Chapter 6: Using Frequency Counts to Look at Emotional Development 

 
Fact: Reflection:  
6-1 (Using Frequency Counts)  I think it is important to remember that 
❖ Much behavior is habitual, done  each method of observation has a similar 
without thinking  goal: being able to assess in order to make 
❖ Measuring or counting is a part of  improvements where/when it is needed 
decision making   
➢ When modifying behavior:   
■ measurement is made   
■ Action taken   
■ New measurement   
taken to see the   
significance of change   
❖ Frequency Count: r​ ecording method  Important to note how time/attention is 
used to measure how often a  required 
specific event occurs 
➢ Quickly tally targeted 
behavior 
➢ Purpose is to try to change 
undesirable behavior 
➢ Should be tallied on more 
than one day and by more 
than one person 
➢ Intense method that requires 
adult to be free from 
child-interaction 
responsibilities 

6-1a (Using the Frequency Count to  This method, along with others, will only 
Document Frequently Occurring  be beneficial to the student’s success and 
Behaviors)  overall success of the classroom 
❖ Decrease aggressive acts 
❖ Helps decrease need for teacher 
intervention 
❖ Increase  
➢ interactions with families 
➢ Increase self-care 
➢ Use of learning area 

6-1b (Using FC to Measure  Placing labels on children is never a good 

Prosocial/Antisocial Behavior)  thing. The more a child hears that they are 
❖ Adults need to work to decrease  shy or antisocial, they more pressure if put 
antisocial behavior (hurting  on them to stay in that role. Words carry 
 someone on purpose, taking toys,  incredible power so as 
refusing to sit by someone) and  educators/observers, this is important to 
increase prosocial behavior  be aware of. 
(sharing, taking turns, empathy) 
❖ FC can measure the effectiveness of 
a chosen strategy or intervention 
➢ Closed method 
➢ Purpose is solely to count 
❖ Isolated children are neither 
prosocial or antisocial. 
❖ Pro/anti social FC give indicators 
of the emotional tone of the 
classroom 

6-1c (How to Find the Time)   

❖ Takes little time, much attention 
❖ Pencil and paper is most effective 
❖ Basis for judgments about need for 
change 
❖ Mini-research project for 
behavior-modification 
❖ Information entered into portfolio 

6-2 (Looking at Emotional Development)  I had no idea that mental health could be 
❖ The development of emotional  affected so early in life. I am glad I know 
behavior occurs in predictable  this now.  
stages, but its expression and   
control occurs in individual waysm  being aware of the signs of issues with a 
determined by temperament,  child’s mental health is vital to know in 
culture, and prior experiences.  order to provide the proper services.  
❖ Ability to control the intensity of   
emotions and find acceptable  There is no way to get to the learning if 
expressions and management of  one of the most important domains of 
those emotions is a lifelong struggle  learning is roadblocked. 
❖ Mental health issues can occur as 
early as 2 
➢ Can disrupt developmental 
process 

6-2a (Temperament)   
❖ Temperament: i​ nborn personality 
traits 
➢ Temperament and emotional 
development have been 
linked with school and social 
 success. 
❖ 9 lifelong traits: 
➢ Activity level, rhythmicity, 
approach/withdrawal, 
adaptability, intensity of 
reaction, threshold of 
responsiveness, quality of 
mood, distractibility, 
attention span 

6-2b (Socialization of Emotional  The domains of development are 

Responses)  dependent on one another 
❖ Social and emotional dev is hard to   
separate.   The more you ignore the need for change 
➢ Emotional dev is the  in a certain developmental area, the less 
recognition of feelings and  productive and successful you’ll be 
range of emotions   
■ Adults can support   
this expanded   
emotional vocabulary   
by using visual cues   
❖ Being able to recognize and   
interpret the emotions of others   
starts early   
➢ Infant can distinguish   
between smile or frown.  This is not an easy thing to learn and is a 
❖ Emotional intelligence: ​type of  lifelong skill. 
intelligence that controls emotions 
in a socially acceptable way 

6-2c (Core Emotions)  Every early childhood experience is new 

❖ Basic emotions present at birth  for a child. They don’t have past 
from which other emotions evolve  experiences to remember as they are in the 
➢ Pure responses to stimuli  process of making them. What may seem 
❖ Adults can help children with the  trivial to the adult could feel to the child as 
range of emotions through  though their entire world is falling apart.  
observing and naming the emotion.    
❖ Takes time, learning, and   
experience   
❖ Joy   
➢ Smiling in response to   
human voices seen at 3   
weeks   
➢ Emotional task of intimacy is   
trust (Erikson)   
   
■ Foundation for mental   
health   
❖ Prolonged periods of rise in cortisol   
levels can cause emotional,   
behavioral, and learning problems   
in children   
❖ Stress: physiological reactions to  Our society thinks that stress only occurs 
emotional events   when you’re an adult and are navigating 
➢ 1. Within child (adjusting to  through the “real world”. This is far from 
change, fear of new  the truth. 
experiences)   
➢ 2. Family (abusive or   
neglectful)   
➢ 3. World (crime, death,   
racism)   
❖ Resilient: child who escapes from   
childhood psychological trauma   
without harm   
❖ Coping skills: strategies to  Everyone copes differently. I would love to 
overcome emotional trauma  read up on the different skill (both positive 
➢ When they learn these skills,  and negative) in order to be aware.  
they can address difficulty in   
a healthy emotional way.   
❖ First step is recognition of the   
cause of the problem  Their minds are absorbing everything so it 
❖ Adults role model coping  it is just as important for us to understand 
mechanisms for children  why we do what we do.  

6-2d (Development of Conscience)  Life is constantly changing. In some ways 

❖ Conscience: internal voice that  this is good and other ways it is bad. 
guides moral actions  Children are still learning about how they 
➢ First 3 years are crucial for  feel and what causes them to feel the way 
dev  they do. Never make them or their feelings 
❖ Children internalize right and  seem invalid!!  
wrong when adults set limits and 
are models of proper behavior 
❖ Empathy: intellectual and emotional 
response to another person’s 
distress 
❖ Children are strongly affected by 
relationships with significant others 
in their life.  
➢ Abuse, neglect effects this 
 ➢ Evaluating behaviors against 
the typical stages can help 
clue in to potential emotional 
trauma or abuse 
❖ Recognize the emotion. Don't show 
disapproval or denial even if the 
emotion is not justified 
➢ That emotion is real to them 

6-3 (Helping Children with Emotional  We aren’t fans of people dismissing our 
Expression)  emotions, and neither are children!! 
❖ Emotions and their expression are 
very personal 
❖ Role of family and teacher is to 
respect the child’s emotions, not 
deny that they exist 

6-3a (Emotionally Secure Environment)  Positivity and a positive attitude will make 
❖ Role of family and early childhood  the children more receptive to learning.  
environment is to reduce the effects   
of negative emotions, helping the   
child develop healthy attitudes,   
inner controls, and acceptable   
expressions   
❖ Emotional literacy: ability to decode   
clues, create meaning and apply   
understanding of concepts   
➢ Curriculum is appropriate for   
age and stage of the child,   
reflecting an attitude of   
acceptance for mistakes and   
responsiveness to the   
individual   
❖ unsafe/uncomfortable environments  I know that I can not function is an 
may contribute to stress and  unorganized space. If my room or study 
misbehavior  area is not prepared to learn in, I go to a 
➢ Take a look at temp,  coffee shop or sit outside in order to be the 
cleanliness, equipment,  most productive I can be. Setting up the 
interior design (colors,  proper environment will teach students 
displays, textures, sound,  how they best learn (which is an important 
lighting) of environment  skill) and will set them up for success.  
❖ FC done occasionally to take the 
social-emotional temperature of the 
room.  
➢ Objective, quantitative 
 measurement of the 
environment 

6-3b (Executive Function)  The mind is so important in how we 

❖ Ability to self-regulate thought,  function. Healthy thoughts promote a 
action, and emotion  healthy lifestyle and inversely for negative 
❖ 3-5: important window of  thoughts. We can try all we want, but life 
opportunity for growth in mental  will throw curveballs. It’s inevitable.  
processes   
❖ If abuse or neglect is present, brain   
architecture impairs development of   
executive function  Hope and modeling how you can still be 
❖ More time with television at ages  positive amongst the chaos is vital.  
1-4, have been associated with   
poorer executive/cognitive   
functions   
❖ Social referencing: look to adult for   
cues to help interpret a situation   
➢ Modeling-seeing how others   
react and express emotions  For me, I get through the ups and downs 
➢ Direct instruction- naming  of life through my faith in Jesus Christ. 
emotions and describing  This is not the case for all obviously, but 
actions, consequences, and  by me living out a positive lifestyle while 
alternatives  still acknowledging the hard times we all 
➢ Positive or negative  go through, I can provide some hope for 
reinforcement  others while still being respectful of all 
❖ Emotions are socialized or  different cultural and religious 
influenced in their recognition and  backgrounds.  
expression by adults in the child’s 
world 
❖ Observer infers the cause based on 
prior knowledge of development and 
behavioral cues 

6-3c (Challenging Behavior)  Bullying is inescapable and as teachers, we 

❖ Any repeated pattern of behavior or  should be prepared to nip it in the bud.  
perception of behavior that   
interferes with or is at risk of   
interfering with the optimal   
learning or engagement in prosocial   
interactions with peers or adults   
➢ Such behaviors exhibited by   
young children have been the   
focus of attention by   
educational and mental   
 health professionals   
❖ Lack of reliable screening and   
assessment, appropriate referrals,   
and adequate access to services are   
barriers to behavior intervention   
❖ Bullying:   A child being bullied and a child focused on 
➢ Teachers responses need to  his next target will not be as receptive to 
be proactive and  learning and will affect the learning of 
preventative  others. 
■ More prevalent 
among boys, 
pre-school girls more 
likely to threaten to 
withdraw friendship 
or exclude another 
child 
➢ Important that the child 
learns that bullying is not 
acceptable and will not be 
allowed 
➢ Bullying escalates when 
children as a group focus on 
a vulnerable child 

6-3d (Behaviors that Warrant Concern for  Everyone is born with emotions. The way 
ED)  in which those emotions are fostered is 
❖ Significant mental health problems  solely from upbringing and experiences.  
can and do occur in young children   
➢ Hardships early in life can  Children learn aggression in the same way 
damage the developing brain  they learn happiness and positivity.  
❖ The vulnerability of the child stems   
from:   
➢ Children responding diff to   
trauma than adults (due to   
lack of language or   
understanding of the   
experience)   
➢ Cultural beliefs and   
understanding may interfere   
with access to mental health   
services    
❖ The primary reason to reduce  Breaking down our personal barriers and 
antisocial behavior is safety (in both  biases will aid us in fostering healthy 
class and home)  emotions. 
 ❖ Lowering aggression before the 
early years can have long-lasting 
impacts on society 

6-4 (Helping All Children with ED: infants  Teachers are responsible for teaching how 
and toddlers)  to function within society and tap into the 
❖ Healthy emotional development=  best versions of ourselves, not solely what 
“it’s all about relationships”   2+2 =.  
❖ Responsive care: w ​ hen adults 
adjust to the child’s temperament 
❖ Goodness of fit: a​ dult’s recognition 
and ability to adjust to the child’s 
temperament 
❖ Self-regulation: ​control of body 
functions, emotions, working to 
maintain focus and attention 
➢ Foundation of functioning 
for all areas of development 
➢ A skill that develops over 
time but depends on child’s 
differences in sensory 
processing 
❖ Infant’s sensory integration 
depends on temperament 
 

6-4a (ED of DLL)   

❖ For children who are ELL, both the 
culture and lack of ability to 
communicate feelings make it more 
difficult for the teacher to interpret 
and understand what the child is 
feeling. 
❖ The responsibility falls on the 
teachers and early childhood 
programs to do all they can to help 
ELL become proficient before they 
enter public school. 

6-4b (ED of children with disabilities)  Communication is key!! Without it, no 
❖ Consistent routines, clear  progress or change can be made.  
communication, and family contact 
will help the teacher make 
necessary adjustments to the 
classroom so that the learning 
 environment can meet the needs of 
the child. 
❖ The other children are also learners 
with still-developing social skills, 
understanding, and empathy 
❖ Teacher prepares the other children 
in the group, in the same way 
environment is prepared, to receive 
the child with a disability 
❖ Acceptance and knowledge of the 
disorder and approaches to use will 
be part of the preparation for this 
child.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FREQUENCY COUNT
Date:

Recorder:

Using tally marks, record:

CHILD’S NAME PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR:
(helping, sharing, hugging,
using kind words towards
another child)
ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR:
(hurting, hoarding, name
calling, rejecting attention of
another child)

Totals: