CASE STUDY OF A CHILD

AGE 6
Carol Hackney
EDU 220-1003
 KEY CHARACTERISTICS/BEHAVIORS FOR A SIX YEAR OLD

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT

Messiness is common Usually still in the intuitive stage
Hate to lose at games Child wants to read if not too hard
May seem “hyper” & fidgety Mental imagery may be used to begin integration of ideas
Few toileting accidents
PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Poor at adapting to friend’s needs or admitting any guilt
Loving and defiant Often does not like self
Falsely sure of self Child tends to boss others
Very extreme in emotions
Winning becomes crucial
MORAL/CHARACTER/PHILOSOPHICAL DEVELOPMENT
Engages in many power struggles Sways to extreme of egocentricity
Child may tend to express a pessimistic view of life
 TYPICAL PHYSICAL BEHAVIORS

 Is clumsy due to poor coordination

 Is vigorous, full of energy, and generally restless

 Has marked awareness of sexual differences

 Commonly suffers more colds, sore throats, and other

illness, because of exposure at school

 Eats with fingers and talks with mouthful

(University of Washington, 1993)

 TYPICAL LEVEL OF PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
ACCORDING TO SNOWMAN

 Primary grade children are still extremely active

 Children still need rest periods; they become fatigued easily as a
result of physical and mental exertion
 Large-muscle control is still superior to fine coordination. Many
children, especially boys, have difficulty manipulating a pencil
 Many students may have difficulty focusing on small print or
objects. Quite a few children may be farsighted because of the
shallow shape of the eye

(Snowman; J. & McCown, R., 2015, pg. 84)

 OBSERVATION OF A 6-YEAR-OLD:
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
CHARACTERISTICS/BEHAVIORS
 MEETS DEVELOPMENT MILESTONES:
 The six-year-old girl I observed had a ton of energy and never seemed to want to slow down. She
also had a short attention span.

 I observed her while she was eating breakfast. She was eating pancakes with her hands, ripping off
small pieces and stuffing them in her mouth. Never picking up her fork. With other meals she was
very picky on what she ate on her plate, wanted the same foods over and over.

 When playing with her barbies, she played with both female barbies and male barbies. She role
played with the idea of gender roles when she was make believing.

 The six-year-old girl had a cold or allergies when I was observing her, but it didn’t seem to affect her.
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
RECOMMENDATION
 Provide opportunities for a variety of physical activities (Child
Development Institute, 2015)

 Don’t overreact; set good examples (University of Washington, 1993)

 Give simple, honest answers in a calm manner (University of

Washington, 1993)

 Be aware of disease symptoms; support health and safety

(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)
 TYPICAL EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORS

 Finds it difficult to accept criticism

 If not the winner, often makes accusations that others are cheating

 Child is center of own world and tends to be boastful

 Feels insecure as a result of drive towards independence

(University of Washington, 1993)

 TYPICAL LEVEL OF EMOTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO SNOWMAN

 Students are sensitive to criticism and ridicule and may have

difficulty adjusting to failure

 Most primary grade children are eager to please the teacher

 Children are becoming sensitive to the feelings of others

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015, pgs. 86-87)

 OBSERVATION OF A 6-YEAR-OLD:
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CHARACTERISTICS/BEHAVIORS

 MEETS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES:

 The six-year-old girl I observed broke down in tears when being

reprimanded by her Dad for coloring on her desk. Crying so hard she could
barely talk.

 While playing a board game with her brother and sister, she got upset and
accused her brother of cheating because he won the game and she didn’t.

 When having a dance party with her sister and cousins, the child would
dance in a group and follow what others did. When it was her turn to do a
solo dance she got shy and wouldn’t dance anymore.
 EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION

 Be patient and understanding

 Avoid games that designate a winner

 Accept apparent selfishness

 Give child time, freedom, and opportunities to practice being

independent

(University of Washington, 1993)

 TYPICAL COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL
BEHAVIORS

 May develop stuttering when under stress

 Wants all of everything and finds it difficult to make choices

 Begins to have organized, continuous memories

(University of Washington, 1993)

 COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
ACCORDING TO PIAGET &VYGOTSKY
PIAGET: PRE-OPERATIONAL STAGE
“Centers on Mastery of Symbols.”
“They seem to assume that others see things the same way they see them.”
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015 pgs. 41-42)

VYGOTSKY-SOCIOCULTURAL THEORY
“How we think is a function of both social and cultural forces.”
“So even when individuals are by themselves, what they think and do is the result of cultural
values and practices…”.
“The most important things a culture passes on to its members are psychological tools.”
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015 pg. 51)
 OBSERVATION OF A 6-YEAR-OLD:
COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL
CHARACTERISITICS/BEHAVIORS
 MEETS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES:

 The six-year-old girl that I observed spoke faster than the thoughts and words could come out of her
mouth. She would than stress about getting her point across and give up on that thought entirely.

 I observed the girl at the store trying to pick out a toy. She walked up and down every toy aisle,
multiple times, with multiple toys in her cart. She went back and forth trying to decide which toy she
should pick. She asked her mom three different times if she could pick more than one.

 We played Candyland and she got the game out and set it up all on her own from memory.

 When asking the six-year-old what she liked to do, she told me that she liked to go visit her Aunt and
Uncle in Florida because that’s when the Easter bunny comes.
 COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL
DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

 Remember language disturbance is temporary and may disappear of its

own accord

 Do not offer excessive choices, but provide opportunities for making

decisions

 Promote child’s reading and writing (e.g. letters to relatives and friends)

(University of Washington, 1993)

 TYPICAL PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL
BEHAVIORS
 May blame mother for anything that goes wrong
(University of Washington, 1993)

 In school may develop problems if expectations are too high; has trouble
concentrating (Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015)

 Friendships are unstable; is a tattletale

(University of Washington, 1993)

 Identifies with adults outside of family (e.g., teacher, neighbor)

(Child Development Institute, 2015)
 TYPICAL PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO ERIKSON

 INDUSTRY VERSUS INFERIORITY

“ A child entering school is at a point in development when behavior is dominated by
intellectual curiosity and performance.”

“ He now learns to win recognition by producing things…He develops a sense of industry.”

“ If the children’s efforts are unsuccessful or if they are derided or treated as bothersome,
feelings of inferiority results.”

“ Children who feel inferior may never learn to enjoy intellectual work…”.

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015 pg. 29)

 OBSERVATION OF A 6-YEAR-OLD:
PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL
CHARACTERISTICS/BEHAVIORS
 MEETS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES:

 While doing her homework with her Dad, she kept doodling and looking out the window.
She kept getting off task.
 She loves going over to the neighbors house and playing with her “best friend.” She loves
the neighbor girls mom. She holds her hand when the mom walks her home.

 DOES NOT MEET DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES:

 The six-year-old girl that I observed fell off her bike when her training wheels got stuck.
She didn’t blame her mom when she hurt herself, she ran into her moms arms. Same thing
happened when her and her little friend got in a disagreement, the girl only wanted her
mom.
 PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
 Provide consistent, caring responses to child’s blame or over-identification

 Keep in touch with the school. Be alert for feelings of frustration and
failure in the child

 Provide guidance in making and keeping friends

 Accept this as okay

(University of Washington, 1993)

 TYPICAL
MORAL/CHARACTER/PHILOSOPHICAL
BEHAVIORS
 Is very concerned with personal behavior, particularly as it affects family
and friends (University of Washington, 1993)

 Children are sometimes warry when they encounter people who look,
sound or behave differently than those in immediate circle.
(PBS, 2020)

 Children imitate adult behavior

(PBS, 2020)

 Believes rules are unchangeable

(PBS, 2020)
 MORAL/CHARACTER/PHILOSOPHICAL
DEVELOPMENTS ACCORDING TO KOHLBERG

 “Kohlberg believed that moral reasoning proceeds through a fixed sequence of stages.”

 LEVEL I: PRECONVENTIONAL MORALITY –Young children do not really understand the

conventions or rules of society.

 Stage 1: Punishment-obedience orientation-The physical consequences of an action

determine goodness or badness. Punishment should be avoided by staying out of trouble.
 Stage 2: Instrumental relativist orientation-An action is judged to be right if it is
instrumental in satisfying one’s own needs or involves an even exchange. Obeying rules
should bring some sort of benefit in return.

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015 pg. 61)

 OBSERVATION OF A 6-YEAR-OLD:
MORAL/CHARACTER/PHILOSOPHICAL
CHARACTERISTICS/BEHAVIORS
 MEETS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES:

 I observed the six-year-old playing with her sister and a neighbor friend. When she was
playing just with her sister, she was more aggressive and mean towards her sister. As
soon as the neighbor came over, she would act nicer and more behaved.

 I watched her play with her baby dolls. She would pretend that she was the mom and she
would mimic what her mom would say to her, exactly. She would even tell her babies to
say please and thank you.

 I have observed her saying to her mom that if she had to eat all her food, then so did her
mom. Also when it was her bedtime she ran to her older brothers room and told him that it
was time for him to go to bed too. Her brother is 17-years-old.
 MORAL/CHARACTER/PHILOSOPHICAL
DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
 Teach the child to be concerned and responsible for own behavior.
Assure child that everyone makes mistakes

 Talk through discomfort

 In your daily interactions, show model behavior…please, thank you

 Except their reasoning at this stage

(PBS, 2020)
 REFERENCES:
 Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Middle Childhood (6-8 years). Retrieved
from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/middle.html

 Child Development Institute (2015). Moving Onward-Your Six-Year-Old. Retrieved from

https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/moving-onwards-your-six-year-old/#gs.2f4
70p

 Ellsworth, J. (1998). Teaching Respect for Self and Others. Retrieved from
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jde7/ese504/class/pepsi/PEPSIObserv/year6.html

 PBS (2020) All Topics for Six-Year-Olds. Retrieved from

https://www.pbs.org/parents/learn-grow/age-6

 Snowman, J. & McCown, R., (2015). Psychology applied to teaching, 14th ed. Stamford,
CT: Cengage Learning.

 University of Washington. (1993). Child development Guide. Six to Seven years. Retrieved