Module 13: MIDDLE AND LATE CHILDHOOD

Introduction

Intermediate schoolers have more control over their bodies than they have when they
were in primary school. They become more active and have greater liberty to choose the
hobbies or sports that they want to get involved in.

Children in their late childhood stage always seem to be in a hurry- they get so busy with
their school work, interacting with their school work, interacting with their friends, exploring other
possible activities, but this period of physical development seems to take on leisure pace. This
may also be the stage when puberty may begin. Puberty is the period in which the body
undergoes physical changes and becomes capable of sexual reproduction.

Since children in this stage are already in their childhood, rapid development of mental
skills is evident. According to Jean Piaget, concrete operational thinkers can now organize
thoughts effectively. Although, they can now logically perceive the immediate situation. They
can apply what they have learned to situation and events that they can manipulate.

Thus their reasoning and logical thinking are still very limited. But with proper guidance
and nurturance from parents, teachers and the rest of the community, these children can easily
succeed in their intellectual endeavors.

Learning Objectives
At the end of this Module, you should be able to:
 identify the different physical, cognitive, and social-emotional characteristics of
intermediate schoolers.
 discuss ways and practices which will aid children in successfully development
physically.
 design a simple exercise program appropriate for intermediate school children.

Learning Contents
(Topic 1) Early Puberty
On the average, girls are generally as much as
two (2) years ahead of boys in terms of physical
maturity, although these developments may be
determined by how close a child is to puberty. Puberty
may begin early. Budding breasts for girls- which is
the initial sign of puberty. Some girls may also start
with their menstrual period as early as 8 and some as
late as 13.
Puberty is made up of a clear sequence of
stages, affecting the skeletal, muscular, reproductive,
 and nearly all other bodily systems. Physical changes during puberty tend to be more
gradual and steady. This is comforting to many parents who feel childhood passes much
too quickly.

Physical Development in Boys and Girls: What to Expect

Every person’s individual timetable for puberty is different. Below is an overview of some
physical changes boys/ girls can expect during these years.

BOYS GIRLS
o enter puberty, a time when o hormones produced in the pituitary
hormones produced in the pituitary gland trigger production of
gland trigger production of estrogen/progesterone in females.
testosterone in males, (later in boys This usually begins earlier in girls
– eleven to 14) (nine to 12)

o may also have swelling on their o hips widen in females

chest but tends to go away within a
year or two
o body proportions change (shoulders o in females, genitals mature, breasts
broaden in males). develop (small lumps from behind the
o penis and scrotum start to grow nipple may occur, which sometime
(genitals mature, and wet dreams could be painful but eventually, the
are more frequent) pain goes away). It is normal for one
breast to develop more slowly than
the other
o semen may be released when he is o vaginal lubrication increases, and
awake or even during sleep ovulation and menstrual cycle begin
o subtle increase in testicle size o the vagina gets longer
o the uterus gets bigger
o masturbate and have fantasies o the vulva starts in increase a bit.
about others and about sexual
intimacy
o hair grows under arms and on pubis o hair will start to grow in the armpits
and, on face and chest. and pubic areas

o growth spurt begins earlier for girls;

lasts longer for boys, who end up
taller
o skin becomes oilier and may develop pimples.
o sweating increases and youth may have body odor.
o joints may ache due to rapid growth.

(Topic 2) Height and Weight Development

Many bodily structures like the liver, muscles, skeletons,
kidneys and face follow a normal curve of development for both
boys and girls. Other structures like brain, intestine and other
organs and bodily systems mature at their own time, thus,
affecting growth patterns.
  Children gain an average of 7 pounds in weight, and average of 2 ½ inch in head
circumference (height) each year.
 Children at this stage have growth spurts (sudden boost in height and weight)
which are usually accompanied by increase in appetite and food intake
 Children may become concerned about their physical appearance
 Increase in body preparation for girls during adolescence.
 The body fats increase occurs earlier in girls and is greater in quantity
 Girls appear to be “chubby” while boys tend to have more lean body mass per
inch of height than girls

Tips for Parents/ Teachers/ Caregivers

In United States, the number of children with obesity has continued to rise over
the past two decades. Obesity in childhood poses immediate and future health risks.

Parents, guardians, and teachers can help children maintain a healthy weight by
helping them develop healthy eating habits and limiting calorie- rich temptations. You
also want to children be physically active, have reduces screen time, and get adequate
sleep.

The goal for children who are overweight is to reduce the rate of weight gain
while allowing normal growth and development. Children should not be placed on a
weight reduction diet without the consultation of a health care provider.

 Develop health eating habits

To help children develop healthy eating habits:
- provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole- grain products
- include low- fat or non- fat milk or dairy products, including cheese and
yogurt
- choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein
- encourage your family to drink lots of water
- limit sugary drinks
- limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat
REMEMBER that small changes every day can lead to success!

 Limit calorie- rich temptations

Reducing the availability of high- fat and high- sugar or salty snacks can help
your children develop healthy eating habits. Only allow your children to eat
these foods rarely, so that they truly will be treats.

 Help children stay active

In addition to being fun for children, regular physical activity has many health
benefits, including:
- strengthening bones
- decreasing blood pressure
- reducing stress and anxiety
- increasing self- esteem
- helping with weight management
 Children ages 3 through 5 years should be active throughout the day. Children
and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years would be physically active at least 60 minutes
each day. Include aerobic activity, which is anything that makes their hearts beat faster.
Also include bone- strengthening activities such as running or jumping and muscle-
strengthening activities such as climbing or push- ups.

 Ensure adequate sleep

Too little sleep is associated with obesity, partly because inadequate sleep
makes us eat more and be less physically active. Children need more sleep
than adults, and the amount varies by age (https://www.cdc.gov)

(Topic 3) Motor Skills

Motor skills are behavioral abilities or capacities.
Gross motor skills involve the use of large bodily
movements (running, jumping, throwing, and catching,
kicking, batting, and dribbling). Gross motor skills are
better coordinated. Fine motor skills involve the use of
small bodily movements (drawing- through diagonal
placement, overlapping objects, and converging lines,
painting, writing). Both gross and fine skills continue to
refine during this stage.
Children love to run, jump, leap, throw, catch, climb, and balance. Children play
baseball, ride bikes, roller skate, take karate lessons, take ballet lessons, and participate
in gymnastics. As school- age children grow physically, they become faster, stronger,
and better coordinated (https://www.cliffnotes.com ). Children during this stage prefer to
be active rather than passive to refine their skills.

From the age of 8, children show greater coordination in writing. Their fine motor
skills develop gradually which may be evidenced by the size of the letters and numbers.
Font size becomes smaller and are more even. They may even produce good quality
crafts or have greater control in playing instruments like the piano or guitar. In this skills,
girls surpass the boys.

(Topic 4) Insecurities
At this stage, children may become very concerned about their physical
appearance. Girls especially, may become concerned about their weight and decide to
eat less. Boys may become aware of their stature and muscle strength.
Since this stage can bring about insecurities, parents and teachers must be very
conscious about their dealings with these children. Appropriate activities must be
designed so that children will be guided into the right direction. Children must be given
opportunities to engage themselves in worthwhile activities that:
a. promote healthy growth
b. give the feeling of accomplishment, and
c. reduce the risk of certain diseases

(Topic 5) Implications to Child- care, Education and Parenting

 During this stage, children are more physically
active however, they still have a lot of physical maturity to
undergo. Here are some points to consider for health- care
providers, teachers, and parents.
1. Provide ample opportunities at home and in school
for physical exercises and sports.
2. Encourage children in varied worthwhile activities
until they are able to discover the ones they are
interested in.
3. Develop a strong emotional attachment with your
children so as to address any insecurities and social concerns.
4. Since children in this stage have more control over their eating habits, provide
them healthier food choices.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
(Topic 1) Initial Cognitive Characteristics
Intermediate school children greatly enjoy the abilities that they can now utilize. Their
thinking skills have become more effective as compared during their primary years. Their school
work is now complicated. Reading text have become longer; problem solving have become
every part of their lives.

 Concrete Operational Thought

According to Piaget, children in early childhood are in the pre-operational stage
of development in which they learn to think symbolically about the world. From ages 7 to
11, the school- aged child continues to develop in what Piaget referred to as the
concrete operational stage of cognitive development. This involves mastering the use of
logic in concrete ways. The child can use logic to solve problems tied to their own direct
experience but has trouble solving hypothetical problems or considering more abstract
problems. The child uses inductive reasoning, which means thinking that the world
reflects one’s own personal experience.
The word concrete refers to that which is tangible; that which can be seen or
touched or experienced directly. The concrete operational child is able to make use of
logical principles in solving problems involving the physical world.
As children’s experiences and vocabularies grow, they build schema and are
able to classify objects in many different ways. Classification can include new ways of
arranging information, categorizing information, or creating classes of information. Many
psychological theorists, including Piaget, believe classification involves a hierarchical
structure, such that information is organized from very broad categories to very specific
items.
One feature of concrete operational thought is the understanding that objects
have identity or qualities that do not change even if the object is altered in some way.
For instance, the mass of an object does not change by rearranging it. Piece of chalk is
still chalk even when the piece is broken in two.
During middle childhood, children also understand the concept of reversibility, or
that some things that have been changed can be returned to their original state. Water
can be returned to their original state. Water can be frozen and then thawed to become
liquid again. But eggs cannot be unscrambled.
Children who thinks that a tall beaker filled with 8 ounces of water was “more”
than a short, wide bowl filled with 8 ounces of water? Concrete operational children can
 understand the concept of reciprocity which means that changing one quality (in this
example, height or water level) can be compensates for by changes in another quality
(width)so there is the same amount of water in each container although one is taller and
narrower and the other is shorter and wider.
These new cognitive skills increase the child’s understanding of the physical
world. Operational or logical thought about the abstract world comes later.

(Topic 2) Reading Development

Children in this stage, marked by wide application of “word attack”. Because of previous
knowledge, they have wide vocabulary which enables them to understand the meaning of
unknown words through context clues- this is the “Reading to Learn” stage in reading
development. They are no longer into fairy tales and magic type of stories but are more
interested in longer and more complex reading materials (e.g. fiction books and series books).
The website www.readingrockets.org listed a few
strategies in choosing age- appropriate to their age,
consider the following:
 Consider who the child is- his or her personality
traits and personal preferences when choosing a
book.
 Make a selection with the child in mind, choose an
informational book or a novel in an area of specific
interest.
 Choose books that encourage discussion and insight- building.

(Topic 3) Attention
Older children have longer and more flexible attention span compared to younger
children. Their span of attention is dependent on how much they will required by giving task. In
terms of school works, older children can concentrate and focus more for longer period of hours
especially if they are interested in what they are doing.

(Topic 4) Creativity
“Creativity is not the finding of a thing, but making something out of it after it is
found”
- James Russel Lowell
Children at this stage are open to explore new things.
Creativity is innate in children, they just need a little guidance and
support from parents, teacher and people around them. They are
usually at their best when the work is done in small pieces.
Creativity in children is encourage when the activities:
o Encourage different responses from each children
o Celebrate uniqueness
o Value process over product
o Reduces stress and anxiety in children
o Support to share ideas, not only with teacher/ parents but also with other children
o Minimize competition and external rewards

(Topic 5) The Impact of Media

“Television viewing is a highly complex, cognitive activity during which children actively
involved in learning.”
--- Anderson and Collins, 1988
 The dream of television unit in every classroom started in the 1950’s. it was
considered as one of the first technological advancement in schools. The impact of the
use of television and other media like the computer has gained popularity because
students are given more opportunity to:
o Communicate effectively in speech and writing
o Work collaboratively
o Use technological tools
o Analyze problems, set goals, and formulate strategies for achieving those
goals
o Seek out information skills on their own, as needed, to meet their goals

(Topic 6) Media Aggression

Violence and aggression are often dubbed as one of
the result of media. According to the Public Health
Summit in 2000, the following are some of the
negative results of media:
Children…
o Will increase anti- social and aggressive
behavior
o May become less sensitive to violence and
those who suffer from violence
o May view the world as violent and mean,
becoming more fearful of being a victim of violence
o Will view violence as an acceptable way to settle conflicts

The school and the home provide children with unlimited access to media, not only
television and computers, but also videos, movies, comic books and music lyrics. The
responsibility now lies with the parents, teachers and the whole community. It should be a
collective effort among the factors working together to support children in every aspect of
development.
Having a role model is extremely important for children at this stage of transition (from
childhood to adolescence). It gives children an adult to admire and emulate. Role models also
provide them with motivation to succeed. One of the most important roles of teachers is to
become a very good role model to children.

(Topic 7) Role of Teachers

Children have varying intelligence profiles. These profiles may be based on influences
on learning and achievement. Parents, child- care providers and teachers should be able to
recognize these through:
o need to be an eager participant in children’s growth and development
o must understand how to use the children’s natural curiosity to help make the
appropriate development leaps in their skills and abilities
o must create an atmosphere where risks can be taken and discoveries made
while children remain safe.

SOCIO-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 The following are some of the characteristics of intermediate school children:

1. Want to blend in and not stand out from their peers in any way, particularly as to gender
roles and sexuality
2. Feel concern about outward appearance
3. Become self-conscious and self-centered
4. Have ambivalent, conflicting feelings about puberty and about sexual desire
5. Care greatly about relationships with peers, friendships, dating, and crushes, and give
peers more importance than family
6. Relate to both same-gender and different-gender peers; may develop sexual feelings for
others as a new dimension within relationships
7. Develop the capacity to understand the components of a caring, loving relationship
8. Experience feelings of insecurity and begin to doubt self-concept and previous self-
confidence. Often experience a significant drop in self-esteem.
9. Struggle with family relationships and desire privacy and separation from family (They
test limits and push for independence.)
10. Experience mood swings, especially evident in family relationships
11. Develop romantic feelings and may begin dating
***Source: www.advocatesforyouth.org

Socio- emotional skills are essential for connecting with others. They help us manage
our emotions, build healthy relationships, and feel empathy. Some examples of socio- emotional
skills in use are:
• Recognizing if someone is sad, and asking if they’re okay
• Expressing yourself with your friends in a different way with your parents
• Understanding your thoughts and feelings, and being able to relate to others
•
While these skills may sound complex, socio- emotional development begins at a very
young age. Parents help to nurture socio- emotional skills so kids develop healthy relationships
with friends and family members. Even as a baby, your little one is picking up on how your
respond to their social and emotional needs. They notice how safe the feel at home and in your
presence. They learn how to feel empathy, recognize emotions and say “I’m sorry” by following
your lead. (https://pathways.org)

(Topic 1) Understanding Self- Competence, Self- Identity and Self- Control

At this time of socio- emotional period, the
children should have a growing sense of competence. It
is because their understanding about the self is
changed by the environment that they are living. They
should develop sense of perseverance and offered to
both fail and succeed, along with sincere feedback
and support.
During the late childhood the children can now
describe themselves, most likely employ more socio-
comparison- distinguishing themselves from others. As
their age increase their perspective- taking also
increase their perspective- taking also increases. Perspective taking enables the child to a)
judge others intentions, purposes and action, b) give importance to the social attitudes and
behaviors, and to c) increase skepticism of other’s claim. Note that child’s definition of self and
accomplishments varies.

(Topic 2) Emotional Development

At nine, children are better able to handle conflict. Their growing independence will lead
to them to seek relationships independent of their family, including sleepovers at friends’
houses.

Many nine-year- olds will have a strong desire to belong to a group and establish their
place within the social order of school. As result, many will become vulnerable to peer pressure
because they want to impress their peer group.

At nine, children are capable of taking on a wider range of chores and responsibilities
around the house and will want to start participating in decisions affecting the family.

Children of nine can be paragons of contradiction. While

most will want to expand social circles, they will still greatly have
influenced by their parents.

Most children at this stage benefit from the freedom to

exercise their growing independence but still seek emotional
reassurance from their parents. They may also be moody, and
may be upset one minute and then fine the next. (Nine- Year-
Old Child Development Milestones, L. Garbi,MD,2020)

Children at this age are also becoming more aware of

real- world dangers and disasters. Fears about events such as
crime or storms or anxieties about a parent dying one day may replace fears they may have had
as younger kids such as a fear of monsters.

Children in this stage show improve emotional understanding; increases understanding

that more than once emotion can be expected in a single experience. They may also show
greater ability to conceal or show emotions, utilize ways to redirect feelings and capacity for
genuine empathy.

Children in this stage also they increase their emotional intelligence (EQ), which involves
the ability to monitor feelings to oneself and others. Emotional Intelligence has four main areas.

a. Developing emotional self- awareness

In Philosophy of self, self- awareness is the experience of one’s own personality
or individuality. It is not to be confused with consciousness in the sense of qualia.
While consciousness is being aware of one’s environment and body and lifestyle,
self – awareness is the recognition of that awareness. In addition, self- awareness is
the ability to see yourself clearly and objectively through reflection and introspection
(https://www.psychologytoday.com)
*** Watch video of Self- awareness on Youtube - ThinkTVPBS

b. Managing emotions (self- control)

“The self- controlled man craves for the things he ought,
as he ought, and when he ought.” -Aristotle
 Self- control- or ability to manage one’s impulses, emotions, and behaviors to
achieve long-term goals- is what separates humans to animals. Self- control is
the ability to control oneself, in terms of having mastery over one’s desires and
appetites. Those who are self- controlled can temper what they want, to ensure
that they do not over- or under- indulge. https://www.skillsyouneed.com
Three Habits of Self- Controlled People
1. Self- Preservation
2. Self- Assertion
3. Self- fulfilment

c. Reading emotions (perspective taking)

Perspective taking is the ability to look beyond your own point of view, so that
you can consider how someone else may think or feel about something.
For example; if you are a child speaking to another child, you may easily talk
about lots of details in the latest video game… but… if you are a child talking to
an adult, it is helpful to realize that most adults don’t play a lot of video games
and they may not be interested in this topic or able to follow along with what you
are saying. (https:///www.sociallyskilledkids.com)

*** As a teacher, parent or guarding, how to teach children to take other’s

perspectives and improve their perspective taking abilities?

c.1. Model the Skill/Behavior – practicing what you preach can be harder than it
seems, but demonstrating perspective taking skills, in real time with your
students/ children, is good for you and them. Young children learn much by
watching you, so when you show them the value of perspective taking, they will
be more likely to engage in it too.

c.2. Talk about Challenging Feelings- talk about feelings with your students/
children, not just the positive emotions, and teach your students/ children that
feelings are valid. Acknowledge and respect student’s feelings. Children will be
better able to understand others’ perspectives when they feel their thoughts,
feelings, and experiences are understood and respected.

c.3. Demonstrate Understanding- show your students’ that you understand

their perspective by repeating back to them what you hear them saying or
describing to them what you think they may be thinking or feeling, wanting or
intending.

c.4. Respecting Different Opinions Vs. Agreeing- remember that

understanding someone else’s perspective does not m=necessarily mean that
you agree with them, it is however, an acknowledgement of how they are
thinking, feeling, what they want or need.

c.5. Show Them the Other Side – it is important to help children understand
how their behaviors affect other people. If your student throws a toy and it hits
another child, help your student build that cause- and- effect connection by taking
about how their actions impact other people or their environment.
 c.6. Be a Detective- just like real life detectives search for clues to solve a
crime, people who are skilled at perspective taking look for clues to understand
other people. Help your students develop these skills by encouraging them to
observe and evaluate other people’s actions or behaviors.

c.7. Encourage Community- children learn to value and respect others through
the building of community, developing relationships and sense of belonging.
Encourage your students not only to engage with others but to work together,
collaborate, problem solve and truly value their relationships. This mutual respect
and sense of community will encourage your students to think about others’
points of view.

d. Handling emotions (resolve problem)

Developing skills in this area will help children to relate better to others, manage
his or her behavior, and cope with situations of all kinds. It may also be a great
benefit to a teacher/parent- child relationship, as children grow in their capacity to
explain their disappointments or frustrations with words, rather than acting out.
(www.imom.com)

(Topic 3) Friendships
As the children go through their late childhood their
peer interaction increases. For them, good peer
relationships are important. The peer size also increases
and less supervision by adults is required.
Friendships, especially same- gender friendships,
are prevalent during middle childhood. Friends serve as
classmates, fellow adventurers, confidantes, and sounding
boards. Friends also help each other to develop self- esteem and a sense of competency in the
social world. As boys and girls progress through middle childhood, their peer relationships take
greater importance. For example, older children are likely to enjoy group activities, such as
skating, riding bikes, playing house, and building forts. Peer relationships may also cause the
development of concerns and worries over popularity and conformity.
As with same- age peers, friendships in this stage are mostly based on similarities. The
awareness of racial or other difference may or may not affect friendships. Intolerance for those
children who are not similar leads to prejudice, or negative perceptions about other groups of
people. While peers and friends may reinforce prejudicial stereotypes, many children eventually
become less rigid in their attitudes toward children from other backgrounds.

Five Types of Peer Status:

a. Popular- frequently nominated as the best friend and one who is rarely dislike by
peers
b. Average- receives an average number of positive and negative nominations from
peers
c. Neglected- very seldom nominated as the best friend but is not really disliked
d. Rejected- infrequently nominated as best friend but one who us also disliked
e. Controversial- frequently nominated as a best friend but as the same time is disliked
by peers

Characteristics of the popular children which the peer find every positive has the
following skills
 1. They give out reinforcements
2. They act naturally
3. They listen carefully and keep open communication
4. They are happy and in control of their negative emotions
5. They show enthusiasm and concern to others

Characteristics of the rejected children

1. They participate less in the classroom
2. They have negative attitudes on school tardiness and attendance
3. They are more often reported as being lonely
4. Aggressive
4.1. In boys
- They become impulsive, have problems in being attentive and disruptive
- They are emotionally reactive and slow to come down
- They have fewer social skills to make and maintain friends

(Topic 4) Family
At this time age family support is needed. If the children don’t see the importance or the
support of the family in everything they do, they can be easily frustrated. But if the family will
always be there in all the time of trouble, problems, and always be there to support them, their
self- competence will be developed. With the help of high- quality adult relationship, specifically,
family relationship enables them to successfully go through the stage of development.

Parenting Tip
Your child may have questions about stories he’s overheard in the news or things going
on in the community. Provide age- appropriate, factual information. Focus on everything that is
being done to keep people safe and consider getting him involved with a simple project, like
writing thank you notes to first responders after a tragic event or donating clothing to victims of
natural disaster.

Remember
This module stresses that:
 During late childhood, a wide variety of biological, psychological and social changes take
place across the developmental domains.
 As children progress through late childhood, the family environment remains extremely
important, while the community environment- including the school- also becomes a
significant factor in shaping the child’s development.
 During the late childhood, peers have an increasingly strong impact on development;
peer acceptance becomes very important to the child.

ACTIVITY 1

______ 1. Children in the intermediate school age may experience early signs of puberty. How
can parents best handle a situation like this?
a. Encourage them to a mingle with the opposite sex.
b. Be on the look- out for physical changes and report them to their children’s pediatrician.
c. Connect with their friends and ask them to tell you what changes are happening to their
children.
d. Provide children with accurate resources that they need to be able to gain information
about sex, drugs, and changes that they experience.
______ 2. What can teachers do when children get teased for their physical appearance?
a. Teach the child being teased to fight back
b. Let the teasing slide and continue with the class activity
c. Have a private talk with the offending student and figure out why he is teasing
d. Bring the offending student to the Guidance Counselor.

______ 3. What can a parent do if he/she noticed that his/her child is unusually short or tall
relative to his/ her friends the same age?
a. Ignore since growth vary with children
b. Talk/ consult to the child’s pediatrician
c. Let the child take vitamins that will increase or boost the height
d. Ask his/ her friends regarding what their children are taking to grow taller

______ 4. Nutrition is the sole factor in normal growth processes. is the statement true or false?
Why?
a. Yes, because it means to have no growth without food intake
b. Yes, because food is the best in giving nutrients needed of a child’s growth
c. No, because there are two factors that affects the child’s normal growth
d. No, because a number of factors- so called environmental influences- can affect child’s
normal growth as well

______ 5. Is weight gain part of a normal puberty?

a. Yes. As youth are growing taller, it’s normal to gain weight.
b. Yes. As youth are picky eaters, it’s normal to gain weight.
c. No. It is a sign of abnormality and developing illness
d. No. it is a sign of puberty stage

______ 6. Arjun’s mom is baking a cake and realizes that once the batter is mixed, the
ingredients cannot be separated out. Which principle of concrete operational thought Arjun
using here?
a. Reciprocity
b. Classification
c. Identity
d. Reversibility

______ 7. When children tell you what they want to be in the future, which is the appropriate
response?
a. Don’t be too ambitious. Be realistic.
b. Don’t you think it’s still early for you to plan your future?
c. That’s nice. But I want you to become someone better.
d. I’m so happy to hear that, I will support you all the way.

______ 8. Reading is an essential part in the cognitive development of intermediate school- age
kids. What can teachers do to encourage this skill?
a. Assign a mandatory reading list for children that they must finish until the end of the
school year.
b. Set up a mini- library that includes not only books but also internet websites where
children can access different topics that interest them.
 c. Read aloud to the children during classroom hours so that they will become more
familiar with words they have not heard before.
d. Make reading a grammar lesson.
______ 9. Where does the responsibility lie when it comes to limiting the media exposure of
intermediate school- age children?
a. Only the parents
b. Parents and teachers
c. Parents, teachers and the whole community
d. The children themselves

_____ 10. True or False? Older children have longer and more flexible attention span compared
to younger children.
a. True
b. False

Activity 2

Using a Semantic Web, write at least five words that are connected to the following terms
below.

a. Classification (in Concrete Operational Thought)

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
b. Reciprocity
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
c. Creativity
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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Self-Assessment
State the relevance of knowing and studying the different changes during Middle and
Late Childhood and on how it develops your understanding about the lesson.
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Reference:
Corpuz, B. (n.d.). The Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles.