Physical And Social Development: Developmental Milestones: 15 Years Old

Sociology Assignment 1 –Developmental Milestones

15 Years Old

Physical

At the age of 15, teenagers begin to develop both physical and sexual characteristics. However, the rate of growth on both males and females are different as females have already overcome their growth spurt whereas males have just reached puberty. Females at this age tend to put on weight due to the development of the breasts, thighs, and buttocks whereas males increase in weight due to the development of muscles and other sexual characteristics such as the enlargement of the penis and testes as well as the development of the “Adam’s apple”. The main distinction that sets teenagers apart from kids is the deepening of the voice in males, and the regulation of menstruation

This helps them make better decisions and prepares them to bear with the consequences that come with the decision made. Thus, teenagers are now capable of questioning the norms and boundaries they have grown accustomed to, such as house and school rules, religious beliefs and also cultural practices. Also, the setting of new personal goals and the achievements in various fields is not uncommon among teenagers. Alongside decision making, teenagers are also expected to be able to distinguish right from wrong and facts from opinion. For example, teens may bring up the question of the importance and relevance of a curfew. However, unlike 10 year olds, they tend to start acting out to protest against having a curfew instead of just taking instructions as they are. Some may even bring up examples from peers on their curfew times to support their stand. Although this usually marks the beginning of the rebellious teen years, this stage of intellectual development enables an individual to discover themselves and their views on various

The broadcasting of educational TV programs for example, enables educational messages to reach a wider audience effectively. Dr. Mary Ann Smialek suggests that an effective learning method for children is through visual stimulation.(ref 26) Astro Tutor TV and Nickelodeon are some examples of educational television channels broadcasting educational television programs in Malaysia, providing illustrations to aid learning in children up to the age of 17. These channels are able to benefit the general public due to the availability of the channels to all Astro subscribers at home for free and are available in government schools that have signed up for “Kampus Astro” decoders. These channels constantly broadcast episodes of subject based revision repetitively and have effectively assisted most students enrolled in the public schooling system in their revision before sitting for the public examinations. This not only makes revision more interesting for the child, it also allows the parent to play a more active role in supporting their children to achieve academic success. In short, educational TV programs broadcasted by the media can be beneficial to child development as it provides a more interesting non-formal setting to