Page 1 - LESSION 14.pmd
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Methods of Child Study





                                                                                               Notes
                                                  14






                     METHODS OF CHILD STUDY










                The transformation of an infant, totally dependent on adults, into an independent
                person with complex abilities has always attracted much attention. There are
                many early accounts, recorded as Baby Biographies by different scholars, of
                how children learn. Charles Darwin, working on biological diversity, wrote a
                book On the Origin of Species and also documented his son’s acquisition of
                language. Many years later, Piaget provided a deep understanding of emergence
                of thought and language in children by observing and keeping detailed notes
                of his children. He later talked to many children at play to understand
                development of morality in childhood.

                The unique features of childhood have captured the imagination of different
                poets and writers. Systematic records of children’s lives appear in poetic
                versions of childhood.

                In the context of India,  Tulsidas and Surdas have written about Rama and
                Krishna, describing poetically their childhood with an interface with divinity.

                Piaget improved on the idea of baby biographies and presented a systematic
                and more scientific procedure to recording childhood actions. Earlier studies
                on the socialization of children focused on adults to understand how children
                responded and how they learn. In recent years, there has been growing
                understanding of recognizing children’s potential to be actively making meaning
                of their physical social world. In keeping with children’s skills and experiences
                within a context, more child-oriented ways based on mediums that promote
                children’s expression have evolved.

                In order to understand children’s behaviour and thought more systematically,
                it is important to know specific techniques of studying children. In this lesson,
                you will study some of the methods and ways of researching children’s
                development.



               EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION                                                               79
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