Growth & Development
: Its Principles
Bijoy Krishna Panda
Department of Education, Jadavpur University
What is ‘Growth’ ?
Growth refers to an increase in some quantity over time.
The quantity can be physical.
What is ‘Development’ ?
Development is systematic and orderly change, organisms
experience as they live and either gain or loose abilities.
What is ‘Principle’ ?
A fundamental, primary or general law or truth from which
others are derived.
Change is the inevitable law or phenomena of human being
Are Growth & Development two similar process?
Growth is quantitative change, but development is both qualitative
quantitative and functional change.
Growth is initial matter where development comes afterward as a
result of growth and maturity. So the sequence may be arranged like :
Growth >> Maturity >> Development
Growth only creates the ability in the individual but development
helps in make use of that ability.
Human body ceases to grow after attaining maximum maturity
level, but development continues till the end of life.
Principles of Growth & Development
Continuity
Development is Cephalocaudle
Development is Proximodistal
Locomotion
Generality to Specificity
Depend on Maturation & Learning
Growth is a personal matter
Continuity
From conception to death (Womb to Tomb)
Leads child to be an adult in respect of body size,
functioning, behaviour.
Adulthood changes to old age.
Then comes the death which ends the life cycle.
Development is Cephalocaudal
Describes the direction of growth and
development
Proceeds from head downward
Control comes in this order :
HEAD >> ARMS >> LEGS
Development is Proximodistal
This also describes the direction of growth &
development
The direction is Centre to Outwards
Spinal cord develops first, then the other
parts of the body
The sequence is like : ARMS >> HANDS >> FINGERS
Locomotion
It is related to the movement of the body.
Every species follows a similar pattern.
Each one has to pass through the stages accordingly.
This
is like : CREEPING >> CRAWLING >> STANDING >>
WALKING >> RUNNING
Generality to Specificity
DEVELOPMENT PROCEEDS FROM GENERAL TO SPECIFIC.
GROWTH OCCURS TO LARGE MUSCLE MOVEMENTS TO
SMALLER MUSCLE MOVEMENTS.
THIS RESEMBLES WITH THE WHOLE AND PART. WE FIRST SEE
THE WHOLE THEN COMES THE PARTS.
INFANT GRASPS THE OBJECT WITH HIS WHOLE HAND BEFORE
USING THUMB OR FOREFINGER.
Depends on Maturation & Learning
MATURATION STANDS FOR BIOLOGICAL GROWTH &
DEVELOPMENT.
THESE OCCURS IN SEQUENCE.
PREPARES THE CHILD TO ACCEPT NEW SKILLS AND
PROGRESS ON IT.
LIKE, A SIX MONTH OLD CHILD CANNOT USE LANGUAGE
AS THE INFANT’S BRAIN HAS NOT YET ATTAINED THAT
MATURITY LABEL TO TALK.
Growth & Development are personal matter
RATE AND AMOUNT OF GROWTH IS NOT SAME FOR ALL.
THIS IS CAUSED BY BOTH HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT.
THERE IS NO TWO INDIVIDUAL WHOSE DEVELOPMENT RATE IS
SAME.
THERE IS NO VALIDITY IN COMPARING ONE CHILD’S
PROGRESS WITH OR AGAINST ANOTHER CHILD.
Educational Implications
The education process or the learning process should be continuous and
life long
Learners should be introduced to basic concepts preceding elaborated
information.
Subject matters should be presented in step by step.
General ideas should be developed in the learners in order to make them
think specifically.
The knowledge of concrete objects will be helpful to draw abstract ideas.
Law of readiness must be considered while framing subject topic and
curriculum.
Diversified learning strategies, course of study and developmental task
should be provided to learners in order to keep pace with their
individualistic developmental context.
Thank You
