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Running Head: CHILD STUDY INVESTIGATION

Child Study Investigation Tracy Appleget Ivy Tech College

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1. General Background Information The subject that I observed was 5 years old as of November 26, 2013. The subject is the Oldest child born from her parents. The subject has a younger sibling and older half sibling. The subjects parents convened her in their mid-twenties. The family live in a one family home that they share with a friend and a relative. The subjects mother stayed at home with the child after giving birth. After the subjects mother returned to work, the subject spent a short time in a day care setting. While attending day care the subject became ill. At which time, she missed several days from the day care agency. The subjects parents at that time decided to have the subjects relatives watch her. The subjects mother is proud ot say that the subject has only been watched by family. The typical day in the life of the subject is as follows: out of bed at 7:30 am. The subject dresses herself for school. The subject is only allowed certain clothes to school. The school

has uniform policy. The subject gets on the bus outside the subjects home The subject is then transported to Wendall Phillips Elementary. Wendall Phillips Elementary is part of the Indianapolis Public School System. At while at school the subject is given breakfast before regular classwork. The subject is attending kindergarten in the 2013-2014 school year. The subjects favorite subject in school according to her mother is Gym. The subjects mother also states that the subject will usually say different subjects at different times. At the time of this interview the subject preferred gym class. The subjects mother is concerned about the subjects reading and word recognition. The mother stated during an interview that the subject is not remembering words after she is being taught the words. The subject knows her

3 CHILD STUDY INVESTIGATION colors and during an interview the subject was able to identify primary colors. The subject also knows her basic shapes. The subject is able to identify circles, squares and triangles. The subjects mother is also concerned with the subjects ablity to stay on tasks. The mother feels that the subject can be easly distracted. The subjects mother also feels that the subject has trouble concentrating. The mother who is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, is concerned her child may have the same trait. When the subject returns home from school she does her homework. When she completes her homework she is rewarded with age appropriate television. The subjects mother says that homework time go well. The subject is also rewarded with games that she can play on her kindle that are mostly educational games. When questioned about what the mother was concerned about with her child, the mother replied that the subjected is constantly moving. The mother again expressed concern with concentration and the possibility of a disordered such as Attention Deficit Disorder, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. When question about how the school felt about the subjects learning the parented comment that the school said the subject was doing well for her age. The school has sent home many books for the subject to read, but not much math. The subjects mother stated that she feels that the books that are being sent home are helping. When questioned about the subjected being evaluated by an professional the parent said that she had not. She stated that through experience that most child do not get tested until higher grades. The subjects mother is waiting for the 1st or 2nd grade to have the subject tested. The subjects mother anticipates that the subject has Attention Deficient disorder.

4 CHILD STUDY INVESTIGATION The mother stated that the only problems that occurred during birth of the subject is that it took two hours to delivery and then had a c-section. 2. Cognitive development The subjects cognitive abilities were tested during an interview with the subject that occurred on March 3, 2014. The Subject spoke very clearly during the interview and was well understood. During the interview the subject was questioned about different activities that the subject likes to do. The subjected stated that she enjoyed puzzles and drawing pictures. When first arriving for the interview I had the subject draw me a picture. The subject drew a picture of a house with a fence around it. According to the Peterson, the beginning of the stages from the ages four to 6 is considered the pre symbolism (para.4, 2012). This stages usually lasts until kindergarten or first grade. Children in this stage children usually leave out little details in the drawing. This would be true in the case of the subjects drawing. The subjects drawing contained a house and a fence there was items that were missing the drawing that were most likely left out unintentionally (Peterson,para.5, 2012). In the drawing the subject did draw a sun in the upper left hand corner of the page. This could indicated that the subject is starting to advance to the next level of drawing. According to Petersons, the subject was at the level that she expected to be at. The observation would agree with the mother, whom stated that the subject seems to be at the level that she needs to be. The subjects half-sister is older yet seems to be at the same level as the subject. The half-sister is to be thought to be a much higher level.

5 CHILD STUDY INVESTIGATION The subject is at the level of motor skills that he subject is be at. The subject is able to run jump and ride a bike with training wheels. The mother hopes to have the training wheel off this spring or summer.

3. The Experiment

Conversation Tasks Conservation of Number

Yes

No x

comment The subject related the numbers to the length of roll of coins

Conservation of Length

Subject related the length by how far the stick went along the table

Conservation of Liquid

Subject did not recognize that the bottle had a narrower width

Conservation of Mass

Subject related the mass with the height of the ball

Conservation of Area

Subject related the size of the area around the squares and not the squares themselves

Conservation of Volume

Subject related to the fact that water was higher than the other water not that the baby food jar forced the water up

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The subject went throw six individual tasks during an interview on March 3, 2013. During this interview I subject was ask several questions regarding a specific task. The first task that the subject underwent was to judge whether or not the subject was egocentric. The subject was ask to looks at the back of a laptop computer were several stickers were placed. The subject was questioned on what she could see. The subject answered by stated the name of each of the stickers. The lap top was turned to face the subject and the question was repeated. The subject answered by mentioning the photos that were on the screen of the computer. When questioned what the interviewer could see, the subject looked around the computer and mentioned the stickers. The subject also turned around and started stating things that were located behind the subject that were in view of the interviewer. This reaction allowed for the interviewer to assume that the subject did not have egocentric views and could see that others could see the world as they perceived it. The first task on conservation proved that the subject was unable to conserve number. The task was to identify what roll of coins had more coins in. The first task showed that the coins were lined up one by one. The subject identified that there were the same number of coins in each roll. When space as added between the coins in the second roll the subject related the length of the roll to the number of coins and stated tt the roll that was lionger had more coins in it. The second tasks on conservation showed that the subject was not able to conserve length. The task included two noodles that were cut to the same length. The noodles were positioned horizontal to one another. The subject was then asked which noodle was longer. The

7 CHILD STUDY INVESTIGATION subject correctly stated that the noodles were the same length. At that time the interviewer move one noodle slightly forward from the other noodle. The subject was again asked what noodle was longer. The subject was he noodles as different sizes this time and said that the noodle that had not moved was smaller than the other noodle. The third task was to judge whether or not the subject was able to conserve liquid. The task included 8 ounces of water and three baby bottles. Two of the baby bottles were exactly the same with the measurements printed on the side of the bottles. The third bottle was much slimmer that the other two and did not have a measurement on the side of the bottle. Four ounces of water were poured into the bottles with similar features. The subject was asked whether the bottles contained the same amount of water in them or if they had different amounts. The subject read the measurements on the bottles and stated that the bottles contained the same amount. The reading of the measurements was unintended by the interviewer. The interviewer then poured the contents of one bottle into the slimmer bottle, which had no measurements written on it. The subject was then repeated the same question. The subject examined the bottle and concluded that the bottle that was slimmer contain more water in it. When asked why the subject replied that the water was higher than the water in the other bottle. This concluded the conservation of water task. The interviewer was able to assume that the subject was unable to conserve water. The forth task on the conservation of mass, included the use of play dough. The subject and interviewer took same amounts of play dough and rolled them into balls. The subject was asked whether the balls of play dough had more mass or I the ball of play dough had the same amount of mass. The subject replied that the balls of play dough contained the same amount of mass. The interviewer then flatten one of the balls of play dough. The subject was repeated the

8 CHILD STUDY INVESTIGATION same question. The subject replied that the flatten play dough had less mass, even though there was no play dough removed from the ball. The tasks the on conservation of mass included the use of two identical wrapped chocolate balls. The subject was asked whether one of the chocolate balls had more weight than the other. The subject answered that the chocolate balls were the same. The interviewer the smashed the one chocolate ball just slightly enough to change the size of the ball. The subject was then asked if the balls had the same weigh. The subject showed the inability to converse weigh by stating that the flattened chocolate ball weight less. The interviewer then gave the chocolate balls to the subject. The next task tested the ability to conserve area. The subject was handed a pair of Monster High dolls. The dolls were given each a dance floor that consisted of six brown tiles. The first scenario showed both of the dance floors arranged the same. The subject was questioned on weather on doll had more dance floor that the other doll. The stated that the amount of dance floor was the same for each doll. The interviewer then moved the tiles to put space on between the tiles on one of the dolls dance floors. The subject was then asked whether or not the dance floors had the same amount of dance floor. The subject pointed out the area on the dance floor was larger than the dolls dance floor that had not been altered. The interviewer realized that this task need adjusting due to the fact it did not show a unchanged amount of area. The results of this task are deemed inconclusive due to an error noted by subject. The final tasks judged whether or not the subject was able to conserve volume. The task included two identical dishes that contained four ounces of water each. A jar of baby food was placed into each dish. The jar of food caused the water to raise. The subject noted that each dish contained the same amount of water. When the jar of food was removed from one of the dishes

9 CHILD STUDY INVESTIGATION its water level dropped. The subject noted that the water went down. The subject saw the srop in water level as an indication that the amount of water had changed. The subject could not conserved volume. 4. Interviewer reactions The interview with the mother suggested that the time with the subject would be difficult due to the assumptions of ADD. The interview was the subject as a well-mannered individual that took directions well. The interviewer was able to see into the mind of a child by asking probing questions to the answers that child gave regarding the different conservation tasks. The After the child showed the inability to conserve many of items asked the interviewer asked more questions of why the child answered the way the subject answered. The answers given were insightful. The interviewer was able to see that the tasks given could have been questioned differently to avoid confusion. The interviewer held back on some of the explanation of what was being asked of fear of getting false results on the tasks given. Cognitive development is progressive. In order for a child to conserve one item the child should be able to conserve other items. The subject would greatly benefit from more activites that would expand the subjects cognitive development. The ability to recognize amounts and count those amounts would benefit the subject greatly.

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References

Peterson, M. (March 2012).Art Milestones: Whats Typical at each stage of Life. Retrieved March 6, 2014,fromhttp://www.education.com/magazine/article/Ed_Art_Milestones_Whats/

Destefanis,J. Developmental Milestones: age 5.Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://www.greatschools.org/parenting/social-skills/1127-developmental-milestones-age5.gs