Republic of the Philippines

WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY

AURORA – ESU
Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur

Module 2, Week 2
PED 101

THE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS

Name: __________________________________________ Course & Year: ____________ Score: ______

Overview:
While both an 8 month old and an 8 year old are considered children, they have very different motor
abilities, social relationships, and cognitive skills. Their nutritional needs are different and their primary
psychological concerns are also distinctive. The same is true of an 18 year old and an 80 year old, both
considered adults. We will discover the distinctions between being 28 or 48 as well. But first, here is a brief
overview of the stages.
A developmental task is a task that arises at or about a certain period in life, unsuccessful achievement
of which leads to inability to perform tasks associated with the next period or stage in life.

ACTIVITY 1 Study the pictures and the descriptions below each pictures, then answer the following question.
1. Do the pictures suggest the respective developmental stages?
2. Symbolize each developmental stage. Give a symbol that stands for the developmental tasks of each
stage.
3. If you were given a chance, which developmental would you like to be in? Why?

PRE-NATAL DEVELOPMENT

Conception occurs and development begins. All of

the major structures of the body are forming and the health
of the mother is of primary concern. Understanding
nutrition, teratogens (or environmental factors that can lead
to birth defects), and labor and delivery are primary
concerns.
( Picture not mine)

Infancy and Toddlerhood ( from birth – 2 years )

The first year and a half to two years of life are ones of
dramatic growth and change. A newborn, with a keen
sense of hearing but very poor vision is transformed into
a walking, talking toddler within a relatively short period
of time. Caregivers are also transformed from someone
who manages feeding and sleep schedules to a constantly
moving guide and safety inspector for a mobile, energetic
child. ( Picture not mine)
Early Childhood ( 3-5 years)
Early childhood is also referred to as the
preschool years consisting of the years which follow
toddlerhood and precede formal schooling. As a three to
five-year-old, the child is busy learning language, is
gaining a sense of self and greater independence, and is
beginning to learn the workings of the physical
world. This knowledge does not come quickly, however,
and preschoolers may have initially have interesting
conceptions of size, time, space and distance such as
fearing that they may go down the drain if they sit at the
front of the bathtub or by demonstrating how long
something will take by holding out their two index
fingers several inches apart. A toddler’s fierce
determination to do something may give way to a four-
year-old’s sense of guilt for doing something that brings
the disapproval of others.

Middle Childhood & Late Childhood ( 6-12 years old )

The ages of six through eleven comprise middle
childhood and much of what children experience at this
age is connected to their involvement in the early grades
of school. Now the world becomes one of learning and
testing new academic skills and by assessing one’s
abilities and accomplishments by making comparisons
between self and others. Schools compare students and
make these comparisons public through team sports, test
scores, and other forms of recognition. Growth rates slow
down and children are able to refine their motor skills at
this point in life. And children begin to learn about social
relationships beyond the family through interaction with
friends and fellow students.

Adolescence ( 13-18 years )

Adolescence is a period of dramatic physical
change marked by an overall physical growth spurt and
sexual maturation, known as puberty. It is also a time of
cognitive change as the adolescent begins to think of new
possibilities and to consider abstract concepts such as
love, fear, and freedom. Ironically, adolescents have a
sense of invincibility that puts them at greater risk of
dying from accidents or contracting sexually transmitted
infections that can have lifelong consequences.
Early Adulthood ( 19-29 years )
The twenties and thirties are often thought of as
early adulthood. (Students who are in their mid 30s tend
to love to hear that they are a young adult!). It is a time
when we are at our physiological peak but are most at
risk for involvement in violent crimes and substance
abuse. It is a time of focusing on the future and putting a
lot of energy into making choices that will help one earn
the status of a full adult in the eyes of others. Love and
work are primary concerns at this stage of life.

Middle Adulthood ( 30 -60 years )

The late thirties through the mid-sixties is referred to

as middle adulthood. This is a period in which aging, that
began earlier, becomes more noticeable and a period at which
many people are at their peak of productivity in love and
work. It may be a period of gaining expertise in certain fields
and being able to understand problems and find solutions
with greater efficiency than before. It can also be a time of
becoming more realistic about possibilities in life previously
considered; of recognizing the difference between what is
possible and what is likely. 

LATE ADULTHOOD ( 61 years and above )

This period of the life span has increased in the last
100 years, particularly in industrialized countries. Late
adulthood is sometimes subdivided into two or three
categories such as the “young old” and “old old” or the
“young old”, “old old”, and “oldest old”. We will follow the
former categorization and make the distinction between the
“young old” who are people between 65 and 79 and the
“old old” or those who are 80 and older. One of the primary
differences between these groups is that the young old are
very similar to midlife adults; still working, still relatively
healthy, and still interested in being productive and
active. The “old old” remain productive and active and the
majority continues to live independently, but risks of the
diseases of old age such as arteriosclerosis, cancer, and
cerebral vascular disease increases substantially for this age
group. Issues of housing, healthcare, and extending active
life expectancy are only a few of the topics of concern for
this age group. 
II. ANALYSIS
1. How many developmental stags were described? What is an outstanding trait or
behavior of each stage?
2. What task/s is/are expected of each developmental stage?
III – APPLICATION
1. What are the implications of these developmental tasks to your role as a
facilitator of learning?
* Middle and late childhood
Elementary School teachers ought to help their pupils by:
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God bless and

Keep Safe

Prepared by: LIZA O. BANAAG, M.Ed, MAED