Nature versus Nurture in the Educational Setting

1315 Words3 Pages

In today’s society children are faced with many factors that can influence their behaviour within a care or educational setting. These factors can sometimes enhance a child’s behaviour and in some cases impair or damage how a child learns behaviour. When looking at the factors that influence children’s behaviour is important to take into consideration the nature versus nurture debate, MacLeod-Brudenell (2008) informs the reader that the term “nurture-nature debate” is to indicate two different perspectives; some propose views that genetic inheritance also known as nature influence children more that contextual factors or nurture. The influences of the debate can we widely seen as some people believe that all children are born with the ability to talk or walk as this is inbuilt knowledge. McDevitt and Ormrod (2010) reinforces this “All children have a set of universal human genes that permit them to develop as reasonably capable human beings.” The other side of this debate is nurture some believe that through children being loved they will develop to be person who can contribute to society, this however is not always the case as some children grow up in neglectful situations and are not always given the same love. The study into “Genie” allows us to get a better understanding of the importance of nurture in a child’s life, she was confined to a small room and not discovered until she was aged 13 up until this point in her life she did not experience many social interactions. Cherry (Unknown) tells us through her inability to speak or communicate she was hard to assess her mental ability but on tests she scored around the level of a one year old. From her life scientists were able to look more deeply into the nature vs nurture deb... ... middle of paper ... ...evelopment, About.com [online] Available from www.about.com Accessed on 4th April 2014 McDevitt, T and Ormrod, J (2010) Nature and Nurture, Education.com [online] Available from www.education.com Accessed on 4th April 2014 Video BBC(2009) ‘The Secret Life of Twins’ BBC: London, Viewed on 3rd February 2014 Channel 4 (2006) ‘Mindshock: Feral Children’ Channel 4: London, Viewed On 10th February 2014 Channel 4 (2009) ‘Britain’s Challenging Children’ Channel 4: London, Viewed On 24th March 2014 Publications Kids Matter: Australian Primary Schools Imitative (2012) How temperament affects feelings, Australia: Australian Government Department of Health and Aging The British Medical Association (2006) Understanding Children’s Behaviour, Dorset: The British Medical Association Pact’s Point of View (2009) Interpreting Regression in Children, Oakland: Pact’s Point of View

Open Document