This unit provides foundation knowledge of child and adolescent development to inform teaching and learning in a variety of school contexts. This unit examines how children and adolescents grow, think, feel, and learn, highlighting the key stages and influences of human development. It explores major theories of learning and cognition, brain and physical development, memory, reasoning, and intelligence, as well as personality, attachment, and self-regulation. Students investigate emotional, moral, and social development, including prosocial and antisocial behaviour, friendships, identity, and the impact of culture, language, and media. The unit also focuses on wellbeing, resilience, and mindfulness, providing a holistic understanding of how teachers can support the diverse developmental needs of learners in contemporary educational contexts.
The unit also provides essential knowledge needed for teaching professionals to respond appropriately to the developmental needs and learning styles of individual students and within culturally and linguistically diverse learning communities.
