Learning Aim A Concepts

Growth

The physical increase in size of the body, such as height, weight, and head circumference. e.g. a typical new-born’s weight doubles by about by about 5 months.

Development

The progressive changes in skills, abilities, and behaviour e.g. a baby’s progress from being unable to move their hands to being able to push themselves up, sit, crawl, and then walk, a sequence of physical milestones that reflects increasing control over their GMS.

Cephalo-caudal Development 

A pattern of development that happens from head to toe e.g. babies gain control of their head and neck before their legs.

Proximal-distal Development 

A pattern of development that happens from the centre of the body outwards e.g. infants can move their arms before they can move their legs.

Invariant Sequence

The order of development is consistent and fixed (children go through the same stages even if the rate is different).

Gross Motor Skills

Large movements that use the bigger muscles of the body e.g. walking, running, crawling, jumping. 

Fine Motor Skills

Smaller, precise, movements that use the hands, fingers and wrists e.g. writing, drawing, eating (with utensils), pincer grasp, hand-eye-coordination.

Cognitive/intellectual Development

Related to thinking, learning, understanding, problem-solving, memory and decision-making.

Verbal Communication 

Sharing information through spoken or written words, expressive language.

Non-verbal Communication

Sharing information without words, such as through facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and body language.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

When a child’s first language is not English, and they are learning English alongside their home language.

Attachment (secure & insecure)

An emotional and psychological bond, most notably between a child and their primary caregiver, which forms in life e.g. the baby wants to be close to their caregiver and seeks their comfort when upset.

Self-concept

The overall idea a person has about themselves, including who they are, and what they are like.

Self-image 

How a person sees themselves e.g. this is affected by how a child sees their appearance, abilities, and personality.

Self-esteem

How much a person values themselves or feels good about who they are.

Nature

The influence of genetics and inherited traits on development e.g. physical traits such as eye colour, inheriting risk of developing an illness.

Nurture

The influence of the environment and experiences on development e.g. providing a safe and stable environment, such as a calm home and predictable routines, and offering emotional support.

Genetic Disorder

A condition causes by an abnormality in a person’s genes or chromosomes e.g. down’s syndrome, cystic fibrosis

Inheritance/heredity 

The process by which traits or conditions are passed down from parents to their children through genes.

Premature

When a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, which may affect growth and development.

Atypical Development

Development that doesn’t follow the expected pattern or milestone e.g. no babbling by 12 months, lack of single words by 16 months, or no two-word phrases by 24 months (speech delays)

Developmental Delay

When a child doesn’t reach development milestones at the expected time, but may catch up later.