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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