Question 1 (Marks: 50)

Q.1.1 The development of a child is important to their success in academic functioning. Many factors contribute to a child’s development and success in future academic functioning.

Looking at the concepts given below, critically discuss each concept and provide one detailed practical example that relate to any of the South African classroom context. Make use of journal articles and your prescribed textbook for reference as you discuss these concepts. Use the IIE referencing guidelines.

i. Nature versus Nurture
ii. Tabula Rasa
iii. Empiricist approach to child development
iv. Rationalist approach to child development
v. Critical period

Q.1.2 Educational psychologists research human development, specifically child development, to determine what appropriate learning experiences a child requires to fully develop. Examine a newspaper article or a peer-reviewed paper/journal for a scenario in which a child did not receive adequate home support for their development.
Develop a support strategy on how you will support the child at school.

Guidance:
• Find a newspaper or peer reviewed research article/journal and attach the information about the challenge you have identified as not appropriate home support for child development.

• The support strategy should be a well written piece that outlines based on the challenges you have identified, and how you will provide support at school.

Question 2 (Marks: 50)
Read the Case Study Below and use it to answer the questions that follow.
Case Study
Lufuno is a 12-year-old learner in Grade 5. She goes to an English – medium school, however, her first language is Tshivenda. She has been referred to a psychologist for testing because she shows signs of having learning challenges at school. Lufuno is very disruptive and cannot finish any task on time. She does not have many friends but often plays with her neighbour’s child, who is six years old.

Lufuno lives with her grandmother who is 65years old, her two aunts, and four nephews. They all live in a two-bedroomed house in the Township of Alexandra in Johannesburg. Lufuno’s mother smoked marijuana during her pregnancy as she belongs to the Rastafarian belief and culture. Lufuno was abandoned by her mother at three months old due to her delayed developmental milestones and she does not know her father. Her grandmother is the sole financial provider in the family and her aunts depend on the child SASSA grant. Lufuno has 2 younger siblings who reside with their mother.

Lufuno’s class teacher referred her to an educational psychologist due to her slow academic progress. Psychological tests were conducted, and they revealed that Lufuno has a moderate impairment in reading that is characterized by word reading accuracy and reading rate or fluency, an impairment in written expression, that is, spelling accuracy, grammar and punctuation
accuracy, and clarity or organization of written expression.

Q.2.1 Identify and discuss how Lufuno’s development is influenced by his environment using the case study above and Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. (20)

Q.2.2 Watch the video below and use it to help you answer the question provided.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhcgYgx7aAA [Accessed 11 February 2023].

From your understanding, outline Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, critically discussing the four stages as introduced in your module outline. Look at concepts such as peek-a-boo, object permanence, and A, not B error, to help with your discussion.

For each stage discussed, give one example that relates to the classroom context. Use references to support your argument. Use the IIE referencing style. (30)

Answers to Above Questions on Child Development

When it comes to the concept of nature versus nurture, there is strong debate among the scholars about the importance of genetic inheritance and environmental factors in influencing the overall development of humans and their behaviour. According to the proponents of nature, there is a significant importance of genetics and Biology in determining human behaviour and their personality, whereas the proponents of nurture lays emphasis on the environmental factors in the overall development of an individual’s characteristic. These factors could be parenting, education, socialisation and the culture to which the children are exposed to.