Introduction to Child Development

STEP 1: Copy & Paste the table provided into a new document and complete. In the following scenarios, (1)
choose whether the teacher or other practitioner is accurately or inaccurately using a developmental concept or
principle in his or her interpretation of the situation. (2) Defend your response based on the material presented
Scenario
What is the developmental concept being applied here?
Is the developmental concepts being applied accurately or inaccurately?
Defend your choice (using evidence from the text)
SAMPLE. One of the members of a girl’s basketball team, 10-year-old Marta, is
exceptionally advanced in athletic ability. Her coach believes that Marta is advanced for
one reason: She has good genes.
Nature vs. Nurture
Inaccurately
Development is the interplay of nature, nurture, and children’s efforts.
It is unlikely that Marta’s advanced basketball skills are due solely to the forces of nature. It might be that she is
genetically inclined to be physically strong and
coordinated but Marta may have parents and siblings who cultivate her passion for
basketball. She may have older role model in her neighborhood who inspire her to
master new skills.
1. A caregiver in a child care center takes a moment to watch the infants in her
room. Babies and toddlers are busily handling objects, studying their visual properties,
shaking them, listening to the sounds they make, exploring one another’s faces, and
vocalizing constantly. She smiles at their vitality and reflects, “Ah, yes, this is what my
professor means by saying that children’s own choices and activities contribute to their
Development.” Hint: Think about how knowledgeable caregivers should design the environment for infants and
toddlers