eContent development project funded by NMEICT, MHRD
5.10.2
Educational Implications Continued...
You as teachers play avital role in influencing the child’s psychosocial development; hence youshould know many things about children and about your students in particular. Youneed to understand that each student learns in his or her own way, at his orher rate and in his or her time. You need to identify that this process oflearning is based on social, physical and personal factors.
You must know where eachstudent ranks in his or her achievement of developmental tasks. If a student isfound to be below expected developmental level, then you can discuss thechild’s needs with the parents, other teachers, and school personnel. You needto set specific objectives and goals for each lesson, keeping in mind thedevelopmental needs of all students. You can plan appropriate strategies toassist the child where needed. Let us have a look at such instances.
- Allowthe child to play with various natural, simple materials, and role-playing forthe expression of fantasy and imagination.
- Games, stories and songs also stimulatethe imagination of the child. Not only young children benefit from stories, butadolescents also play roles in their own and other people’s stories in order tounderstand where they fit into the world around.
- Real-life activities like serving food, choppingvegetables or making chapattis, prepare children for participation in thecommunity around them.
- Child-directedactivities where the child chooses his or her activity and repeats it as oftenas they want must be encouraged. This serves as an opportunity for the child toshow initiative and take responsibility. Ridiculing, making fun of the child'simagination and subtle or overt expectation can inhibit the natural sense ofinitiative. Also, the child's initiative can be distorted by linking it toreward and performance. Lying should also be dealt with sensitivity at thisage, as children tend to create imaginative stories which may not be similar tolying. Discouraging initiative by encouraging guilt or shame may lead to arepressed child, or to one who does things using cunning tricks.
Erikson’spsychosocial theory is a very powerful way for building self-awareness and forimproving oneself, as it helps to understand a persons learning according tohis or her personal differences. Hence, it is an integral part of the academicsbecause it helps in teaching and helping others.
Exercise
Select the correct options.
Dhruvesh is 6 years old and his parents are trying to teach him Maths from a text book. He is unable to grasp what is being taught and is distracted. He runs around while his parents are trying to teach him. What strategies as a teacher would you suggest his parents to take up so that he can learn Maths easily.
Dhruvesh should be taught using real life examples | |
Dhruvesh should be made to sit silently first and then explained Maths | |
Dhruvesh should be made to solve easy examples and then difficult ones | |
Dhruvesh 's parents should first train themselves to teach him | |
Dhruvesh should be shown educational Cds pertaining to Maths | |
Exercise
Identify which stage of psychosocial development best describes eachcharacter’s behaviour and select the correct option.
1. Anjana, apreschooler, insists on dressing herself each morning for school, even though shegenerally selects mismatching outfits, misses buttons, and wears her shoes onthe wrong feet. When her mother tries to dress Anjana or fix her outfit, shebrushes her mother off and insists on doing it herself. What stage ofpsychosocial development best describes Anjana’s behavior?
Trust vs. Mistrust | |
Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt | |
Initiative vs. Guilt | |
Industry vs. Inferiority |
2. Zeenat was super-excited about joining college. It waswith many inhibitions that her family allowed her to join college. Along withher friends Zeenat tries to seek answers to questions pertaining to differencein family values and customs, caste and malpractices in society.
Industry vs. Inferiority | |
Initiative vs. Guilt | |
Identity vs. Role Confusion | |
Intimacy vs. Isolation |
3. Eight-yearold Stephen has a difficult time making friends at school. He has troublecompleting his schoolwork accurately and on time, and as a result, receiveslittle positive feedback from his teacher and parents. According to Erikson’stheory, failure at this stage of development results in which of the following?
A sense of guilt | |
Mistrust | |
A poor sense of self | |
Feelings of inferiority |
Designed and Developed by Department of Educational Technology, SNDT Women's University, Mumbai
