Developmental Milestones (12 + Adolescent and Beyond)

By this stage of development the body has underwent some major changes since birth, hormones are becoming a more driving force in how adolescence think, and react to stimulus, this in turn causes the adolescent to react more strongly emotional situations, and experience more intense pleasure.

Physical Development

Major changes in physical differences between boys and girls appear during puberty, boys show a dramatic increase in strength, athletic ability and agility earlier on, than girls do. While girls are slower to reach these peek points, they do reach them towards the midway of puberty (Berk, 2013).

The human brain has between 100 and 200 billion neurons that store and transport information throughout the brain, each one connecting to thousands of others throughout the brain, which forms out thoughts, memories, learning abilities, critical thinking skills, physical and emotional impulses, and basic body functioning (Berk, 2013).

Language Development

Adolescence language development is more peer oriented than it is being phonically or educationally correct, adolescence have more pressure to fit in within their social groups and cultural groups, language skills and dialect become blended. In African American culture, African American Vernacular English is now being recognized as a proper form of English

language. Where it was once considered to be incorrect English, African American Vernacular English is now considered a correct version of the English language (Cutter, 1999).

Language development at this stage had strong cultural and peer related overtures than it has in any other time in history, not only with African American Vernacular English, but with in acceptance of other cultural variations to the English language.

Cognitive Development

In this stage of development the connectivity over larger areas of the brain occurs, primarily in the region of the cerebral cortex (Berk, 2013), resulting in more rapid communication across the neuro-pathways. As a result the brain becomes more adapted at receiving, encoding and assimilating information, and utilizing that information in critical thinking.

Social Changes

The transition into adolescence brings on a plethora of changes in how teens and later, young adults interact with family, friends, and peers. This occurs from a combination of genes, brain development, environment, experiences with friends and family as well as community and culture. This the time when the teen/young adult takes a look at family traditions, and traditions they have experienced along the way from their own culture, those in the community, with their friends, peers, and extended family, and begin to build their own traditions, and extension of their culture, and community in building their adult self.

Cultural Aspects

Culture plays an important role now more than ever in defining the self image of teens and young adults, Develop intense emotions and often moody and unpredictable, causing varied ways in which they expressed their feelings. Teens and young adults are more emotional about their heritage and connect with other teens and young adults who have empathy for their strong emotions.

Atypical Development

Atypical development at this stage of development would be quit noticeable, wither through physical adaptations such as a gating walk, or speech abnormalities, inability to keep up with peers in the classroom, and the growing pains of adolescence can manifest itself with social issues and anger issues as young adults struggle to fit in (Berns, 2013).

Strategies to Help Families Influence Learning and Development

Encourage controlled peer interactions such as martial arts classes, art classes, group activities that encompass the adolescence strengths, talk openly and honestly about limitations, while encouraging the adolescent to push the limits and not give up and settle for less.