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The Ages and Stages of Learning
General
Information
Bibliography
Appendix
When those who
teach the arts create instructional
plans that align with the
developmental ages and stages of
their students, the creative work
that results is a joy to behold.
That is why it is so important for
all who teach to know the strengths
and limitations of children and
youth by age and stage so they can
capitalize on their abilities and
introduce ways to overcome
limitations of size, strength, and
inexperience.
There are scores of books that
describe the general and specific
characteristics of children and
youth at various ages. In addition
there are many resources that
address the teaching of youngsters
with various learning challenges. A
good place to start is with Karen
Miller’s book, Ages and Stages
(Telshare, Chelsea MA), who paints a
broad picture of what children are
like from birth through eight
years. The middle years (9 – 12)
are well treated in Art, Another
Language for Learning
(Heinemann) as well as in other
Heinemann titles (www.heinemann.org).
A valuable site is the
Dana Foundation’s ever-expanding
source of information relevant to
arts educators. You may want to
browse through the entire arts
education section as well as the
section devoted to brain research.
On the
American Academy of Pediatrics’
website, you’ll find information
regarding the Academy’s many
publications and child health
resources. The information on the
site comes from the nation’s leading
child health experts, and their
recommendations are supported by
scientific research. The
Developmental Stages section of
their website identifies physical
and cognitive milestones for
children through from infancy
through age ten. It also names and
explains issues associated with
specific ages and stages, such as
self-esteem issues, childhood
stress, and juvenile delinquency and
identifies helpful coping methods
for some potentially challenging
issues.
The Brain Connection is
dedicated to providing accessible,
high-quality information about how
the brain works and how people
learn. Many discoveries are
constantly being made in areas that
relate to the human brain, including
language, memory, and behavior. The
Brain Connection’s website provides
practical tools explained in plain
English relevant to teaching and
learning for children and adults, as
well as valuable insights into
almost every aspect of our daily
lives. Visit their
Child Development page, which
provides numerous articles, books,
and audio files with practical
information on children’s growth and
vast learning potential.
The following chart helps to get
tyro teachers on firm footing in
regard to the developmental stages
of children:
|
Age |
Commonly Known As |
Cognitive Characteristics |
Instructional Implications |
|
Kindergarten – 2nd
grade |
Early Childhood |
Speech becomes more social,
less egocentric. The child
has an intuitive grasp of
logical concepts in some
areas. However, there is
still a tendency to focus
attention on one aspect of
an object while ignoring
others. Concepts formed are
crude and
irreversible. Easy to
believe in magical increase,
decrease, disappearance.
Reality not firm.
Perceptions dominate
judgment.
In moral-ethical realm, the
child is not able to show
principles underlying best
behavior. Rules of a game
not developed, only uses
simple do's and don'ts
imposed by authority.
|
Wonderful time to work from
imagination: imaginary
friends, imaginary places.
Time to develop vocabulary
associated with imaginative
drawings, improvisations. |
|
The Middle Years – 3rd
– 5th grades |
Pre-Teens |
Evidence for organized,
logical thought. There is
the ability to perform
multiple classification
tasks, order objects in a
logical sequence, and
comprehend the principle of
conservation. Thinking
becomes less transductive
and less egocentric. The
child is capable of concrete
problem solving.
Some reversibility now
possible (quantities moved
can be restored such as in
arithmetic: 3+4 = 7 and 7-4
= 3, etc.)
Class logic-finding bases to
sort unlike objects into
logical groups where
previously it was on
superficial perceived
attribute such as color.
Categorical labels such as
"number" or animal" now
available. |
Time to introduce creative
activities that have
structure, sequence, and
rules. |
|
Intermediate and High School |
Early and Later Teenagers |
Thought becomes more
abstract, incorporating the
principles of formal logic.
The ability to generate
abstract propositions,
multiple hypotheses, and
their possible outcomes is
evident. Thinking becomes
less tied to concrete
reality.
Formal logical systems can
be acquired. Can handle
proportions, algebraic
manipulation, and other
purely abstract processes.
If a + b = x then x = a -
b. If ma/ca = IQ = 1.00
then Ma = CA. Prepositional
logic, as-if and if-then
steps. Can use aids such as
axioms to transcend human
limits on comprehension. |
Great time for enabling
youngsters to create large,
complex works in art (group
murals), dance (inventing
original choreography using
learned dance vocabulary
for both narrative and
abstract pieces), working
from theatrical or musical
text (original and
professional) for
performances. |
Teaching artists and arts
specialists, as well as classroom
teachers interested in integrating
the arts into their curricula, would
do well to consult
A Brief Guide to Developmental
Theory and Aesthetic Development
by
Karin DeSantis and Abigail Housen at
the
www.vue.org website.
You can also download a copy of this
document by visiting the
appendix
below.
Bibliography
Carter, C., Carter, D., & Carter, M.
(2003). Designs for Living and
Learning: Transforming Early
Childhood Environments.
St. Paul,
MN:
Redleaf Press.
An approach to designing classroom
environments, this book focuses on
innovative ways to foster
development in children. The
ultimate goal is to provide places
for children to live, learn and
grow. The authors provide numerous
ways to build safe and wondrous
environments for child care. Many
of these ideas stem from the
inspiration of Waldorf, Montessori,
Reggio, Greenman, Prescott and the
Olds. Color photographs present
actual spaces in which children
along with teachers and parents are
fostering development.
Chen, J., Krechevsky, M., & Viens,
J. (1998). Building on Children's
Strengths: The Experience of Project
Spectrum.
New York,
NY:
Teachers College Press.
This book specifically addresses
Project Spectrum, which serves as a
learning model for the varying
interests and abilities of children
in preschool and early elementary
stages. It explains the model’s
implementation in early childhood
and elementary classes. It also
provides details into the
utilization of community resources
and how the Project Spectrum can
help at-risk children.
Efland, A. D. (2002). Art and
Cognition: Integrating the Visual
Arts in the Curriculum.
New York,
NY:
Teachers College Press.
This publication provides insight in
how art contributes to the human
development, and highlights the
problems which hinder art education
advocacy. The goal of the author is
to present how art constructs
cultural meaning, develops social
communication, and encourages a
lifetime of learning. It negates
the common thought that the arts are
simply emotive, and enlightens
readers to the recent understandings
of the mind, in addition to other
developments in the sciences and
cognitive ability in children in
which the arts can be implemented as
a powerful tool in curricula and
teaching practices.
Gardner, H. (1991). Art
Education and Human Development.
Los Angeles,
CA:
Getty Trust Publications.
A review of the research concerning
human development and human
development from an artistic
perspective, provide a basis for
suggesting practices and policies
within art education. An
investigation of experiments in art
education show three critical
factors of effective learning:
superior teacher training, proper
curricular materials, and
appropriate modes of assessment.
Goodman, J. R. (2002). “A
Naturalistic Study of the
Relationship between Literacy
Development and Dramatic Play in
Five-Year-Old Children.” In Deasy,
R. (Ed.), Critical Links:
Learning in the Arts and Student
Achievement and Social Development,
26-27.
This particular study focused on the
following questions: How is literacy
used in dramatic play and why? What
factors including how literacy is
used within dramatic play are
important? To gain more information
or to access this study please visit
the www.aep_arts.org and download
the PDF form.
Page, A. (2002). “Children’s Story
Comprehension As a Result of
Storytelling and Story
Dramatization: A Study of the Child
As Spectator and Participant.” In
Deasy, R. (Ed.), Critical Links:
Learning in the Arts and Student
Achievement and Social Development,
32-33.
This particular study focused on the
following question: Does story
dramatization enhance story
comprehension among first-graders?
The study results show children are
more engaged when dramatization is
utilized, and several elements of
comprehension are better conveyed
through drama. Drama enhancement
shows to be more effective in
younger students (grade 1) rather
than (grades 2 & 3). To gain more
information or to access this study
please visit the www.aep_arts.org
and download the PDF form.
Appendix
A Brief Guide to Developmental
Theory and Aesthetic Development
Karin DeSantis and Abigail Housen |
