WELCOME TO BRAINFUSE 24/7 & WRITING LAB! Thank you for using Brainfuse! We do not provide answers. We help you find the answers and you are also expected to submit your own answers and ideas on solving the problem or essay assignment along with your question. Please see below for our comments and feedback. Our goal is to help you improve your writing by pointing out strengths and weaknesses that you may not notice during the writing process. The chart below gives an overview of the strengths and weaknesses in your writing. Score Point Response to task Organization Focus Word Usage/Style Grammar and Mechanics 4 – Superior Develops an effective and thoughtful response using detailed examples to support the position. Develops a response that uses adequate examples and addresses the task. Coherent organization that shows a smooth progression of ideas Clear focus that thoughtfully and thoroughly explores the task Skillful use of language that is marked by a fluent style and clear command of the language Generally free from errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics Generally well organized and developed with a progression of examples. 2– Developing Many places are not clear Uses appropriate vocabulary, syntactic variety, and facility in the use of language with only limited numbers of poor word choices. Limited control of vocabulary and/or inappropriate word choice 1 – Needs Improvement Suggests an inability to comprehend the task with little or no evidence to support position Limited organization with simplistic examples and generalizations to support the thesis Disorganized and incoherent May be simplistic or repetitive at times, but shows some depth of thought. Lacks focus, confused thinking Unfocused and illogical Lacks control of vocabulary, demonstrating fundamental errors May have some errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics but these errors do not obscure meaning for the most part. Accumulation of errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics that may interfere with meaning Numerous errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics that frequently interfere with meaning 3– Satisfactory The following text contains suggestions in Word Comment format. Deniesha Smith Mrs. F. Nelson AP English 11 29 October 2010 Environmental Effects on Child Development Throughout generations, young children have grown and evolved based on their developmental needs. The needs of a child are based on his or her surroundings, biological influences, and well being. If these needs of the child are not sufficiently met, the child is harmed because he or she may not be able to reach his or her full potential, which may lead to developmental delays later in life. In order to reduce the risk of these complications, parents should provide for their children and offer support. Depending on the level of stimulus in the environment and the engagement with the people around him or her, a child’s development may be positively or negatively affected. Factors that control an environment greatly affect a child’s development depending on certain interactions around that child and the condition of the environment. When the condition of an environment is stimulating towards a child’s senses, he or she may prosper from the benefits and develop positively. A caring, responsive environment will assist in the protection of a child from any negative stimulations or behaviors (“Early Child Development”). On the contrary, some types of inappropriate behaviors will leak through the defenses of a stimulating environment, enforcing the role of a parent as a sentinel or last line of defense for a child. When problems arise involving interactions between characters and aspects of an environment, a guardian should feel compelled to enforce limitations in order to achieve a balance of discipline and organization. Throughout the lifetime of a child, he or she will be faced with many setbacks from the individuals around him or her and the community. The deprivation of stimulus in a child’s environment is capable of hindering the social aspects of a child’s development, depending on the extent of the loss. When an environment is perceived as being unpredictable or unreliable by a child, he or she could experience difficulty when learning to trust other individuals and creating stable relationships (Deiner 293). The result of this isolation could induce the withdrawal of troubled adolescents from the adult community surrounding them, thus driving them towards the grasping hands of their peers. In order to reverse the dreadful effects of these negative occurrences, one should intervene as soon as possible and improve living conditions in the environment in order to reestablish some aspects of a child’s development (“Parenting”). Even though the probability of developing effectively in a stimulus deficient environment is slim, many children have overcome the circumstances and became acceptable adolescents in society. Equivalent to maintaining a stimulating environment is the aspect of conserving a consistent setting for the child in order for him or her to evolve and mature The application of schedules and routines upholds the predictability of a child’s surroundings by identifying what to do in a situation and applying that knowledge to similar situations, thus raising his or her selfconfidence (“Elements of Consistent Environment”). Unfortunately, grasping onto the concept of promptness too tightly can restrict children’s room to develop and bind his or her efforts to evolve on their own. Parents must allow for the flexibility of their children with the intention of allowing them to adapt to small changes without an increase in anxiety (“Elements of Consistent Environment”). Once flexibility is established, the temperament of the child will become mellow and frustrations will be scarce, resulting in a peaceful environment where a child can absorb knowledge. A key factor for establishing social development is the creation of relationships and attachments between a child and other characters in his or her environment. Beginning at birth, a child will form an attachment to individuals in his or her surroundings based on primal emotions and instinctual actions. The type of environment a child lives in can increase the chances of developing quality social relationships between parents and peers, thus increasing social skills. Nevertheless, negative emotions and behaviors can be learned from the association of peers, undermining the well being of a child and creating complications for the future (“Parenting”). The adult’s role in a child’s life is to expose the child to the right type of values and relationships in order to create a bond filled with trust and understanding (Deiner 214). These connections provide a child with the opportunity to discuss ideas and issues with others, while obtaining developmental support. As young children establish social relationships, they use the basis of playing with other individuals in order to strengthen these bonds (Brazelton 434). Infants take part in solitary play where they enjoy playing by themselves with toys and other inanimate objects. As they progress into the toddler stage, they begin to become aware of another child playing near them; however, the two children will not interact and make only slight eye contact. Once a child gains more selfesteem and confidence, he or she begins to form groups that take part in imaginary play. Imaginary play occurs when children decide to invent fictitious scenarios in which each person has a specific role. The children often transform imaginary play into group play by following a leader of the group and obeying orders that the leader commands. In addition to guiding a child on the right path and providing him or her with a proficient role model, a parent’s most important task is to understand a child as an individual and accept the fact that his or her characteristics may vary from those in the environment (Brazelton 13). To aid in the comprehension of this concept, parents can actively engage in the life style of a child by communicating or immersing him or her in a language rich environment (McBride). Consequently, negative passions are inevitable as a child grows older and gains more knowledge (Brazelton 434); thus, the use of limitations should be used as a counteraction or remedy for this problem. Limiting a child’s actions and interactions will provide him or her with a stopping point for when he or she feels out of control and needs guidance. When a child is properly nurtured, he or she can absorb certain aspects of the environment and receive the foundation for a life as a mature adult (Child Development and Behavior Branch). When a child reaches a certain age, parents are exchanged by babysitters or nannies as the primary caregivers of that child. Nannies and babysitters must learn to understand a baby’s “language” and reactions in order to effectively provide for a child during the time that parents are away from him or her (Geracimos). When caregivers begin to care for a child in the absence of a parent, they must maintain consistent activities established by the parent. Once more, the process of exchange occurs as the nannies of a child are substituted for child care facilities, which impact social and emotional development. During the period of time spent in these centers, a child will absorb many concepts of negative and positive behavior, such as rebellion or pro-social behavior. Pro-social behavior can be described as sharing items, taking turns, and learning the idea of ownership. Although the development of a child is affected mainly by factors involving the environment, there is still a small portion of progression that is controlled by genes or biological factors. When newborns begin to interact with their environments, they have certain reflexes that they are born with in order to survive, such as the rooting reflex where a child turns his or her head toward a source of touch on the cheek or lip (“Influence of Genes and Environment”). When children are born, they often inherit some characteristics from their parents which usually involve initial reading skills and some forms of temperament (“Influence of Genes and Environment”). The acquisition of genes enables an increase in the brain’s mental abilities, which change during the lifetime of a child. The upper and lower limits of a child’s development are established by the brain’s abilities, which in turn are controlled by the genotype of the child. On the other hand, a parent or caregiver’s behavior can modify genetic influence on social behavior by reacting a certain way to a child’s actions (Child Development and Behavior Branch). During the first years of a child’s life, biological development is affected by the environment; meaning, the characteristics of a child are both genetically and environmentally determined (“Influence of Genes and Environment”). Genetic and environmental influences blend together to make the foundation or basis of a child’s development. When an environment is distorted, the characteristics of a child could change, resulting in behavioral and mental instability, depending on the genetic traits they have inherited. The best way to resolve developmental instability caused by severe environmental shifts is to allow a child to remain with his or her family in familiar settings, allowing him or her to recover from the trauma (Fawcett). Children are more stable and comfortable when they are in a familiar environment with familiar people to interact with. As children progress, their most critical point in life is when they have to enroll in the educational system. This can be a fearful time for both parents and children due to the new settings and multiple factors that could change. There are multiple ways parents can engage with a child’s educational process and they should take advantage of these opportunities (McBride). One way is to encourage the child to explore different solutions to make parental participation and educational experience thrive (Glenn) and make the most out of the experience. Teachers help a child to become situated in the new environment and establish friendships which expand social development. When a teacher knows how to successfully carry out this task and provide educational knowledge, children benefit tremendously. Children acquire certain concepts and actions from their environments including the people situated in them. The individuals feed knowledge and skills to a child that remain for most of his or her life and form the basis for development and growth. A small factor of development is the idea of genetics influencing a child’s temperament and characteristics at the beginning of his or her childhood. Once a child begins maturing at a steady pace, he or she becomes a unique individual who creates his or her own lifestyle and behaviors. Parents step in as guardians during a child’s lifetime, but maneuver into the background as he or she becomes independent. They must learn to accept their child’s freedom, while at the same time creating boundaries to allow stability. Stimulating concepts in a child’s environment will create a chain reaction of positive developmental milestones that will impact a child as well as the individuals that participate in his or her life. Works Cited Brazelton, T. Berry, and Joshua D Sparrow. Touchpoints Three to Six your Child’s Emotional and Behavioral Development. Cambridge: Da Capo Press, 2002. Print. Child Development and Behavior Branch. Report to the NACHHD Council. Jan. 2009. Print. Deiner, Penny Low. Infants and Toddlers: Development and Program Planning. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publications, 1997. Print. “Early Child Development”. World Health Organization. Aug. 2009. Web. “Elements of Consistent Environment”. Better Brains for Babies. 2007. Web. Fawcett, Amalia. “Even in a Disaster Children are Best Left with Their Families”. The Age. 21 Jan. 2010. Print. Geracimos, Ann. “Nuture beats Nature”. The Washington Times. 8 May 2008. Print. Glenn, H. Stephen. Raising Self-reliant Children in Self-Indulgent World. Rocklin: Prima Publications and Communications, 1988. Print. “Influence of Genes and Environment on Child Development”. Child Growth and Development. 1 May 2008. Web. McBride, Brent. Interview with Phil Ciciora. A Minute With…TM. 18 August 2009. Web. “Parenting, the Social Environment and its Effects on Child Development”. Virtual Cancer Centre. 15 Sept. 2010. Web. Hope this helps. If you have additional questions, please resubmit (SHOWING YOUR WORK).