2021
SLK210:
Chapter 5- Middle Childhood
DETAILED NOTES, DIAGRAMS AND SUMMARIES
TANEIL THOMPSON
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA, 2021
, Taneil Thompson
DISCLAIMER:
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS INFORMATION IS NOT MY OWN. IT HAS
BEEN SOURCED FROM THE TEXTBOOK TITLED ‘CHILD AND
ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT’ SECOND EDITION BY DAP LOUW &
ANET LOUW. THIS DOCUMENT SHOULD BE USED IN ADDITION TO
THE TEXTBOOK, LECTURES, LECTURE NOTES AND TUTORIAL
WORKSHEETS.
University of Pretoria, 2021
, Taneil Thompson
Chapter 5
Middle Childhood
Piaget’s Theory: Concrete Operational Stage
• Ages 7-11
• Limited to tangible and real, cannot think abstractly and hypothetically.
• Children start using mental operations (strategies and rules that make
thinking more systematic and more powerful) to solve problems and to
reason
• Most critical operation: reversibility (understanding that both physical
actions and mental operations may be reversed)
• Horizontal decalage: do not readily transfer what you have learnt about
one type of conservation to another type
• Decentring: avoiding centring on one aspect only
School Readiness
Children’s readiness for school:
• Certain level of psychical, cognitive, social and emotional maturity is
needed to go to school
• Important things for school readiness:
o Overall physical health is significant
o Sensory, perceptual and motor skills form foundation for reading and
writing
o Cognitive skills (language, verbal communication, school-entry literacy
and numeracy skills) are NB
o Social and emotional skills (follow classroom rules and procedures,
ability to keep attention focused, adequate social relationships and
social cognition, regulation of emotion and behaviour)
o Attitudes towards learning (task persistence, creativity, initiative,
curiosity and problem solving)
o Global considerations (moral development, national pride,
appreciation of diversity)
Readiness of schools for children:
• School environment needs to provide a smooth transition for children
• Create continuity between child’s early learning and primary school
learning
• Characteristics of a ready school:
University of Pretoria, 2021
SLK210:
Chapter 5- Middle Childhood
DETAILED NOTES, DIAGRAMS AND SUMMARIES
TANEIL THOMPSON
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA, 2021
, Taneil Thompson
DISCLAIMER:
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS INFORMATION IS NOT MY OWN. IT HAS
BEEN SOURCED FROM THE TEXTBOOK TITLED ‘CHILD AND
ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT’ SECOND EDITION BY DAP LOUW &
ANET LOUW. THIS DOCUMENT SHOULD BE USED IN ADDITION TO
THE TEXTBOOK, LECTURES, LECTURE NOTES AND TUTORIAL
WORKSHEETS.
University of Pretoria, 2021
, Taneil Thompson
Chapter 5
Middle Childhood
Piaget’s Theory: Concrete Operational Stage
• Ages 7-11
• Limited to tangible and real, cannot think abstractly and hypothetically.
• Children start using mental operations (strategies and rules that make
thinking more systematic and more powerful) to solve problems and to
reason
• Most critical operation: reversibility (understanding that both physical
actions and mental operations may be reversed)
• Horizontal decalage: do not readily transfer what you have learnt about
one type of conservation to another type
• Decentring: avoiding centring on one aspect only
School Readiness
Children’s readiness for school:
• Certain level of psychical, cognitive, social and emotional maturity is
needed to go to school
• Important things for school readiness:
o Overall physical health is significant
o Sensory, perceptual and motor skills form foundation for reading and
writing
o Cognitive skills (language, verbal communication, school-entry literacy
and numeracy skills) are NB
o Social and emotional skills (follow classroom rules and procedures,
ability to keep attention focused, adequate social relationships and
social cognition, regulation of emotion and behaviour)
o Attitudes towards learning (task persistence, creativity, initiative,
curiosity and problem solving)
o Global considerations (moral development, national pride,
appreciation of diversity)
Readiness of schools for children:
• School environment needs to provide a smooth transition for children
• Create continuity between child’s early learning and primary school
learning
• Characteristics of a ready school:
University of Pretoria, 2021
