Arnold Gesell ( The Maturational Theory)

Big Idea: Nature vs Nurture

Arnold Gesell ( The Maturational Theory)

• Gesell believed that the environment had an influence on development but biology(nature) was the biggest influence.
• Each child's unique genetic and biological makeup determines the rate of development.
• The environment should be changed and adapted to meet the individual genetic/biological prearranged timetables

Big Idea: Order and Predictability

Who is Arnold Gesell?

Development is orderly, sequential and predictable and builds on earlier learning/skills:

• Gesell noticed that there are sequences to development: he believed that children develop individually at their own pace but that every child followed the same sequence
• He also stated that by observing the current skills, if you know the patterns of development, you will be able to predict what comes next
• These skills are called milestones
• Milestones are skills or behaviors exhibited at certain points of the development that allows us to know children are developing typically
• The majority of these milestones were in the physical development domain

21 June 1880- 29 May 1961

Born in Alma, Wisconsin

He was known for his research and contributions to the field of child development.

Gesell received a doctorate in psychology in 1906 from Clark University. in 1911, he began a faculty position in education at Yale University.

Just to end off ... Let's watch this video on the Maturational Theory...

An overview of the theorists main ideas

It is important to know that this theory is the foundation of almost any other child development

According to Gesell, the rate at which children develop primarily depends in the growth of their nervous system, consisting of the complicated web of nerve fibres, spinal cord and brain. As the nervous system grows, their minds develop and their behaviors change accordingly.

Development is informed by a number of principles, which have been influenced by maturational theory, and are known as developmental principles. Some of these principles are the following:

• Development starts at the head and works downwards towards the feet.
• Development follows the same sequence (pattern) for all children, but the rate differs. For example, all children will first sit, then crawl and then walk
• Development is dependent upon the growth of the nervous system. Children will not be able to do certain things until the specific part of the nervous system has matured (developed).
• Certain aspects of development happen at specific times. For example, if children do not develop their language before the age of six, they are unlikely to acquire even in the long term the same language competence as their peers who do not have hearing difficulties.

The influence the Maturational theory had on the field of education

Gesell worked towards a doctorate in medicine, which he earned in 1915.

At Yale, he established and directed the Clinic of Child Development, where children's achievements in terms of physical and psychological development were observed and measured

• The Maturational theory by Arnold Gesell continues to affect what goes on in schools.
• This theory strongly influence the teaching of reading in the 1900s
• Children were not thought to be ripe for reading until they had a mental age of six and a half years
• Consequently, readiness activities were developed for children who were not yet ready to read.
• Today, maturational theory is partially responsible for the existence of pre-kingergartens and pre first grades aimed at children wo supposedly need the "gift of time" because of immaturity.
• In fact, Gesell believes that if a child suffers from any developmental problem, it is believed that the problem lies within the individual and not as the result of the child's environment and circumstances.