, Language, Physical and Social Development.

The results indicated that compared to expected development at age 6:

· Rosa is not demonstrating cognitive development skills expected for her age. She struggles with early literacy concepts linked to reading and writing.

· Rosa has the ability to "code-switch" in speaking Spanish or English based on the context of those in her environment. She converses with her grandmother and mother and father primarily in Spanish and with her teacher and classmates in English, although her father does speak with Rosa and her siblings in English as well as Spanish.

· Rosa is small in stature. Her health history, including her prenatal records, does not indicate any significant issues. She is average in her gross and fine motor abilities. She is reluctant to engage in group physical activities.

· Rosa is often observed playing near other children, immersed in her own activities. She does not appear to reach out to other children to become involved in their play. Her teacher describes her as slow to warm up in social situations.

EMMA - DEVELOPMENT ACROSS FAMILY CONTEXTS (FOSTER CARE)

Emma at age 6 is at the transition stage between early and middle childhood. She is bi-racial child whose mother is Caucasian and father, whom she has never met, is Filipino. Emma lived with her single mother until she was a toddler, when her maternal grandparents became her primary caregivers. This was a voluntary placement. There were no official reports of abuse or neglect on file; however the grandparents raised concerns that Emma was being neglected while in their adult daughter's care. They expressed a concern that Emma may have been left strapped into her high chair for long periods of time. Emma was enrolled in a daycare/preschool environment once she came to live with her grandparents. The early childhood teachers had suggested further evaluation due to Emma's anxiety in the setting and her withdrawal from any physical contact such as the teacher reaching to take her hand. It was not clear from Emma's records whether early childhood intervention occurred as the grandparents moved Emma from one early childhood placement to another with little follow up between those sites. Emma just completed a year of kindergarten where developmental concerns were still evident.

The kindergarten teacher completed a checklist/profile of Emma's development in the areas of Cognitive, Language, Physical and Social Development.

The results indicated that compared to expected development at age 6:

· Emma was able to play independently and work on fine motor and dramatic play scenarios. She typically would verbally describe her actions as she sorted or moved figures or play animals. She would not reach out to other children to become involved in her play. Teachers could engage with her as she played; Emma, however, was firmly in charge of the direction of play.

· Emma could not focus attention on a specific task with more than two-step directions. A craft project demonstrated and described by the teacher that other children her age could complete was challenging for Emma. She would become frustrated and walk away.

· Emma was small in stature for her age and lacked coordination in large-motor games/activities. When playing in the gym she would randomly kick balls or run from place to place and not sustain a particular focus. When a ball was thrown to her she would try to trap it against her body, but was often unsuccessful.

· Emma has lived with her maternal grandparents for several years. Her birth mother continues to have infrequent sustained visits. Emma typically clings to her grandmother during those visits and gets upset and cries when left alone with her birth mother. Emma's grandmother and grandfather spend a lot of time with Emma and appear to have developed a secure relationship with her.

DANIEL - DEVELOPMENT LINKED TO AN IDENTIFIED DIAGNOSIS (AUTISM SPECTRUM)

Daniel at age 6 is at the transition stage between early and middle childhood. He was enrolled in an early intervention program as a preschooler based on social and communication deficits that suggested he could be on the autism spectrum. Daniel appeared to benefit from early intervention and was able to be included in a regular kindergarten program for half of the day this school year. He was formally given a diagnosis on the autism spectrum when he was enrolled in kindergarten.

He lives with his parents and younger sister in an affluent suburb. Both parents have higher education degrees. His father works in business and is often gone on extended business trips. His mother stopped working as a sales manager when Daniel was young and his developmental challenges were emerging and his younger sister was born. His sister is developing typically at age 3.

The kindergarten teacher completes regular checklists/profiles of Daniel's development in the areas of Cognitive, Language, Physical and Social Development.

The results indicated that compared to expected development at age 6:

· Daniel struggles with attending to relevant aspects of learning and social situations. His focus is often on seemingly irrelevant aspects rather than the broader aspects of the task or interaction. He can get "stuck" and perseverate on those minor aspects.

· Daniel verbally communicates with teachers and peers. His language is somewhat limited to getting his own needs met rather than sustained social interaction with peers or adults. He remains with the group during group activities, but compared to peers is seen as less engaged. He follows the routines of the class by lining up and sitting appropriately during small group activities. He completes fine motor tasks well. He also demonstrates age-appropriate gross motor skills. His father works with him on ball playing skills, swimming and bike riding when he has the opportunity.

· Daniel greets adults upon arriving and leaving the school setting. His mother brings him to and from school each day. It is not clear if Daniel could successfully ride the school bus as it is a preference of his mother that she helps him with the transition to school.

· Currently, the teacher is unsure of his pre-literacy skills. He has some success with basic concepts such as sorting, matching, color recognition, orientation of books. Comprehension has been challenging to measure.

CREDITS

Subject Matter Expert:

Cheri Gilman

Interactive Design:

Tara Schiller

Instructional Designer:

Tina Houareau

Project Manager:

Nakeela Hall

Image Credits:

©iStockphoto.com/Christopher Futcher; ©iStockphoto.com/Steve Debenport

Licensed