Human Development Stages and Effective Teaching Strategies

Introduction: Why Developmental Stages Matter in the Classroom

We all begin school with no prior academic knowledge, yet after years of attending educational institutions, each of us acquires knowledge at different levels. Research suggests that these differences depend on two major factors: the individual student's ability to grasp knowledge, and the teacher's ability to deliver it effectively. For teachers, effective instruction depends on many strategies and methods — one of the most important being an understanding of the stages of human development in the classroom.

According to the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University (2005), "In order to make effective classroom decisions, teachers must have a firm understanding of the learning and developmental processes. This understanding must include knowledge of learning theories and their classroom applications, developmental stages, and theories of development."

The importance of this principle lies in the level of learning students are able to attain after a course of instruction. Without the ability to recognize each stage of human development, teachers risk imparting lessons that do not match the readiness level of their students. It is essential that teachers understand every stage of human development so that they can use this knowledge as a framework for planning and sequencing their instruction.

Erik Erikson's theory, as cited in the University of Wisconsin–Madison School Counseling Manual, further supports this view: "Understanding the stages of development through which students travel between 1st and 12th grade is critical to developing appropriate and effective guidance programs and to effectively reaching students through individual, pair, and small group counseling."

The role of teachers, instructors, and professors in an educational environment is to guide students' learning. It is therefore important that the information they deliver matches the developmental stage of their students in order to achieve the objectives of effective teaching and learning. As Krashen (Arnold, 2005) similarly noted, "Individual progress is dependent on the input containing aspects of the target language that the acquirer has not yet acquired, but is developmentally ready to acquire."

The importance of understanding human developmental stages in classroom learning can be illustrated by a simple example: the material taught to a third-grade student should not be taught to a first-grader. Moreover, even within a single third-grade classroom, students may learn at different paces. Teachers who understand developmental stages can devise specialized methods to help slower-paced learners keep up with their peers. In this way, developmental awareness enables teachers to create solutions that ensure all students meet the benchmarks appropriate to their stage of development.

Problems Caused by Lack of Understanding of Human Development Stages

A teacher's lack of understanding of human developmental stages can cause serious problems that affect both the teacher and the students. The following are key problems that may arise in such a situation.

Difficulty in planning, designing, and preparing lesson plans. Without an understanding of developmental stages, teachers struggle to design effective methods and strategies for their lessons. Because the teacher has no clear sense of the students' learning capacity, it becomes difficult to determine where the teaching process should begin.

Students' inability to comprehend lessons. This problem often follows from the first. When a teacher's methods do not match students' developmental readiness, students fail to grasp the information being taught.

High variation in learning pace and knowledge acquired. If a teacher cannot provide instruction matched to students' readiness, confusion may result. Consequently, students' learning pace and the accuracy of the knowledge they acquire may vary greatly across the class.

Little knowledge retained by students. Inappropriate teaching approaches due to a lack of developmental awareness may mean that students learn very little of what has been taught. Even fast-paced learners may be unable to fully and accurately absorb their lessons.

Delay in completing the teaching process. A teacher who cannot design an effective lesson plan may resort to long or trial-and-error methods of instruction that consume additional teaching sessions, delaying the completion of a given lesson. On the students' side, difficulty understanding lessons will inevitably increase the time needed to absorb the material.

In general, a lack of understanding of human developmental stages can produce a "domino effect." As each problem leads to another, the root cause remains the teacher's inability to understand and apply knowledge of developmental stages in the classroom.

Ideal Teacher Behaviors When Teaching Early Childhood Students

Teaching is a profession that requires both the ability to design and implement effective strategies and a dedication to ensuring that students learn successfully — academically, socially, and interpersonally. To achieve this goal, researchers have investigated a wide range of techniques that can most effectively promote the thinking abilities and behaviors that help individuals succeed. The following sections discuss ideal teacher behaviors when working with early childhood students.

Students in their early childhood can be considered as a group that is just beginning to adapt to a learning environment. In any classroom, it is common to find children who behave differently from one another — one student may be outgoing while another is shy. In such situations, it is especially important for the teacher to model positive attitudes toward every student. After parents at home, the teacher becomes the first role model students encounter.