Characteristics of Development Directions: Identify the characteristic of development described in each situation. Remember that the characteristics of development are: ● Development is similar for everyone. Development builds on earlier learning. ● Development proceeds at an individual rate. ● Development is interrelated. ● Development is continuous throughout life. 1. 2. Jessica is an active three-year-old who enjoys dressing herself. Lately, she has started choosing her clothes each morning. Her parents are amazed at her constant eagerness to learn new things. It seems she never stops wanting to learn. 4. Michael always had trouble in school. He did poorly on tests and was seldom able to answer when the teacher called on him. Some of the other children teased Michael on the playground and called him "dummy." As a result, Michael was very shy and had little self-confidence. Since he has started wearing glasses, however, he has been doing better in school. Now Michael feels good about himself and has been able to make friends more easily. 3. Joshua and Nicole are cousins born two months apart. Although Joshua is older, Nicole began to sit and stand about the same time Joshua did. This has been slightly puzzling to Joshua's parents. They are worried about Joshua's apparently slow rate of development. Jim is babysitting his neighbor's son Albert. To Jim, it seems as if it was only yesterday that Albert was crawling on the carpet in the living room. He remembers that Albert then learned to walk and is now running and jumping in the yard. 5. Ron has been watching his neighbor's daughter Cindy grow at a steady rate since he moved into the neighborhood almost two years earlier. Ron's sister Amy is the same age as Cindy. Ron has noticed that Amy and Cindy are able to do the same things. This has been true throughout the two years Ron has lived next door to Cindy's family.
