Understanding & Guiding Whole-person Development

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Session Four: Physical and cognitive development of adolescents

What are the implications of physical and cognitive development for adolescents and their teachers?
- Understanding adolescents' physical and cognitive development
- Biological changes, sexuality and gender roles in adolescence
- Cognitive changes from developmental perspectives (e.g. Piaget & Vygotsky)
- Implications for guiding adolescents

RAWS2

Learning Outcomes

At end of the session, the participants will be able to:
1.  Identify the key features of the period of adolescence
2.  Refer to theories and concepts while dealing with school-related adolescent problems
3.  Evaluate the threats of the school performance that adolescents encounter
4.  State the physical changes (in terms of puberty, nutrition and body image) that adolescents experience
5.  Comprehend the cognitive changes that adolescents experience
6.  Identify strengths and constraints by applying Piaget's theory into practice
7.  Apply some theories to explain the issue of drug abuse
8.  Suggest appropriate strategies to deal with the problems of drug abuse
9.  Apply theories and give sufficient rationales for any intervention plan
10.Develop different skills (e.g. communication, helping, critical thinking and problem-solving skills) to tackle novel 
     situations and ill-defined problems

Task: How do physical changes affect teens? (see above)

Example: (The task below is just selected from those tasks assigned in the Learning Guides.)

During the teen years, adolescents experience changes in their physical development at a rate of speed unparalleled since 
infancy. Huebner (2000) believes that there are three major physical changes: (1) Rapid gains in height and weight; (2) 
Development of secondary sex characteristics; (3) Continued brain development. These changes may bring about the 
following consequences: 

(1) Teens frequently sleep longer;
(2) Teens may be more clumsy because of growth spurts;
(3) Teenage girls may become overly sensitive about their weight;
(4) Teens may be concerned because they are not physically developing at the same rate as their peers;
(5) Teens may feel awkward about demonstrating affection to the opposite sex parent;
(6) Teens may ask more direct questions about sex.

a. Are these listed consequences evident in your classroom? Why or why not?

b. Is body image becoming a common problem in Hong Kong adolescents? c. Why might body dissatisfaction be greater among adolescent girls than boys?

d. Is this phenomenon biological, sociocontextual, or a combination of both?

e. What can you do? List all the specific things you believe adults can do to be supportive.

References (see above)

Further readings and resources:

1. Lau, S. (Ed.) (1996). Growing up the Chinese way: Chinese child and adolescent development. Hong Kong: The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press.
  
 
2. Lam, T. H., Shi, H. J., Ho, L. M., Stewart, S. M., & Fan, S. (2002). Timing of puberty maturation and heterosexual behavior among Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 31(4), 359-366.
  
 
3. Useful websites:
  
http://www.hku.hk/life (which provide links to many useful websites on guidance & life skills development) 
http://www.mhhe.com/santrocka10 (which provides learning materials exclusively for the textbook written by Santrock)
   
4. Video Recording and VCD (Available in HKU Library)
  
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