The purposes of this study were to determine whether brain growth spurts occur in normal pupils and to determine whether there was a uniform difference in head circumference between boys and girls. Subjects were 3,062 normal elementary pupils, grades one through six, from one suburban school district. Fiberglass measuring tapes were used to measure pupils' head circumference. The hypotheses of the study predicted that the relationship between head circumference and age would be linear. Further, it was predicted that the differences in head circumference between boys and girls would be uniform over seven specified ages. The first hypothesis was tested using a test for linear trend and deviation from linear trend using the General Linear Models procedure. The results indicated that there was a significant linear trend between head circumference and age. The test for deviation from the linear trend was not significant. This would suggest that any deviation from a straight line observed in the data can be attributed to chance. It was concluded that since there was no significant deviation from linear trend, it would suggest a continuous growth of the brain for the ages included in this study. A two-way analysis of variance was used to test the second hypothesis. The results indicated that the male mean head circumference was significantly larger than that of the female in all age groups. As the interaction of sex and age groups was tested, there was no interaction between sex and age groups. It was concluded that since the interaction between sex and age groups was not significant, there is no indication of differences in the rates of brain growth between boys and girls.

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The teaching of understandings and techniques concerning the care of children is certainly an important part of the homemaking teacher's job, but research by Bettelheim has pointed out that the underlying attitudes of parents often influence how well they put their knowledge into practice.

Empirical work investigating children's temporal representations has included investigations of children's awareness of the past, present and future; their understanding of temporal order and their representation of duration. Previous work on children's temporal awareness leads to the question of whether children can access cognitive representations of durations in situations where the temporal aspects of the task are not made directly apparent either in the information given prior to stimulus presentation or in the subsequent question. There is very little evidence to indicate whether these representations might be accessed in the absence of any specific reference to the temporal aspects of the procedure. The empirical work in this thesis focuses on children's developing representation of duration in a procedure that avoids making specific reference to the temporal aspects of the task, in a context more closely analogous to their real world experiences where durations occur in the absence of salient prompts and cues. Results Data from over three hundred children who participated in the seven experiments in this series are encouraging and suggest that by the age of six years children do become able to differentially represent durations of 10 and 25 seconds in a procedure where no explicit reference was made to the temporal aspects of the experience, and the ability to differentially represent durations of 25 and 40 seconds, in this context, emerges later in development, at around eight years of age. 2 Conclusions This series 0 xperiments indicates that by six years of age children are able to represent durations in the absence of explicit reference to the temporal aspect of the task, and they are able to differentially represent durations of 10 and 25 seconds. Around eight years of age they are able to differentially represent durations of 25 and 40 seconds However whilst these findings indicate that children of six years and above may be able to differentially represent durations in this range.the inconsistencies in performance in the series of experiments suggest that the ability may be fragile. Whilst children in this age range are able to demonstrate the ability to code durations the limiting factors on their ability to do so in real world contexts remain unclear. Short abstract. Word count: 363.

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D. Phil. / Human development is a universal phenomenon, characterized by various stages. These stages differ from one culture to the other. Furthermore, each developmental stage tends to bring about expectations that are in accordance with a particular culture. In addition, in each culture there exist problems that are specific to a given stage as well as to the manner in which these problems are resolved. Erikson=s stages of human development are generally regarded as universal. The universal acceptance of Erikson=s stages seems to be based on a study he conducted, involving a variety of cultures. A question that needed to be addressed was whether Erikson=s developmental stages are similar to those which an African child goes through. This study is an attempt to investigate developmental stages of Africans and compare them to those outlined by Erikson. To investigate the developmental stages of an African child and to establish the relationship between Erikson=s stages of development and those of Africans, an exploratory study was conducted among the people of the Bolobedu community in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The Balobedu people were regarded as an ideal study sample because of their relatively unchanged lifestyle which still resembles the traditional African way of life. Subjects were interviewed individually, by using an open-ended questionnaire. The results were then interpreted and analyzed. The results show that children among the Balubedu also go through various stages of development which have distinct names. Furthermore, like in many other cultural groups, these stages are accompanied by various problems and expectations. In addition, these people use different methods to address problems experienced during each of the stages identified. The study further reveals that although the developmental stages among the Balobedu have much in common with those of Erikson, there exist differences between the two approaches. These differences are identified. Of the most significant differences is that developmental stages are not defined by age alone, but by other factors such as readiness and ability to perform certain tasks as well. In addition, the study did not indicate the presence of psychological problems that are caused by the developmental process, when these stages among the target group were compared to those identified by Erikson. In conclusion, this study illuminates that there are both similarities and differences between the two approaches. One such difference is that whereas Erikson=s theory describes stages in terms of age associated with some psycho-social problems, the results of the investigation revealed that among Africans, developmental stages are described in terms of the child=s readiness, and that no indication of the presence of psycho- social problems was found. This, it would seem, does not necessarily mean that traditional African children do not experience psychological problems. Instead, it suggests that there are other methods of dealing with these psychological problems, which this study did not reveal. This raises the need to explore the developmental stages and their psychological effects among African children by using a larger sample than the one used in this study. Another distinction is that the definition of various stages is based on cultural values. While Erikson emphasizes the importance of concepts such as competition, independence and egoism, Africans tend to put more emphasis on cooperation, inter-dependence and altruism respectively. Lastly, among Africans, each stage is characterized by rituals and ceremonies. These are meant to mark the beginning or the end of a particular stage or phase, thereby psychologically preparing the individual to adjust to the new position. Erikson=s stages of development seem to have ignored the importance of rituals in the various developmental stages. Therefore, his theory can not be said to be universally applicable.

Orientador: Eliza Maria Barbosa / Banca: Francisco José Carvalho Mazzeu / Banca: Janaina Cassiano Silva / Resumo: A Educação Infantil assume um papel essencial no desenvolvimento das crianças pequenas e a brincadeira é um elemento importante na promoção desse desenvolvimento. Assentir o jogo de papéis sociais como atividade principal da criança pré-escolar e compreender a importância de um planejamento sistemático ao promover a atividade de brincadeira é imprescindível. Neste trabalho buscamos compreender como esses jogos ou as brincadeiras de faz de conta estão estruturados pelos professores pré-escolares no cotidiano de suas práticas e como eles compreendem a relação dos jogos com o processo de representação simbólica e o desenvolvimento da imaginação e da linguagem. Observamos ainda como essas atividades são condicionadas pelo espaço, tempo, artefatos culturais disponíveis e especialmente pelos conteúdos culturais oferecidos ou não pelos educadores, para assim evidenciar em que medida eles reforçam experiências cotidianas ou promovem o domínio e contato com experiências não cotidianas. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de campo apoiada nos pressupostos teóricos metodológicos da Psicologia Histórico Cultural do que nos permite apreender a realidade estudada como resultado da relação entre o singular e os liames da totalidade. Os sujeitos da pesquisa são doze professores que atuam nas turmas de 4 e 5 anos de três escolas da Educação Infantil da rede municipal de Araraquara/SP, e para coleta dos dados utilizamos o instrumento da entrevista que era composta por questões objetivas e subjetivas, em ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Early Childhood Education plays a key role in the development of young children and playing is an important element to promote such development. Assigning social roles games as the primary activity of the preschool child and understanding the importance of systematic planning in promoting play activity is imperative. In this work, we seek to understand how pre-school teachers in the daily life of their practices structure these games and how they understand the relationship of games with the process of symbolic representation and the development of imagination and language. We also observe how these activities are conditioned by the space, time, and cultural artifacts available and especially by the cultural contents offered or not by the educators, in order to highlight the extent to which they reinforce everyday experiences or promote mastery and contact with non-everyday experiences. It is a field research based on the theoretical methodological assumptions of Cultural Historical Psychology that allows us to apprehend the studied reality as a result of the relation between the singular and the ties of the totality. The subjects of the research are twelve teachers who work in the 4 and 5 year-olds classes of three municipal schools in Araraquara/SP, and to collect the data we use the interview instrument that was composed of objective and subjective questions, in that the responses were recorded and then transcribed. The objective questions helped us to characterize the res... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, Department of Psychology at the University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy October 2016. / Literacy in multilingual contexts includes social and cognitive dimensions (GoPaul-McNicol & Armour-Thomas, 1997). Becoming literate carries with it the ability to develop and access higher-order thinking skills that are the building blocks for cognitive academic language proficiency, as well as the means that define educational opportunities (Bialystok, 2007). South Africa has 11 official languages and a multilingual education policy but South African schools are able to determine their language of instruction policy of monolingualism or multilingualism (Heugh, 2010). This raises the question of whether monolingualism or bilingualism influences children’s successful acquisition of reading. It is important to investigate the effect this has on reading processes and skills of monolingual and bilingual children because this issue has received limited research attention while it contributes to our greater understanding of how children’s cognitive capacities for literacy attainment are either constrained or promoted through broader social factors operating in a child’s literacy-learning environment (Bialystok, 2007; Vygotsky, 1978). Cognitive processing and reading skills were assessed in monolingual and bilingual children at a public school in an urban area of Johannesburg. An English-speaking monolingual group with English as the language of instruction (N = 100) was compared with a Zulu-English bilingual group with Zulu as first language (L1) speaking proficiency and English as second language (L2) literacy experience (N = 100) on measures of reading, phonological awareness, vocabulary skills, and working memory. Performance in cognitive processing and reading skills of these two groups was compared to an Afrikaans-English bilingual group (N = 100) with dual medium instruction. Tests of language proficiency confirmed that the Afrikaans-English bilinguals were balanced bilinguals and that the Zulu-English bilinguals were partial bilinguals. Aim and method: The purpose of this study was to expand knowledge in the field of second language reading acquisition and language of instruction by examining the impact of language related factors on the cognitive development and literacy competence of monolingual and bilingual children in the South African context. The central tenet of the bio-ecological approach to language, cognitive and reading assessment is that language acquisition is inseparable from the context in which it is learned (Armour-Thomas & Go-Paul-McNicol, 1997). Drawing from this approach, the present research project investigated the effects of the level of orthographic transparency on reading development in the transparent L1 and opaque L2 of biliterate Afrikaans-English bilinguals learning to read in a dual medium school setting. The effects of oral vs. written language proficiency in the L1 on the acquisition of L2 English reading was also investigated by examining whether reading processes and skills transferred from one language to another and the direction or nature of this transfer in partial and balanced bilinguals. Finally, whether a balanced bilingualism and biliteracy Cognitive processing skills and literacy development in monolingual and bilingual children in South Africa vi experience had beneficial effects on cognitive tasks demanding high levels of working memory capacity, was investigated. Results: Reading in Afrikaans – the more transparent orthography – reached a higher competency level than reading in the less transparent English. Dual medium learners and L1 English monolingual learners acquired reading skills in their home language(s) at a higher level than L2 English with L1 Zulu speaking proficiency learners did. Dual medium learners outperformed both monolingual learners and L2 English with L1 Zulu speaking proficiency learners on tests of phonological awareness, working memory, and reading comprehension. They also reached similar competency levels in tests of vocabulary knowledge than monolingual English (L1) learners. These differences translated into different relationships and strengths for reading attainment in monolingual and bilingual children. These findings provide support for a language-based and context-dependent bio-ecological model of reading attainment for South African children. Conclusions: Bilingual children who are exposed to dual medium reading instruction programmes that value bilingualism philosophically and support it pedagogically create optimal conditions for high levels of cognitive development and academic achievement, both in the first and in the L2. Absence of mother tongue instruction and English-only instruction result in a reading achievement gap between emergent Zulu-English bilinguals and English monolinguals. This effect is not observed in the biliterate Afrikaans-English bilinguals; instead, these children performed better than the English monolinguals on many English tasks and working tasks requiring high levels of executive control and analysis of linguistic knowledge, despite English being their L2 while learning to concurrently read in Afrikaans and English. Arguments for and (misguided) arguments against dual medium education are examined to identify the consequences of translating this model of education into effective schooling practices, given the socio-political contexts in which educational reforms take place at local schools and in communities (Heugh, 2002). More broadly, good early childhood education includes a rich language learning environment with skilled, responsive teachers who facilitate children’s literacy learning by providing intentional exposure to and support for vocabulary and concept development. Classroom settings that provide extensive opportunities to build children’s reading competences are beneficial for young dual language learners no less than for children acquiring literacy skills in a one-language environment (Cummins, 2000; Heugh, 2002). / GR2017

Thesis advisor: Julia Fisher / The future of imaginative playtime in the lives of children today is at great risk. Currently, 40% of schools are considering eliminating- or have already eliminated- recess from the school day. The goal of this essay is to argue the irreplaceable value that imaginative play has in contributing to the cognitive, emotional, and social growth of a child. In making a case for the importance of play in child development, all three of these areas of potential growth will collectively be considered as true development of the child. To lay the foundation for these specific categories of benefits, it is necessary to understand the general biological background supporting the innate importance of play, as well as the previous work of those who have researched this subject. Once this information is presented, the cognitive, emotional, and social benefits of imaginative play will be explored in more detail, and the effects of play deprivation and play reintroduction will be discussed. In this manner, it is the aim of this presentation to demonstrate the exceptional importance of imaginative play. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2007. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Psychology. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

Growth is a property that is unique to living things. Studies demonstrate that even preschool children use growth to determine whether objects are alive. However, little identifies explanations that children use to attribute growth. The goal of the present study was to investigate how people reason about growth. We hypothesized that older children would outperform younger children in understanding that growth is inevitable for living things, while adults would consistently perform at ceiling levels. Our hypothesis was partially supported. Although adults consistently outperformed children, older children rarely outperformed younger children. Still, both younger and older children performed above chance in attributing growth. Moreover, all participants were more likely to use biological explanations to explain growth. Taken together, this research qualifies the early hypotheses of Piaget (1929) and Carey (1985) that children lack a well developed biological domain before age nine, but suggests that a biological domain, though less developed, is present. Based on these findings, implications for more efficient approaches to science education are discussed. / by Aquilla D. Copeland. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.