Temperament Traits  

Instructor:  Kim Adams 

Date:   June 27, 2012 

Course Title:   Working with Children 

Specific Topic: Temperament Traits That Shape Personality 

Reading Assignment:      childdevelopmentinfo.com: The 9 Temperament Traits 

  

Performance Objectives:  

After completion of the lesson, students will be able to: 1.  identify the 9 temperament traits that shape personality. 2.  use descriptors to build a definition of each trait. 3.  apply the descriptors to your own temperament.  

Standards:

5. Analyze the structure of the relationships among concepts in a text, including

relationships among key terms.   ERPD01.01.01.01 Know and understand young children's characteristics and needs 

ERPD01.01.01.02 Know and understand the multiple influences on development and 

learning. 

 

Assessment

(Formative) Students will self‐assess using the feedback from the presentation.     

Materials:

Article from childdevelopmentinto.com: The 9 Temperament Traits Bingo handouts Highlighting pens Presentation slides 3X5 cards  

Procedure:  Entire Class: Introduction and Method of activating prior knowledge –  Do Now: On  a  3  x  5  card, write  about  a  childhood memory  that  describes  how  you responded to a specific situation.  (Type up my own example  for a slide and read  it to the class: going on a hike with my dad.)  Give students 10 minutes to write a story.     

 Method of setting purpose –  Show slide on the definition of temperament. Inform students that we will be discussing temperament traits in order to understand the base of a child’s personality.    

Individual:    

Take a 3 x 5 note card.  Do not write your name on it.  Write a childhood memory that stands strong in your mind.  Focus on your own part in the story. (Collect the cards from each student.) 

  

Individual:    Use the Power Point Bingo program and the handout to play Temperament Traits Bingo.  After each definition is display and read, give students 30 seconds to choose their answers.  Reveal the correct answer.  Students choosing the correct answer can mark the box with a highlighting pen.   

  

Entire Class:   Share the stories on 3 x 5 cards.  Students lead a discussion on the Temperament traits that relate to the stories. i.e. my story relates to persistence.  See if students can identify traits that relate to the stories shared.   

Application of Material:

 Students will apply this information when working with young children in the preschool.  An understanding of basic temperament traits will assist students in guiding the behavior of young children.      

Extension Questions:

How would an assessment of your own temperament traits aid in an understanding of how you react to certain situations?   

Accommodations needed:

There is already some scaffolding in place ‐ visual power point, interactive, auditory.  Students should be able to be successful.  I would make a Spanish translation of the Bingo game. 

        

childdevelopmentinfo.com http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/child-development/temp2.shtml

The 9 Temperament TraitsClassic child development research conducted by Doctors Chess and Thomas has identified9 temperamental traits:

Activity Level: This is the child’s “idle speed or how active the child is generally. Does theinfant always wiggle, more squirm? Is the infant difficult to diaper because of this? Is the infantcontent to sit and quietly watch? Does the child have difficulty sitting still? Is the child always onthe go? Or, does the child prefer sedentary quiet activities? Highly active children may channelsuch extra energy into success in sports; may perform well in high-energy careers and may beable to keep up with many different responsibilities.

Distractibility: The degree of concentration and paying attention displayed when a child is notparticularly interested in an activity. This trait refers to the ease with which external stimuliinterfere with ongoing behavior. Is the infant easily distracted by sounds or sights while drinking abottle? Is the infant easily soothed when upset by being offered alternate activity? Does the childbecome sidetracked easily when attempting to follow routine or working on some activity? Highdistractibility is seen as positive when it is easy to divert a child from an undesirable behavior butseen as negative when it prevents the child from finishing school work.

Intensity: The energy level of a response whether positive or negative. Does the infant reactstrongly and loudly to everything, even relatively minor events? Does the child show pleasure orupset strongly and dramatically? Or does the child just get quiet when upset? Intense children aremore likely to have their needs met and may have depth and delight of emotion rarelyexperienced by others. These children may be gifted in dramatic arts. Intense children tend to beexhausting to live with.

Regularity: The trait refers to the predictability of biological functions like appetite and sleep.Does the child get hungry or tired at predictable times? Or, is the child unpredictable in terms ofhunger and tiredness? As grown-ups irregular individuals may do better than others with travelingas well as be likely to adapt to careers with unusual working hours.

Sensory Threshold: Related to how sensitive this child is to physical stimuli. It is the amountof stimulation (sounds, tastes, touch, temperature changes) needed to produce a response in thechild. Does the child react positively or negatively to particular sounds? Does the child startleeasily to sounds? Is the child a picky eater or will he eat almost anything? Does the child respondpositively or negatively to the feel of clothing? Highly sensitive individuals are more likely to beartistic and creative.

Approach/Withdrawal: Refers to the child’s characteristic response to a new situation orstrangers. Does the child eagerly approach new situations or people? Or does the child seemhesitant and resistant when faced with new situations, people or things? Slow-to-warm upchildren tend to think before they act. They are less likely to act impulsively during adolescence.

Adaptability: Related to how easily the child adapts to transitions and changes, like switchingto a new activity. Does the child have difficulty with changes in routines, or with transitions fromone activity to another? Does the child take a long time to become comfortable to newsituations? A slow-to-adapt child is less likely to rush into dangerous situations, and may be lessinfluenced by peer pressure.

Persistence: This is the length of time a child continues in activities in the face of obstacles.

Does the child continue to work on a puzzle when he has difficulty with it or does he just move onto another activity? Is the child able to wait to have his needs met? Does the child react stronglywhen interrupted in an activity? When a child persists in an activity he is asked to stop, he islabeled as stubborn. When a child stays with a tough puzzle he is seen a being patient. The highlypersistent child is more likely to succeed in reaching goals. A child with low persistence maydevelop strong social skills because he realizes other people can help.

Mood: This is the tendency to react to the world primarily in a positive or negative way. Doesthe child see the glass as half full? Does he focus on the positive aspects of life? Is the childgenerally in a happy mood? Or, does the child see the gall as half empty and tend to focus on thenegative aspects of life? Is the child generally serious? Serious children tend to be analytical andevaluate situations carefully.

Temperament Traits Bingo We are going to play a game while we read an article on Temperament Traits. Follow the directions below: 1. Get an article, a highlighting pen and a pencil. 2. Spend 10 minutes reading the article completely (using margin notes if desired). 4. Fill in the temperament traits (listed below) on the grid. Each trait can be placed no more than 3 times. 5. Each time a descriptor is read and shown on the screen, choose the temperament trait to which it relates.

Use the article to assist you as needed. 6. Put a dot in one of the boxes with that term. YOU MUST COMMIT IN 30 SECONDS OR LESS. 7. Kim will reveal the correct trait. If you put your dot in the correct space, highlight the dot with the pen.

• ACTIVITY LEVEL • SENSORY THRESHOLD • REGULARITY • APPROACH/WITHDRAW • PERSISTENCE • INTENSITY • MOOD • ADAPTABILITY • DISTRACTIBILITY/ATTENTION SPAN

THE FIRST PERSON TO GET FIVE IN A ROW - ACROSS, DIAGONALLY OR UP/DOWN WINS!!

Temperament Temperament ppTraits Bingo!Traits Bingo!Traits Bingo!Traits Bingo!

“Children have a set of in-born C d e ave a set o bo traits that organize the children’s

approach to the world.”

Ch bChoose a number.Each trait is listed three times randomly throughout the grid.

1 10 19

2 11 20

3 12 21

4 13 224 13 22

5 14 23

6 15 246 15 24

7 16 25

8 17 268 17 26

9 18 27

T k l ti tTakes a long time to become comfortablebecome comfortable

AdaptabilityAdaptability

L lik l t “f ll thLess likely to “follow the crowd ”crowd.

AdaptabilityAdaptability

St l ithStruggles with modifications inmodifications in

routines.

AdaptabilityAdaptability

Child i l thChild is always on the movemove.

Activity LevelActivity Level

L ti tLoves active sports

Activity LevelActivity Level

M l t d i tMay lean towards quiet, stationary activitiesstationary activities.

Activity LevelActivity Level

R d d t hRandom sounds catch the child’s attentionthe child s attention.

DistractibilityDistractibility

C b f t dCan be comforted quickly by offering aquickly by offering a

new activity.

DistractibilityDistractibility

R ti ft bRoutines often become derailed by visual stimuliderailed by visual stimuli

DistractibilityDistractibility

A t ti tA strong reaction to a minor eventminor event.

IntensityIntensity

Oft t h t th hildOften gets what the child wantswants.

IntensityIntensity

M b ift d i thMay be gifted in the performing artsperforming arts.

IntensityIntensity

C i t t l iConsistent sleeping patternpattern.

RegularityRegularity

L h l h tLunch always happens at noonnoon.

RegularityRegularity

Ch i ti hChanging time zones has no effect upon the childno effect upon the child.

RegularityRegularity

St tl il t dStartles easily to sounds.

SensorySensory h h ldThreshold

V ti l i f dVery particular in food choiceschoices.

SensorySensory h h ldThreshold

L th f l f t iLoves the feel of certain types of fabrictypes of fabric.

SensorySensory h h ldThreshold

Th hild’ tThe child’s response to a new situationnew situation.

Approach /Approach / i hd lWithdrawal

Sl t tSlow to enter a group.

Approach /Approach / i hd lWithdrawal

Oft thi k t th iOften think out their actions before actingactions before acting.

Approach /Approach / i hd lWithdrawal

Sti ki ith diffi ltSticking with a difficult tasktask.

PersistencePersistence

H d t lHard to leave an unfinished activityunfinished activity.

PersistencePersistence

Oft i d ti tOften viewed as patient.

PersistencePersistence

Th hild l k t thThe child looks at the bright sidebright side.

MoodMood

A ll iA generally serious childchild.

MoodMood

Th hild h lfThe child sees half a cookie left or half thecookie left or half the

cookie is gone.

MoodMood