Hi guys, I'm really struggling with an answer for unit 2. I could really use some help!! Its a 'C' criteria so worth 10 marks!
The question is;
"Explain how theoretical perspectives of child development support your suggestions for progressing the observed child’s development"

My tutor told me to choose 5 activities which were NOT adult led, and that covered the 5 areas of development, so my My suggestions were;1) Physical - Outdoors equipment/obstacle course, 2)Social - Role play 3)Intellectual - Water play 4)Communication - Providing tape recorders or different types of writing equipment (chalks, charcoalsetc), and 5) Emotional - Puppets

I'm was not entirely sure I'm on the right lines and struggled to find something that wasn't adult led for Communication! So any better ideas are much appreciated.

My problem is that when I moved onto he above question, I really struggled to find links to these activities. I especially struggled with a theorist for the physical and communication activities!

My tutor told me I need to cover the four types of theorists too. (constructivist,social constructivist,behaviourist and social behaviourist)

Here's what I came up with, am I on the right lines?;

Physical - Fredriech Froebel - he was the only theorist I could find that recommended outdoor play, but I'd never heard of him before!
Social - Vygotsky - (learning through socialisation) and Albert Bandura (copying actions of adults). Would piaget and symbolism be better?
Intellectual - Jerome Bruner (providing opportunities to explore and experiment)
Communication - ??????????????????????????
Emotional - Weinberg - developing a self esteem, and providing materials to explore their identity aand role of others. (I have never heard of this theorist either)

The assignment guidance says to link the activities to current researchers whose theories are still valid, so I'm not sure if I'm wrong to choose some of these?

I've also not covered all types of theorist. How can I link a behaviourist theorist, who believes children learn through praise from adults to an activity which can not be adult led? None of my activities cover this aspect!

Any ideas, appreciated, I don't want to loose marks on the one that counts!!

Also do I need to quote the theorist or can I just write their ideas in my own words?

I know this is a lot to take in and I'd ask my tutor all of this but i've pestered her enough lately and doubt I'd get much back

Thanks guys xx

Hi Kelly
I think you are on the right lines - hard to be specific as you are relating theorists to the child you are studying so there really is no 'right' answer.
When I did my DPP I did the child's profile, linked it to developmental norms then looked at any areas that needed consolidation and planned progression from there. I didn't necessarily plan activities but maybe it's changed since I did it. Here's a bit of the C question to give you an idea of what I wrote:

Bowlby theorised that children need a secure emotional base from which they can explore their environment. EG showed signs in the observations of needing an adult to offer reassurance and enable her to have the confidence to return to her play. I have planned for EG to play at activities which will need supervision and the presence of an adult so that EG will be reassured that there is support if she needs it.

Hope it helps and good luck x

Looks good Kelly, I only referred to two theorists, Piaget and Vygotsky. here is a bit of what I put

Piaget suggested that it was from this age that children began to incorporate symbolism in to their play and he describes this as the pre-operational stage. During this stage of development children use symbols to explore concepts and generate an understanding of the world, and this possibly explains why children enjoy role play and spending time in the home corner having tea parties

I then went on to talk about vygotsky and the zpd

Theorists have never been my strongpoint! I think its very diffficult to link individual theorists to specific activities so I chose a more general approach.

Yeah I agree, theorists are my weak point too, unfortunately my tutor told me to link each type of theorist to each activity which I just don't think I can do!!!
I think I'm gonna change my language and communication activity to providing music for them to sing and dance to with instruments and tape recorders to record them selves maybe? Still don't know which theorist I can link this to though!!