Intellectual Development

As some young adolescents see it…

There is a lot more going on in our heads than we let on.

Fred, age 13

I love to learn, but I hate being taught.

Art, age 13

(Brighton, 2007)

Just as with changes in physical development differ, these changes in intellectual development occur at different rates for each young adolescent and some of the growth can apply to one concept yet not another.   Keep in mind that there is a very wide range of individual intellectual development in young adolescents. Young adolescents think deeply about many concepts and are quite inquisitive about these.  The adults in a young adolescent's life must keep this in mind as they interact with them.

Young adolescent:

• Are able to think about what they are thinking
• Face situations and decisions in which they must use different types of thinking skills
• Are very curious and ask a lot of questions; often wonder, “Why do we need to know this?”
• Can make connections between what they have learned and real live situations
• Are very literal when it comes to following directions and must be given detailed directions to follow
• Have a natural tendency for a decline in grades at the middle school level
• Are argumentative
• Develop a concept of themselves that persists into adulthood
• Can be very perceptive about the people around them
• Have a need to be creative without any chance of rejection