WJEC GCSE Health and Social Care, and Childcare

1. How should we talk to babies? Should we use proper words like ‘train’ or baby-talk like ‘choo- choo’ instead? 2. Who taught you the difference between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’? 3. What effect, if any, do you think old age has on the mental abilities of older people? Think about it 4 Understanding intellectual development Learning to talk relies on intellectual development during infancy and early childhood. Intellectual development across the life cycle Intellectual development affects a person’s ability to think and understand. It changes their ability to make sense of situations, remember and recall things and use language. It also affects the way a person is able to make moral judgements about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, ‘good’ and ‘bad’. Infancy During infancy, we learn about ourselves and the world through our senses (touch, hearing, sight, smell and taste) and through physical activity. As well as handling, listening to and looking at new things, an infant will often put objects into their mouth as a way of investigating and trying to understand them. One very important lesson that infants learn is that objects and people in the world continue to exist even when they can’t be seen. This might seem obvious to you now, but it’s not to a young baby. Intellectual Refers to a person’s ability to think and understand ideas and information. Moral judgement The process of making decisions about the right course of action or an acceptable way to behave. Key terms Did you know? Intellectual development begins as soon as a baby is born and only stops when the person dies. A lot of basic intellectual development happens during infancy. Did you know? An infant of eight months or less won’t usually search for a toy that has been hidden or rolls out of sight because, to them, it no longer exists. 21 4 Understanding intellectual development