Assignment

Take the role of a psychologist who specializes in working with children and their parents. Which expert do you tend to most agree with and why, One expert believes that nature affect cognitive development and the other expert believes that nurture affects cognitive development? What research evidence supports this viewpoint?

Consider the following information about your client, Jaime.

Jaime, a 6th grade male. His parents brought him to see you because they are afraid he will end up on an educational track that will lead him to receive a "certificate of completion" rather than a high school diploma. Jaime was first referred to the school psychologist as a 3rd grader and diagnosed with average intelligence and a learning disability in reading. He had repeated the 1st grade and attended 3 different schools by the time he was in the 2nd grade. When talking with Jaime, you find him to be articulate, bright with an excellent memory for details. However, testing confirmed his reading and writing skills were significantly below his intellectual abilities. In addition to academic challenges, Jaime has underdeveloped social and emotional skills.

Jaime's older sister, Karen, (age 15) is in the gifted and talented program, plays violin proficiently, and learned to speak, read and write Mandarin at the level of a high school graduate from China. His mother dropped out of high school at age 15 when she became pregnant by a 22-year-old neighbor. With the parents' permission, they married and Jaime's mother later completed her GED. Jaime's father joined the Navy shortly after getting married and later earned his master's degree in engineering. He struggled with the math required for his degree, but was highly disciplined after 4 years in the Navy and he worked extensively with tutors to complete his degrees. Jaime's mother works as a cashier, smokes heavily and has been on prescription antidepressants most of her life (since age 11). Jaime's paternal aunt is a member of Mensa. Jaime has one younger sibling--a brother, age 4, whose cognitive development is very precocious and who is reading at the 2nd grade level already.

Based on you viewpoint about how nature and nurture impact cognitive abilities, how would you approach working with Jaime and his family?

Please provide references, 100 -150 words no more are needed.