Considering Developmental Theories: You will compose a two-page summary capturing the key tenants of developmental theory and how it relates to children’s developmental progression. You will pick one of the theories (you will not be assigned one) and provide a summary of the key points that are discussed in the syllabus. Also, you will find 1 article from Young Children (this is the title of a journal) and one article from Exceptional Young Children (this is the title of a journal) that provides complementary information related to the specific developmental theory.

Information from each article will be briefly included in the two-page summary and show evidence of appropriate APA citations for different writing practices including summarizing with in-text citations and using direct quotes with in-text citations. Make sure you add a reference page to this assignment. You can contact the GMU Library for assistance on how to use the library database to find both journals and locate articles within the journals.

Considering Developmental Theories Paper (9 points)

In order that all class members leave this course with an overview of the most prominent

developmental theories in the field of early childhood education and gain a critical perspective

on the values and liabilities of different theories and their application, students will prepare a

review of a developmental theory and associated theorists. Grand theories covered in the text

include psychodynamic theories, behaviorist theories, Piaget’s constructive theory, and

Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. Modern theories covered include evolutionary theories, social

learning theories, information-processing theories, and systems theories. Students will compose a

two-page summary capturing the key tenants of developmental theory and how it relates to

children’s developmental progression.

Students will select or be assigned one perspective and provide a summary of the following:

• Important theorists associated with the paradigm

• Key tenets of the theory

• How theory explains cultural differences that are apparent in development

• How theory explains variation in development, including disabilities

• Weaknesses and strengths of theory

• The impact of the theory on education

Students may select or be assigned one of the following theories:

• Erikson: Social Learning Theory

• Vygotsky: Social cultural

• Piaget: Constructivism

• Behaviorism

o Operant conditioning

o Classical conditioning

• Bronfenbrenner: Ecological

Student will demonstrate accurate knowledge of APA formatting within the paper and begin to

engage with professional journals for early childhood educators. Accordingly, students will find

1 article from Young Children and one article from Exceptional Young Children that provides

complementary information related to the specific developmental theory. Information from each

article will be briefly included in the two-page summary and show evidence of appropriate APA

citations for different writing practices including summarizing with in-text citations and using

direct quotes with in-text citations.