What is meant by the sequence of development?
Sequence of development means that the growth of a child takes place in a structured order with a series of changes or growth that leads to a matured state. The sequence of development depends on events that have previously happened.
An example of this is that a baby will first start to roll and at around 6 – 7 months will try to sit up and soon after this they will start to crawl using their arms and legs. The next stage of development will be around 1 year of age when they will try to stand while holding things, try to walk whilst holding parents hands and finally they are able to walk independently.
What is meant by the rate of development?
Rate of development is the speed at which the various stages of child development happens. Some children may reach the various stages of development earlier or later than others because each child’s progress is individual to them. With some children their growth patterns can be very different from their peers and this can lead to effects on their behaviour.
An example of this is that some babies will start teething at around 6 months where as others won’t start until 9 months, or a child can begin to make sentences at around 1 year of age where as another child may only be able to speak a few broken words.
Why is the difference between rate and sequence so important?
The difference between rate and sequence is important because the sequence of development means that you must finish one area of development before you can move on to the next one and the rate of development is the pace that a child develops.
These principles run through all the areas of development from physical, social, intellectual and language regardless of the child’s age and if one is skipped or is slow then you must recognise the differences so that you can identify where children need help or may be at risk of having special educational needs.