COURSE MODULE Don Carlos Polytechnic College

Module week 9

Poblacion Norte, Don Carlos, Bukidnon

College of Education
EDUC 1: The Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles
Semester of A.Y. 2021-2022

Introduction

This module will explore the cognitive development of infants and toddlers as well as the socio-
emotional development of Infants and toddlers.

Intended Learning Outcomes

A. Understand the cognitive development of infants and toddlers.
B. Understand the Socio-emotional Development of Infants and Toddlers
Activity

Brief Lecture: with the aid of a powerpoint with narration

Panel discussion via zoom on the topics

Discussion

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF INFANTS AND TODDLERS

Infants and toddlers are born ready to learn. They learn through cuddling with a caregiver, listening
to language, trying out sounds, stretching on the floor, reaching for objects, tasting foods, and
exploring their environments in countless ways everyday. Their brains go through amazing changes
during the first three years of life. This lesson will highlight cognitive developmental milestones for
infants and toddlers.

Milestones

Infants' and toddlers' thinking skills grow as they interact with the world and people around them.
As you learned in the first lesson, early experiences matter. Consistent, nurturing experiences help
infants and toddlers make sense of the world. Those experiences literally build brain architecture. As

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infants and toddlers develop, they begin to understand and predict how things work: they open and
close a cabinet door over and over, they fill and dump a cup of water in the water table, they bang a
spoon on a high chair to hear the sound.

Watching an infant or toddler make new discoveries is truly exciting. Think of how exciting it is the
first time an infant stacks blocks (and knocks them down) or the first time a toddler pretends to
"read" a book to you. The chart below highlights infant and toddler cognitive development as they
grow. Keep in mind that individual differences exist when it comes to the specific age at which
infants and toddlers meet these milestones and that each infant and toddler is unique. As you may
have already learned in other courses, milestones provide a guide for when to expect certain skills or
behaviors to emerge. Think of milestones as guidelines to help you understand and identify typical
patterns of growth and development, or to help you know when and what to look for as young
children mature. As an infant and toddler caregiver, you can use this information, what you learn
from families and your own knowledge in the interactions, experiences, and environments you create
for infants and toddlers.

Chart: Cognitive Developmental Milestones

2 months
 Pays attention to faces
 Begins to follow things with eyes and recognize people at a distance
 Begins to act bored (cries, fussy) if activity doesn't change

6 months
 Looks around at things nearby
 Brings things to mouth
 Shows curiosity about things and tries to get things that are out of reach
 Begins to pass things from one hand to another

12 months
 Explores things in different ways like shaking, banging, throwing
 Finds hidden things easily
 Looks at the right picture or thing when it's named
 Copies gestures
 Starts to use things correctly (like drinks from a cup, brushes hair)

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 Bangs two things together

 Puts things in a container, takes things out of a container
 Lets things go without help
 Pokes with index (pointer) finger
 Follows simple directions like "pick up the toy"

18 months
 Knows what ordinary things are; for example telephone, brush, spoon
 Points to get the attention of others
 Shows interest in a doll or stuffed animal by pretending to feed
 Point to one body part
 Scribbles on his own
 Can follow 1-step verbal commands without any gestures; for example, sits when you say
"sit down"

24 months
 Finds things even when hidden under two or three covers
 Begins to sort shapes and colors
 Completes sentences and rhymes in familiar books
 Plays simple make-believe games
 Builds towers of 4 or more blocks
 Might use one hand more than the other
 Follows two-step directions like, "Pick up your shoes and put them in the closet."

36 months
 Can work toys with buttons, levers, and moving parts
 Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
 Does puzzles with 3 or 4 pieces
 Understands what "two" means
 Copies a circle with a pencil or crayon
 Turns book pages one at a time
 Builds towers of more than 6 blocks
 Screws and unscrews jar lids or turns door handles

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Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). Developmental Milestones. An

electronic resource available
from: http://www.cdc.gov/NCBDDD/actearly/pdf/checklists/All_Checklists.pdf

It's important to know that how infants and toddlers are assigned to classrooms may not reflect the
age spans listed above. There are programs that regroup children every six months and those that use
multi-age or family-style groupings, which keep children and their teachers together for a longer
period of time. It is best practice to minimize the number of times infants and toddlers have to
transition from one age group to the next.

Cognitive development is a unique process and is specific to each infant, toddler, and family. Many
factors influence cognitive development including genes, prenatal events (i.e., before or during
birth), and aspects of the child's environment. A family may wonder about their young child's
cognitive development and feel uncertain about what they are observing, as well as what to expect.
As an infant and toddler caregiver, you have an opportunity to learn first from a family and consider
offering additional developmental information, including possible warning signs. The Kids Included
Together can be a valuable resource for you (http://www.kitonline.org), as well as the developmental
milestones and act early information located on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
website, http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html. The table below also highlights
possible warning signs for infants and toddlers:

Possible Warning Signs for Cognitive Development Issues for Infants and Toddlers

Young Infants
 Doesn't watch things as they move
 Doesn't bring things to mouth

Mobile Infants
 Doesn't try to get things that are in reach
 Has difficulty getting things to mouth
 Doesn't play any games involving back-and-forth play (i.e., Peek-a-Boo)
 Doesn't seem to recognize familiar people
 Doesn't look where you point
 Doesn't transfer toys from one hand to another
 Doesn't learn gestures like waving or shaking head
 Loses skills he once had

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 Doesn't search for things she sees you hide

Toddlers
 Doesn't copy others
 Doesn't point to show things to others
 Doesn't know what to do with common things, like a brush, phone, spoon
 Doesn't follow simple directions
 Doesn't play pretend or make-believe (at 3 years)
 Loses skills she once had

SOCIO-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF INFANTS AND TODDLERS

Emotional well-being during the early years has a powerful impact on social relationships. Children
who are emotionally healthy are better able to establish and maintain positive relationships with
adults as well as with peers. Social-emotional development is essential to a young child’s sense of
well-being. Their first relationships help shape who they are, who they become, and their
understanding of the world. The important people in young children’s lives help lay the foundation
for a range of social-emotional skills such as:
 Self-regulation
 Empathy
 Turn-taking and sharing
 Positive relationships with adults and peers

Social-Emotional Milestones

Through early relationships and with nurturing, responsive interactions, infants and toddlers learn
ways of being in relationships, how to get their needs and wants met, and how to identify and
regulate emotions. Because these skills develop together, this area of development is referred to as
social-emotional development.

Below is a chart that highlights how infants and toddlers develop social-emotional skills at different
ages. Keep in mind that individual differences exist when it comes to the precise age at which infants
and toddlers meet these milestones. As highlighted in the Cognitive, Physical, and Communication
courses, milestones are not checklists with which to judge children’s development. Rather, they
provide a guide for when to expect certain skills or behaviors to emerge in young children so you are
ready to meet their needs. Think of milestones as guidelines to help you understand and identify
typical patterns of growth and development in infants and toddlers or to help you know when and

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what to look for as they develop. You can continue to use your knowledge of these milestones to
help meet the needs of infants and toddlers in your care. Even though the skills highlighted in the
chart develop in a predictable sequence over the first three years of life, each infant and toddler is
unique. Your goal is to help all infants and toddlers grow and learn to their potential.

Infants & Toddlers Social-Emotional Developmental Milestones

Use the menu at left or the pager below to cycle through scenarios
   
Select an Age-Track
6 Months12 Months18 Months24 Months36 Months
6 Months
 Knows familiar faces and begins to know if someone is a stranger
 Likes to play with others, especially parents
 Responds to other people’s emotions and often seems happy
 Likes to look at self in mirror
 

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). Developmental Milestones. An

electronic resource available
from: http://www.cdc.gov/NCBDDD/actearly/pdf/checklists/All_Checklists.pdf

It is helpful to remember that expectations about social-emotional milestones are driven by cultural
values and preferences. Theorist Lev Vygotsky said that adults share their cultural values and beliefs
with children through daily interactions. Ideas, beliefs and expectations about child development are
just some of the ways cultures are unique. Becoming aware of and respecting these differences can
help you better understand families’ experiences that help shape the infants and toddlers in your care.

Connection of Social-Emotional Development to Other Areas of Development

With our evolving understanding of brain growth and young children’s development, we continue to
learn about the ways adult caregivers can be supportive and most effective in helping children
develop and learn. This growing understanding also includes how adult caregivers can help children
develop social-emotional skills. Through nurturing and trusting relationships, infants and toddlers
learn about the world. Their brains mature through interactions, and they can learn that the world is
safe as adults are responsive to young children’s needs. They also learn how to form relationships,
communicate, respond to challenges, and how to recognize, experience, and regulate their emotions
from relationships with caregivers. When infants and toddlers feel safe and alert, they are more likely

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to observe, explore, play, interact and experiment with people and objects. These experiences lead
young children to learn and remember new things. This foundation for learning depends greatly on
the quality of infants’ and toddlers’ early environments and relationships.

Understanding and Supporting the Social-Emotional Development of Infants and Toddlers

Now that you have read the milestone chart, let’s revisit the definition of social-emotional
development according to Zero to Three:

Within the context of one’s family, community and cultural background, social emotional health is
the child’s developing capacity to form secure relationships, experience and regulate emotions and,
explore and learn.

Below, take a closer look at the components highlighted within this definition to identify additional
ways to understand and support the social-emotional development of the infants and toddlers in your
care.

Birth to 3 months:
 The first three months are a time all about helping an infant learn to feel safe, comfortable,
secure, and curious about his or her world. “Your smile and gentle touch help me to feel safe
and happy.”
 When caregivers respond to an infant’s cues with comfort and care, infants develop
trust. “Your soothing voice and touch helps me to feel safe, secure, and loved.”

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 I
nfants use sounds, facial expressions, and body movements to tell caregivers what they need
and how they are feeling. “I am learning how to tell you what I need. Sometimes I look away
when I need a break. I yawn sometimes when I am feeling tired. Thank you for watching and
getting to know me.”

3 to 6 months:
 The infant is active, responsive, and increasingly in control of his or her body. “I stretch my
arms toward you when I want you to pick me up and hold me gently.”
 Infant offers smiles and communicates with a gaze and basic vocalizations. “I’m smiling to
let you know I am ready to communicate.”


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Sense of security and well-being are totally dependent upon relationships with important
caregivers.
 Emphasis is on routine and exploration—showing caregivers what they like and dislike, and
how they prefer to sleep, eat, and play. “I’m beginning to notice daily routines and the things
we do together. When you turn the lights down, I know that it is time for sleep.”

6 to 9 months:


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Movi
ng and exploring is the goal – infants become eager explorers who are thrilled to discover that
they can make things happen.
 Infants are learning to solve problems. “When a toy drops, I look to see where it went. I
expect you will help me to get it back. I then try it again to see if I can make the same thing
happen again.”
 An infant is beginning to understand that people still exist even when they are out of
sight. “I realize that my mommy is about to leave me. I will protest in hopes that she stays.
Being separated from her is hard for me.”

9 to 12 months:
 Infants are enjoying increased independence. “Please stay calm even when I demand to do
things on my own. It’s hard work for me to learn and figure out all of these new things and
sometimes I get frustrated, but I want to keep trying.”
 Infants can understand more than they can verbally communicate.
 Infants enjoy doing things over and over again. “Watch me practice and figure out how
things work! Repetition is also helping me build my memory!”
 Infants take action with a goal in mind. “When I crawl away from you quickly, I am not
trying to upset you. I am having fun and do not want my diaper changed right now. This is
how I take control of my world and let you know how I am feeling. Please talk to me and give
me time to transition from my activity, and let me know that when we’re done I can go back to
what I was doing.”

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12 to 18 months:

 Infan
ts and toddlers are watching others and imitate what they see. “I have been watching and am
able to use things the way they are supposed to be used. Watch me talk on this toy telephone!”
 Infants and toddlers are using skills to explore and discover the boundaries of what they can
do. “I may get frustrated when you try to feed me and I want to do it on my own.”
 Infants and toddlers are beginning to understand feelings of self and others. “My feelings
can be hard for me to handle. I may become frustrated and have tantrums. I need your help to
calm down.”

18 to 24 months:


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To
ddlers work hard to be in control, explore the boundaries of their experiences, and engage in
problem solving. “I am beginning to sort things. Notice how I put my train cars in one place
and all of my other cars in another.”
 They are increasingly aware of themselves as separate from others and are becoming more
enthusiastic about playing with peers.
 They are starting to show negative behaviors (hitting, biting, kicking) in response to
frustration. “I understand, ‘No,’ but cannot control my feelings and actions. Please be patient
and help me when I get frustrated.”

24 to 36 months:


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Toddlers are using language to express thoughts and feelings. “When you started to put the
blocks away too soon, I yelled, ‘That’s not right!’ I wanted to make a path for the cows before
we put things away.”
 Toddlers are using enhanced thinking skills to solve problems. “I am getting really good at
playing pretend. I can act out my own stories and use a bottle to feed my teddy bear.
Sometimes, I feel scared because I am not certain yet what is real and what is pretend.”
 Toddlers take pride in their accomplishments, such as, pouring milk.

Supporting All Infants and Toddlers

Every child is born with her or his unique way of approaching the world. This is
called temperament. Some young children, for example, are constantly on the move while others
prefer to sit and watch the world around them. Some young children enjoy new experiences and
meeting new people while others are slower to warm up in new situations. Rothbart (1989) defined
temperament as the individual personality differences in infants and young children.  As Murphy and
Moon describe, “infants and young children vary greatly in their interest in different sensory areas, in
the intensity of their attention to sensory stimuli, and in their sensitivity to feelings of comfort and
discomfort, familiarity and strangeness, and the emotional context in which sensory experiences

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occur.”

Infants are born with a unique temperament. There is no right or wrong, good or bad temperament.
By understanding temperament, you can continue to use what you know about infants and toddlers to
encourage their strengths and support their needs.  In the Apply section you will review more
information about temperament and consider what it means for your role as a responsive caregiver.

No matter how well you understand temperament and are attuned and responsive, there will be times
that an infant or toddler in your care may not seem to be developing socially and emotionally. Some
infants and toddlers may experience social or emotional difficulties. These difficulties may be related
to inborn (nature) or environmental (nurture) influences. The caregiving strategies in this lesson
apply and relate to all children; however, some children may require an additional level of support.

Each infant’s or toddler’s relationship experiences and pattern of growth is different. In your work,
you observe and track each young child’s particular strengths and possible areas of need. Your
screening and assessment process is part of your ongoing routine, and it helps you to recognize and
celebrate infants’ and toddlers’ accomplishments. It also helps you to identify red flags—some
aspect of the infant’s or toddler’s development that is outside the expected age range.

The following general strategies can help you care for infants and toddlers who are experiencing
social and emotional difficulties. You can also talk with your supervisor, trainer or coach about
additional community resources and specialists who support your program who may offer additional
support.
 Observe and notice the infant’s or toddler’s cues and responses to environmental stimuli.
Think about ways to limit noise level, for example, or visual stimuli.
 Observe and ask yourself if you notice increased frustration or irritability in the infant or
toddler during particular routines or times of day.
 Think about ways to maintain physical closeness and offer gentle touch to help infants and
toddlers maintain a sense of control.

Exercise

Create a reflection employing CERA.

Assessment

Reflection employing Content, Experience, Reaction and Application ( CERA) with rubrics

Critical essay ( Rubrics will be provided in the Platform- Google Classroom)

Reflection

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COURSE MODULE Resources and Additional Resources
Module week 9

https://www.virtuallabschool.org/infant-toddler/cognitive/lesson-2
https://www.virtuallabschool.org/infant-toddler/social-emotional/lesson-2
Additional Resources

Attachment 1

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COURSE MODULE Rubrics for critical essay
Module week 9

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 Fair Good Excellent
(N/A) (N/A) (N/A)
COURSE MODULE Module week 9

Opening Statement Fair Good Excellent

0-19 20-24 25-30

30 points maximum Opening Good Strong opening statement.
statement opening
lacked in statement. Topical and substantive
substance. arguments.
Some strong
Opening arguments Well organized and presented
statement presented. arguments.
lacked in
clarity. Needed High level of analytical rigor.
more
Opening organization.
statement
needed Needed a
significant higher level
increase in of analysis.
analytical
rigor. Needed
more
substance.
Clarity Fair Good Excellent

0-5 6-7 8-10

10 points Maximum Arguments Could have Excellent job in this area.
lacked better
clarity. clarified Clear and intelligible arguments.
your
Many points arguments Excellent clarification of your
were for the points within the discussion.
inconsistent. group.

Did not Some

effectively arguments
clarify were not
points/argum consistent.
ents during
the Good
discussion. clarification
of your
points during
the
discussion.
Argumentation/Style Fair Good Excellent

0-5 6-7 8-10

10
17 |points
P a g emaximum Need more Good job in Excellent job in this area.
engagement this area.
with the Persuasive argumentation.
larger Argumentati
COURSE MODULE Module week 9

Attachment 2

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COURSE MODULE Reflection Evaluation Criteria (the rubric)
Module week 9

Example of one Type of Rubric for a paper

Criteria Superior (54-60 Sufficient (48-53 Minimal (1-47 Unacceptable (0

points) points) points) points)

Depth of Response Response Response Response

Reflection demonstrates an in- demonstrates a demonstrates a demonstrates a
depth reflection on, general reflection on, minimal lack of reflection
and personalization and personalization reflection on, and on, or
of, the theories, of, the theories, personalization personalization of,
(25% of concepts, and/or concepts, and/or of, the theories, the theories,
TTL Points) strategies presented strategies presented in concepts, and/or concepts, and/or
in the course the course materials strategies strategies
materials to date. to date. Viewpoints presented in the presented in the
Viewpoints and and interpretations are course materials course materials to
___/15 interpretations are supported. to date. date. Viewpoints
insightful and well Appropriate examples Viewpoints and and interpretations
supported. Clear, are provided, as interpretations are are missing,
detailed examples applicable. unsupported or inappropriate,
are provided, as supported with and/or
applicable. flawed unsupported.
arguments. Examples, when
Examples, when applicable, are not
applicable, are not provided.
provided or are
irrelevant to the
assignment.
Required Response includes Response includes all Response is Response excludes
Components all components and components and missing some essential
meets or exceeds all meets all components components and/or
requirements requirements and/or does not does not address
indicated in the indicated in the fully meet the the requirements
(25% of instructions. Each instructions. Each requirements indicated in the
TTL Points) question or part of question or part of the indicated in the instructions. Many
the assignment is assignment is instructions. parts of the
addressed addressed. All Some questions assignment are
thoroughly. All attachments and/or or parts of the addressed
___/15 attachments and/or additional documents assignment are minimally,
additional documents are included, as not addressed. inadequately,
are included, as required. Some attachments and/or not at all.
required. and additional
documents, if
required, are
missing or

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COURSE MODULE Module week 9
unsuitable for the
purpose of the
assignment.
Structure Writing is clear, Writing is mostly Writing is unclear Writing is unclear
concise, and well clear, concise, and and/or and disorganized.
organized with well organized with disorganized. Thoughts ramble
excellent good Thoughts are not and make little
(25% of sentence/paragraph sentence/paragraph expressed in a sense. There are
TTL Points) construction. construction. logical manner. numerous spelling,
Thoughts are Thoughts are There are more grammar, or
expressed in a expressed in a than five spelling, syntax errors
coherent and logical coherent and logical grammar, or throughout the
___/15 manner. There are no manner. There are no syntax errors per response.
more than three more than five page of writing.
spelling, grammar, or spelling, grammar, or
syntax errors per syntax errors per page
page of writing. of writing.
Evidence Response shows Response shows Response shows Response shows
and Practice strong evidence of evidence of synthesis little evidence of no evidence of
synthesis of ideas of ideas presented and synthesis of ideas synthesis of ideas
presented and insights gained presented and presented and
insights gained throughout the entire insights gained insights gained
(25% of throughout the entire course. The throughout the throughout the
TTL Points) course. The implications of these entire course. Few entire course. No
implications of these insights for the implications of implications for
insights for the respondent's overall these insights for the respondent's
respondent's overall teaching practice are the respondent's overall teaching
___/15 teaching practice are presented, as overall teaching practice are
thoroughly detailed, applicable. practice are presented, as
as applicable. presented, as applicable.
applicable.

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