School-Age Development

The age span discussed in this chapter is from 6 years to pubescence. Demarcating this period as school age is an artifact of the US public school system. However, research supports the concept that this period of childhood is a discrete stage in which new skills, social roles, and neurodevelopmental capacities evolve. In US schools, the curriculum of pre-fourth graders focuses on reading and writing before the introduction of integrative studies such as social sciences and literature. The concept of lines of development outlined here refers to development along one or more dimensions. With the emergence of industriousness, an increase in number and kinds of relationships, and the importance of belonging to peer groups, five emergent patterns of development have been described. Children of this age begin to form groups and further identify themselves as members of groups. These groups can be organized around common interests, gender, and social status.