FS 1 Episode 2

Field Study 1: The Learner's Development and Environment

Episode 2

LEARNERS' CHARACTERISTICS AND NEEDS

LEARNERS’ DEVELOPMENT MATRIX

Development Domain	Elementary
Physical Gross motor skills Fine motor skills Self-help skills	Elementary students are quite behaving than pre-school they can stay longer seating and just listening to the teacher. They can write clearly and draw properly. They also have the ability to help themselves independently; when the act tends to be higher that’s the tome they’ll ask for guidance.
Social Interaction w/ Teachers Interaction w/ Classmates/friends Interests	They interact with their teachers politely and nicely and with all due respect. The children interact with one another in a manner wherein it is casual, child-to-child conversation. Usually their interests revolve around chatting, playing around and with their toys and the children nowadays are also engaged in modern technology like playing computer and online games.
Emotional Moods & temperament, expression of feelings Emotional independence	The children are very vocal about their emotions & feelings. They voice it out to others and to the teachers when they feel happy, sad or even angry. They are Grade 4 students already; they are more capable of handling their own personal independence unlike the lower grade level.
Cognitive Communication skills Thinking skills Problem-solving	In communicating skills although they are not yet fully developed, you can see the potential and you can see the efforts they exerting when discussing in front even though shyness attacks them. Their thinking skills are sharp, improving each day as additional knowledge inhibits their heads. Their Problem-Solving skills are practiced when they ask to perform mathematical operations and board works which will surely help them to sharpen their minds.

MY ANALYSIS

Level	Salient Characteristics Observed	Implications to the Teaching-Learning Process
Elementary Age of learners observed: 9	Elementary students are much disciplined than pre-schoolers, they listen very well to the instructions given by their teacher. Elementary students are more independent than pre-schoolers the teacher do not have to tell them one-by-one what to do.	Therefore, teachers should pay attention to what he/she is saying or dictating because the students will set him/her as the role model. Therefore, teachers should give proper guidance and instructions what the class should be doing.

MY REFLECTIONS

1. While you were observing the learners, did you recall your own experiences when you were their age? What similarities or differences do you have with the learners you observed?

• Yes. As I observed the learners I recall my elementary days. The practice exercises, recitations and board works. In my own experience, our similarities just like them I’m fond of answering in class recitations for me class participation is very much important to test myself if I really understand what our teacher taught us. On the other hand, our differences are that I have this attitude that if I already understand the lesson I will not listen anymore to my teacher but instead I will have my own discussion with my seatmates. Unlike the students I observed up to the last minute of the class they still listen very eagerly to their teacher.

2. Think of a teacher you cannot forget for positive or negative reasons. How did she/he help or not help you with your needs (physical, emotional, social, cognitive)? How did it affect you?

• The teacher I cannot forget is Ms. Perla I. Almendrala for she is a very popular teacher in my Alma Mater. She is known to be very strict, but very excellent in teaching; she’s also known to give so many handwritten outlines as a requirement for her to pass her subject. I remembered she is fond of recitations and she calls us in random, that’s why before attending class all of us make it sure that we reviewed the past lessons and make advanced reading on the next lesson because we don’t want her to get mad at us because we are too scared about what might happen. But as time pass by, I discovered that beyond her strict face and strong personality is a very loving and caring heart for her students. And now as I think of her, I also wanted to give credit to her requisite outlines because that helped me a lot academically and emotionally. Why emotionally? Because the efforts I exerted patience & perseverance as I wrote those undying outline helped me a lot for what knowledge I have now.

3. Which is your favorite theory of development? How can this guide you as a future teacher?

• My favorite theory of development is the social theory wherein we observed how the child interacts to the people around him/her. This can guide me as a future teacher is by letting known that each child has his/her own approach to be given.

4. Share your other insights here.

• As I finished this chapter, I learned that there are many factors to affect or contribute to the development of a child. From Physical, m\Mental, Social and Cognitive theory which involves the learner on hoe they’ll be able to cope up or catch up with their people around him/her in the environment.