The Developing Child: Toddler and Preschool Years (HDCD 6320)

Spring, 2006; Monday & Wednesday, 3:30-4:45; CBW 1.104

Dr. Shayla Holub

Course Description: Parents, teachers, early intervention specialists, doctors, psychologists, and
many others are interested in how toddlers and preschoolers act, think, and grow. There are two
primary reasons for this interest. First, better understanding young children’s behavior, thoughts,
and abilities aids individuals who work with children of all ages. Second, early childhood is
fascinating because it is a time of rapid growth and change in behavior, thought and abilities.
This course will explore the ways that children change (and how they stay the same) in their
physical, motor, cognitive and psychosocial development. We will examine the development of
18-60 month old children across several domains, the mechanisms of developmental change,
individual differences in development, and the practical applications of child development
research.

Course Goals: The primary goals of this course include:

1) knowledge of the milestones of early childhood development across several domains
2) comprehension of and ability to apply major developmental theories and big picture
questions in early childhood development (e.g., is development driven by nature or
nurture?, are developmental outcomes universal or culturally specific?)
3) understanding the methodologies used in early childhood research
4) development of tools to critically evaluate published research in early child development
Additional course goals include promoting independent and critical thinking, developing
students’ abilities to communicate more effectively, and giving students greater appreciation for
the science of early childhood development.

Primary Competencies: This course will also cover information relevant for the following
competencies specified by the Texas Interagency Council and that are required for future
recognition as an early intervention specialist (EIS).
PD1- The EIS knows basic principles of child development and recognizes typical
developmental milestones in children birth to 36 months of age.
PD9- The EIS knows the types and significance of interactions among infants and
toddlers, and utilizes both spontaneous and planned activities to promote positive peer
interactions.
PROF 12- The EIS understands how adult expectations influence children’s
development.

Course Text and Readings: The primary text for the course is the Berk (2005) text used in
HDCD 5311 (Infancy). Students are encouraged to utilize the interactive website that
accompanies the text to better understand course material.

Berk, Laura E. (2005). Infants and children: Prenatal through middle childhood (5th ed).
Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Additional readings have been assigned as part of your homework for most class periods. These
supplemental readings do not necessarily provide comprehensive information about the lecture
topic, but do provide additional perspectives and more in-depth analysis of class subjects.
Reading these chapters and articles will help you to be an active participant in class discussions
and promote mastery of class material. These readings are available on Blackboard or the
electronic library reserve unless otherwise noted in class.
 Date Topics
Foundations To Understanding Development
1/9 Intro to Course. History of Developmental
Psychology. Basic Concepts and Questions in
Early Child Development.
1/11 Theories of Developmental Psychology.
Research Methods and Ethics.
1/16 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day- NO CLASS
1/18 Body Growth and Maturation.
The Developing Brain. Individual Differences Berk: p. 287-293
in Physical Development.
1/23 Perceptual and Motor Development.
1/25 Special Topics in Physical Development.
Feeding and Nutrition. Health and Wellness.
Toilet Training.
1/30 Review Theories of Language Acquisition.
Language Development During Early
Childhood.
2/1 Exam # 1
Issues in Cognitive Development
2/6 Cognitive Development and Piaget.
Symbolic Representation.
2/8 Theory of Mind. Social Cognition.
Required Readings
Review- Berk: p. 3-32
Review-Berk: p. 33-48
Wozniak, R. (2005). A primer of scientific research. In
L. Nadelman (Ed.) Research manual in child
development (2nd ed., pp. 3-24). Mahwah, N.J.:
Lawrence Erlbaum.
Review- Berk: p. 165-186
Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Child
Development (2000). Chapter 8: The
developing brain. In J. P. Shonkoff & D. A.
Phillips (Eds). From neurons to neighborhoods:
The science of early childhood development.
(pp. 182-217). Washington D.C.: National
Academy Press.
Review- Berk: p. 186-203
Berk: p. 304-311
Goyen, T., & Lui, K. (2002). Longitudinal motor
development of “apparently normal” high-risk
infants at 18 months, 3 and 5 years. Early
Human Development, 70, 103-115.
Berk: p. 293-304
Birch, L. L., Zimmerman, S. I., & Hind, H. (1980). The
influences of social-affective context on the
formation of children’s food preferences. Child
Development, 51, 856-861.
Review- Berk: p. 235-244
Berk: p. 348-353
van Agt, H. M. E., Essink-Bot, M., van der Stege, H.
A., de Ridder-Sluiter, J. G., & de Koning, H. J.
(2005). Quality of life of children with language
delays. Quality of Life Research, 14, 1345-
1355.
Marcus, G. F. (1996). Why do children say “breaked”?
Current Directions in Psychological Science, 5,
81-85.
Review- Berk: p. 207-219
Berk: p. 315-328
DeLoache, J. S. (1987). Rapid change in the symbolic
functioning of very young children. Science,
238, 1556-1557.
Berk: p. 336-338
Flavell, J. H. (2000). Development of children’s
 knowledge about the mental world.
International Journal of Behavioral
Development, 24, 15-23.
2/13 Post-Piagetian Research and Theory Review- Berk: p. 220-228
Focus on Vygotsky, Information Processing Berk: p. 328-336
Flavell, J. H. (1982). On cognitive development. Child
Development, 532, 1-10.
Pratt, M. W., Kerig, P., Cowan, P. A., & Cowan, C. P.
(1988). Mothers and fathers teaching 3-year-
olds: Authoritative parenting and adult
scaffolding of young children’s learning.
Developmental Psychology, 24, 832-839.
2/15 Memory. Review- Berk: p. 222-224; 229-234
Intelligence: Theory, Controversies, and Berk: p. 334-335; 343
Individual Differences. Nelson, K. (1993). The psychological and social
origins of autobiographical memory.
Psychological Science, 4, 60-67.
2/20 Development of Early Academic Skills. Berk: p. 344-348
Social Influences on Skill Development. Bisanz, J., Sherman, J. L., Rasmussen, C., & Ho, E.
(2005). Development of arithmetic skills and
knowledge in preschool children. In J. I. D.
Cambell (Ed.). Handbook of mathematical
cognition (pp. 143-162). New York:
Psychology Press.
2/22 Special Topics in Cognitive Development. Carlson, S. M., & Taylor, M. (2005). Imaginary
Conceptual Development, Giftedness, companions and impersonated characters: Sex
Creativity, and Imagination. differences in children’s fantasy play. Merrill-
Palmer Quarterly, 51, 93-118.
2/27 Exam #2
Issues in Personality and Social (Psychosocial) Development
3/1 Theories of Psychosocial Development. Review- Berk: p. 249-251; 258-264
Review of Temperament. Berk: p. 358
Rothbart, M. K., Ahadi, S. A., & Evans, D. E. (2000).
Temperament and personality: Origins and
outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 78, 122-135.
3/6 Spring Break – NO CLASS
3/8 Spring Break – NO CLASS
3/13 The Developing Self: Review- Berk: p. 278-281
Self-Related Cognitions in Early Childhood. Berk: p. 359-361
Verscueren, K., Marcoen, A. & Buyck, P. (1998). Five
year olds’ behaviorally presented self-esteem:
Relations to self-perceptions and stability across
a three-year period. The Journal of Genetic
Psychology, 159, 273-279.
3/15 Development and Regulation of Emotions. Review- Berk: p. 252-257
Emotional Understanding. Berk: p. 361-364
Kieras, J. E., Tobin, R., Graziano, W., & Rothbart, M.
K. (2005). You can’t always get what you want.
Psychological Science, 16, 391-396.
 Denham, S. A., & Couchoud, E. A. (1990). Young
preschoolers’ understanding of emotions. Child
Study Journal, 20, 171-192.
3/20 Gender Development. Berk: p. 381-387
The Biases of Early Childhood. Martin, C. L., & Little, J. K. (1990). The relation of
gender understanding to children’s sex-typed
preferences and gender stereotypes. Child
Development, 61, 1427-1439.
3/22 Theories of Moral Development. Negative Berk: p. 371-380
Behavior. Crick, N. R., Casas, J. F., & Ku, H. (1999). Relational
and physical forms of peer victimization in
preschool. Developmental Psychology, 35, 376-
385.
3/27 Development of Prosocial and Related Berk: p. 364-365
Positive Behaviors. Rheingold, H. L. (1982). Little children’s participation
in the work of adults, a nascent prosocial
behavior. Child Development, 53, 114-125.
3/29 Special topics in Psychosocial Development.
Exam #3- Distribution of take -home exam.
Influences on Early Childhood Development
4/3 Review of Attachment. Functions of Families. Review- Berk: p. 264-277

4/5 Parenting. Discipline. Berk: p. 388-390

Kazdin, A. E., & Benjet, C. (2003). Spanking children:
Evidence and issues. Current Directions in
Psychological Science, 12, 99-103.
4/10 Fathers, Siblings, and Changing Families. Rohner, R. (1998). Father love and child development:
History and current evidence. Current
Directions in Psychological Science, 7, 157-
161.
4/12 Childcare and Early Education. NICHD Early Child Care Research Network (2002).
Child-care structure, process, outcome: Direct
and indirect effects on child-care quality on
young children’s development. Psychological
Science, 13, 199-206.
4/17 Play, Peers, and Friendship. Berk: p. 366-370

4/19 Child Maltreatment. Berk: p. 390-395

Review of Other Social Influences on Early TBA.
Childhood Development (SES, Ethnicity and
Culture, Social Policy, Intervention).
4/24 Conclusions. A Different Way of Looking at
Child Development.
4/28 Final Exam (50% new material; 50%
cumulative)
Course Expectations: Students are expected to come to class prepared, having read the assigned
readings for the day. Completing the assigned readings prior to class will allow you to ask
questions and have some understanding of each topic before the day’s lecture. This will allow
you to actively participate in class; participation in this course is part of your grade.

All assignments turned in for this class must be proofread, typed, and on time!!! No exceptions!
All assignments will lose one letter grade per day that they are late. Grades will also be lowered
one letter grade for assignments that are not typed.

It is expected that students’ work is their own, and papers and assignments are written in their
own words. Scholastic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration) is NOT
allowed. You should read and understand UTD’s policies at:
http://www.utdallas.edu/judicialaffairs/UTDJudicialAffairs-AvoidDishonesty.html

Course Assessment: I am most concerned that students in this course gain skills that will help
them be productive in their future roles as students, professionals, or parents. Nevertheless,
quantitative assessment of student learning is required. Below, you will find course requirements
and how points will be distributed.

Class Participation, Assignments, and In-class Quizzes (total 15 %). Class attendance
and active participation in class discussions will aid in your mastery of course material.
Remember, assigned readings should be completed before class. Several assignments will
be distributed over the course of the semester. These will be available on the Blackboard
website. In-class quizzes will be given in the event that readings are not being conducted
or active participation in the class is waning.

Exams (each worth 20%; total 80%). Four exams are scheduled over the course of the
semester. The first two exams will be in-class exams. The third exam will be a take-home
exam. The fourth exam will include material from the last unit (50% of the exam) and
will also include information from previous units (50%). A study guide will be given to
highlight information important for the cumulative portion of the exam. All exams will
include information from lectures, the Berk test and supplemental readings.

Final Paper (5%). You will be asked to complete a 3-5 page report that includes an
observational exercise, as well as demonstration of mastery of course material. More
details will be provided in the coming weeks.

Attendance: I cannot provide detailed notes for missed classes. If you miss a class, please get
the notes from another student.

Make-up exams will only be given under uncontrollable, special circumstances. Please contact
me as soon as possible about missing an exam (and only before an exam is given). Make-up
exams are different from the exam given on test days, and are often more difficult than the
regular exam. An unexcused missed exam will earn a grade of 0.
Useful Information:
1) Dr. Holub’s office is in GR 4.822. My office hours are Monday from 2:00-3:00 and by
appointment. I can also be reached by e-mail at sholub@utdallas.edu and phone at
(972) 883-4473. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments or
concerns you may have about this class.
2) The topics listed on the syllabus are general ideas about what will comprise that day’s
lecture. However, I reserve the right to change lecture topics if more time is needed on a
topic or based on class interest. Additional required readings may also be added.
3) Please do not forget to turn off cell phones and pagers during class lectures, as they can
be a distraction to your fellow classmates.
4) If you have a disability and would like to receive academic accommodations, please
contact someone in Disability Services, if you have not already done so. The link to their
website is: http://www.utdallas.edu/student/slife/hcsvc.html
5) As per University policy, all student e-mail correspondence must be sent through their
UTD account.
6) Information about add/drop dates can be found at:
http://www.utdallas.edu/student/registrar/calendar/ or you can see the instructor.