Introduction

This module deals with the basic concepts, meanings, principles and
approaches about human development. As you read this material, you will
be able to know the definition of human development. Likewise, you will
know more about the two approaches including the characteristics. Major
principles will also be part of this module so that your ideas on human
development will further be enhanced. After the content discussion, you are
given exercises to work on. Towards the end of this module, you are tasked
to give your own reflections. All these activities will deepen and strengthen
your understanding about the lesson presented. Do the task honestly
coupled with high interest so that you can benefit the most of it.
As you journey on this lesson, you are expected to:

Cite situations where the two approaches

are evident

1. Define and explain the meaning,

concepts and approaches on human
development.
2. Differentiate traditional and life-span
approach of development

Are you ready for today’s lesson? This time, you are tasked to read
the texts below and be able to comprehend it well.

What is human development?

It is the pattern of movement or change that begins at conception
and continues through the life span. It includes growth and decline.

Two Approaches to Human Development

1. Traditional Approach – shows extensive change from birth to
adolescence, little or no change in adulthood and decline in late
old age.
2. Life-span Approach – shows that even adulthood developmental
change takes place as it does during childhood.
Characteristics of Human Development from Life-span Approach
1. Development is lifelong. It does not end in adulthood. No
developmental stage dominates development.
2. Developmental is plastic. Plasticity refers to the potential for
change. Development is possible throughout the life-span.
3. Development is multi-dimensional. Development consists of
biological, cognitive and socio-emotional dimensions.
Development as a process is complex because it is the product
of biological, cognitive and socio-emotional processes.
4. Development is contextual. Individuals are changing beings in a
changing world. Individuals respond to and act on contexts.
These contexts include individual’s biological make up, physical
environment, cognitive processes, historical, social and cultural
contexts.
5. Development involve growth, maintenance and regulation.
Growth, maintenance and regulation are three goals of human
development. The goals of individuals vary among
developmental stages.

Major Principles of Human Development

1. Development is relatively orderly. The muscular control of the
trunk and the arms comes earlier as compared to the hands and
fingers. This is the proximodistal pattern. During infancy, the
greatest growth always occurs at the top – the head – with
physical growth in size, weight and future differentiation gradually
working its way down from top to bottom. This is the
cephalocaudal pattern.
2. While the pattern of development is likely to be similar, the
outcomes of developmental process and the rate of
development are likely to vary among individuals. If the child
comes from a good home with loving and caring parents, he/she
may develop into warm and responsible child, adolescent and
adult. If the child comes from a deprived environment, he/she
may develop into carefree and irresponsible adolescent and
adult.
3. Development takes place gradually. Individuals won’t develop
overnight. It takes years before they become one. In fact, that’s
the way of nature. The bud does not blossom suddenly. The seed
does not germinate overnight. While some changes occur in a
flash of insight, more often it takes weeks, months or years for a
person to undergo changes that result in the display of
developmental characteristics.
 4. Development as a process is complex because it is the product of
biological, cognitive and socio-emotional processes. Biological
processes involve changes in the individual’s physical nature.
Cognitive processes involve changes in the individual’s thought,
intelligence and language. Socio-emotional processes include
changes in the individual’s relationships with other people,
changes in emotions and changes in personality. These biological,
cognitive and socio-emotional processes are inextricably
intertwined.

Principles of Child Development and Learning (National Association for

the Education of Young Children, 2009)

1. All domains of development and learning – physical, social and

emotional, and cognitive – are important, and they are closely
interrelated. Children’s development and learning in one domain
influence and are influenced by what takes place in other
domains.
2. Many aspects of children’s learning and development follow well
documented sequences, with later abilities, skills and knowledge
building on those already acquired.
3. Development and learning proceed at varying rates from child to
child, as well as at uneven rates across different areas of a child’s
individual functioning.
4. Development and learning result from a dynamic and continuous
interaction of biological maturation and experience.
5. Early experiences have profound effects, both cumulative and
delayed, on a child’s development and learning; and optional
periods exist for certain types of development and learning to
occur.
6. Development proceeds toward greater complexity, self-
regulation, and symbolic or representational capacities.
7. Children develop best when they have secure, consistent
relationships with responsive adults and opportunities for positive
relationships with peers.
8. Development and learning occur in and are influenced by
multiple social and cultural contexts.
9. Always mentally active in seeking to understand the world around
them, children learn in a variety of way; a wide range of teaching
strategies and interactions are effective in supporting all these
kinds of learning.
 10. Play is an important vehicle for developing self-regulation as well
as for promoting language, cognition, and social competence.
11. Development and learning advance when children are
challenged to achieve at a level just beyond their current
mastery, and also when they have many opportunities to
practice newly acquired skills.
12. Children’s experiences shape their motivation and approaches
to learning, such as persistence, initiative and flexibility; in turn,
these dispositions and behaviors affect their learning and
development.

Now that you have read the text above, it is expected that you are
ready to answer the following exercises. Please answer them with
sincerity.

Direction: Provide your answers briefly and concisely below.

1. Define human development in your own words.

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
2. Explain briefly the two approaches to human development.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
__________
 3. Explain briefly the characteristics of human development.

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
4. Explain briefly the different major principles of human
development in your own words.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
5. According to NAEYC (2009), there are different principles of child
development. Give the summary using your own words.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Directions: Write inside the circle the appropriate information being

asked for. You can list down as many as you can.

Traditional Approach Life-Span Approach

Differences Similarities Differences

________________ __________ _________________

________________ __________ _________________
________________ __________ _________________
________________ __________ _________________
________________ __________ _________________
Directions: Give at least 3 situations where the two approaches
become evident.

Approaches to Human Development

Traditional Approach Life-Span Approach

__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
_
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
 Since you are done with all the activities above, it’s time for you to
reflect about the topic. Are you ready?

Directions: Write 3 most important things that you have learned from
this module. Limit your ideas to 150 words only.

From the topic about human development, I realized that…

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
 1. Corpuz, B.B., Lucas, MR. D., Borabo, HD. L. & Lucido, P. I. (2018). The
Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles, Lorimar
Publishing Inc., Quezon City, Philippines.
2. Corpuz, B.B., Lucas, MR. D., Borabo, HD. L. & Lucido, P. I. (2010). The
Child and Adolescent Development: Looking at Learners at
Different Life Stages, Lorimar Publishing Inc., Quezon City,
Philippines.
3. Hurlock, E. B. (1982). Developmental Psychology: A Life-span
Approach, 5th ed., McGraw-Hill, Inc., Philippine Copyright by
National Book Store, Manila, Philippines.

Prepared by:

Jun P. Dalisay, LPT, RGC, Ph.D.-Psy

Maria Charmaine R. Gaa, LPT, MA-SPED
Jacquelyn Rose A. Fajilagutan, LPT, MAEd-GC
Charry F. Mayuga, LPT, MA-Psy
Professors/Instructors