Developmental Appropriateness

What it looks like when this need is NOT being met:

• High levels of anxiety around assessments and projects
• “Zoning out” or inability to engage with a lesson; difficulty staying focused for a given time period (for instance, in early childhood classrooms, lessons requiring too much sitting will be difficult for developing bodies that need to move)
• Outbursts and expressions of frustration with assigned tasks
• Refusal to participate in a task and difficulty explaining why

Ways to help meet this need:

• Nurture relationships with families to better understand students and share learning.
• Recognize and value home cultures.
• Provide multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression following Universal Design for Learning guidelines.
• Keep informed of the latest research on child development and neuroscience so practices are current. Refer to page 26 in the Guidebook for more research.
• Ask effective questions to identify where a learning struggle is occurring.

See below for additional resources and downloads for understanding this Learner Need!