Tara Carter

DEVELOPMENT
ADOLESCENCE

ECE 497 Child Development Capstone Course

Ad o l e s c e n c e F a c t S h e e t

Language Development Physical Development

Adolescence oral and written language use evolves over the teen years. During this time, your child should demonstrate improvement in abstract thinking skills, which will enable him to make word associations and to understand syntax better (Bauer, 2013). Language development shifts in the teen years from basic grammar mastery to the use of language on a higher level (Bauer, 2013).

PUBERTY: THE END OF CHILDHOOD:

Puberty is triggered by hormonal changes, which may affect moods and behavior. Puberty takes about four years, typically begins earlier in girls than in boys, and ends when a person can reproduce. A secular trend toward earlier attainment of adult height and sexual maturity began about 100 years ago, probably because of improvements in living standards. During puberty, both boys and girls undergo an adolescent growth spurt. Primary sex characteristics (the reproductive organs) enlarge and mature, and secondary sex characteristics appear. The principal signs of sexual maturity are production of sperm (for males) and menstruation (for females). Spermarche typically occurs at age 13. Menarche occurs, on average, between the ages of 12 and 13 in the United States. Psychological effects of early or late maturation depend on how adolescents and others interpret the accompanying changes (Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence, 2006).

Cognitive Development
By late adolescence, many youngsters have come to appreciate subtleties of situations and ideas, and to project into the future.

Stradegies for Families:

Their capacity to solve complex problems and to sense what others are thinking has sharpened considerably. But because they are still relatively inexperienced in life, even older teens apply these newfound skills erratically and therefore may act without thinking (Stages of Adolescence, 2013). They rarely set their sights beyond the present, which explains younger teens inability to consider the long-term consequences of their actions.

The best strategy I have for families with teens is to allow them to grow and explore. Teens learn how to be better adults through the teen years. Another would be to keep communication open at all times. This is important to stay connected with teens.

Adolescence Fact Sheet Page 2

Social/Emotional Milestone:
During adolescence, relationships with peers begin to take precedence over relationships with the family. Adolescents often test parents and teachers rules and boundaries.

Cultural Influences:
When children go through puberty, there is often a significant increase in parent-child conflict, and a less cohesive familial bond. As children begin to gain bonds with various people, they start to form friendships, which can be beneficial to development. Strong peer groups are especially important during adolescence when parental supervision decreases and interaction with peers increases.

Moral/ reasoning/self-regulation:
Teachers and parents become models and guides for the students, provide scaffolding for complex activities and concepts, and support students in their collaboration with peers and development of pro-social skills. Parents are the primary moral educators of their children. Moral education and formation is more robust, however, when the moral instruction of the parents and family structure are resonant throughout the community.

Atypical Development:
Joint attention- typically autistic kids do not have this- they dont play with others or share something of interest with other people. Aspergers disorder- Intellect is normaldont see mental retardation. They have social issues. They want friendships, but dont know how to do it.

References Bauer, M. (2013, 8 16). Language Development in Teenagers. Retrieved from LIVESTRONG.COM: http://www.livestrong.com/article/226031-language-development-in-teenagers/

Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence. (2006). Retrieved from Human Development:
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073133809/student_view0/chapter11/ Stages of Adolescence. (2013, 8 29). Retrieved from healthy children.org: http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/pages/Stages-of-Adolescence.aspx