Five-Year-Olds
What are the characteristics of five-year-olds?
The literal five-year-old needs the teacher's focused attention.
What are five-year-olds like?
PHYSICAL:
- Ocular fixation near point vision
- Need for task completion
- Gross motor control improving
- Falls out of chair sideways
- Active learners
LANGUAGE:
- Literal
- Needs release from adult, "Can I·?"
- Does not communicate about school at home
- Thinks out loud
PERSONAL-SOCIAL:
- Likes to help; cooperative
- Needs approval
- Dependent on authority; wants to be told what to do, but also finds it difficult to see things from another's viewpoint
ADAPTIVE:
- Likes to copy
- Learns through senses
- Learns best through play and own action
- Does not yet think logically
*At one age, children may display characteristics from multiple age ranges.
What are five-and-one-half-year-olds like?
PHYSICAL:
- Reversals common
- Physically restless
- Awkward fine motor
- Variable pencil grasp
- Hand "gets tired" from firm grip
- Often stands up to do work
- Tires quickly
LANGUAGE:
- Verbal answers may not equal cognitive understanding; more words than ideas
- Auditory reversals (answers first what was heard last)
PERSONAL-SOCIAL:
- Insecure with feelings
- Testing authority, limits
- Tentative socially
- Complains
- Wonderful at home, terrible at school or vice-versa
ADAPTIVE:
- Makes lots of mistakes; recognizes some
- Trial and error learning
- Learns well from direct experience
- Learning to distinguish left from right
- Oral activity; chews pencils, bites fingernails, chews hair (teething)
- Easily ties
- Frequent illnesses
- Enjoys out of doors: gym
- Improved fine motor skills
LANGUAGE:
- Likes to "work"
- Likes to explain things
- Enjoys show & tell
- Loves jokes and guessing games
- Boisterous and enthusiastic language
- Worrier; complainer
PERSONAL-SOCIAL:
- Wants to be first
- Competitive; enthusiastic
- Anxious to do well
- Thrives on praise
- Any failure is hard
- Likes surprises, treats
- "Poor sport"
- Can be bossy, teasing
- Easily upset when hurt
- Sometimes dishonest
- Friends are important (may have a best friend)
- Transitions are difficult
ADAPTIVE:
- Loves to ask questions
- Likes new games; ideas
- Loves to color, paint
- Learns best through discovery
- Enjoys process more than product
- Dramatic play elaborated
- Cooperative play elaborated