Wk 5

Examining Early and Middle Childhood Development

Assignment Context

The focus of this assignment is early and middle childhood. The case studies in the Studies media piece all feature children aged 6. Why age 6? Age 6 is a transitional time in which you can explore early childhood development and how it impacts middle childhood development.

Assignment Instructions

Introduction

Complete the following:

• Identify the title of the      case study you selected.
• Provide an introduction that      addresses the general context of development and the specific context of      the child in the case study you selected.
• Provide an overview, from an      ecological perspective, of the predominant factors of family, society, and      culture that could impact this child’s development, including relevant      examples from the case profile and supporting research evidence linked to      those factors.
• Describe the general      expectations for healthy development across developmental domains      (cognitive, social and emotional, and physical) that should be evident as      children transition from early to middle childhood. Link this description      to child psychology developmental theories.

Case Analysis

Complete the following:

• Describe the primary      developmental concern. Provide validation by including relevant examples from      the case profile and links to supporting research evidence.
• Use child psychology      theories (from Unit 1) and current scholarly peer-reviewed research to      evaluate at least two of the most prevalent developmental needs of the      child in the selected case study (primary concern and secondary concerns).      Provide validation and support for your work by including relevant      examples from the case profile and supporting research evidence.

Conclusion

Complete the following:

• Summarize the developmental      and contextual issues that are important in understanding this case. Using      relevant examples from the case profile, provide suggestions for      appropriate actions or interventions in home or school contexts.
• Link those actions or      interventions to evidence from current scholarly research literature.

Assignment Requirements

Your paper should meet the following requirements:

• Written communication: Use the accepted form and style of the      psychological professions, employing grammar, punctuation, and mechanics      expected of graduate-level composition and expression.
• References: Include a minimum of six academic, peer-reviewed resources.      The course text can be used, but it is not considered one of the      peer-reviewed articles.
• APA style and formatting: Format the references and in-text      citations according to current APA style and formatting guidelines. Use      the MEAL Plan document (linked in the resources) to organize the content      and include APA headings and subheadings.
• Length of paper: 5–6 typed, double-spaced pages, excluding      title and reference pages.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

Please refer to the Examining Early and Middle Childhood Development Scoring Guide to ensure you meet the grading criteria for this assignment.