SED 1: Identity of Self in Relationship to Others
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Definition: Child shows increasing awareness of self as distinct from and also related to others
View examples of the developmental levels for SED Measure 1 below: Responding Earlier, Responding Later, Exploring Earlier, Exploring Later, Building Earlier, Building Middle, Building Later, Integrating Earlier
Note: For young children, learning is an integrated experience. The examples below may include multiple areas of learning and development.
Responding Earlier
Responds in basic ways to others
Possible Examples
- Attends to a familiar adult during feeding.
- Quiets when hears a familiar adult.
- Grasps an adult’s finger when palm of child’s hand is touched.
Responding Later
Uses senses to explore self and others
Possible Examples
- Examines own hand or foot by looking at it or mouthing it.
- Touches others’ hair when it is within reach.
- Plays with sound by repeating grunts and squeals.
Source: California Department of Social Services. 2016.
Exploring Earlier
Recognizes self and
familiar people
Possible Examples
- Orients toward a familiar adult when own name is spoken or signed.
- Points to picture of self on the wall.
- Smiles when a familiar adult enters the room.
Exploring Later
Communicates own name and names of familiar people (e.g., “dada,” “mama,” “grandma,” or sibling’s name)
Possible Examples
- Communicates, “Me llamo Luis,” [“My name is Luis,” in Spanish].
- Communicates names of immediate family members in a photo.
- Looks to new baby sister and communicates her name.
Building Earlier
Expresses simple ideas about self and connection to others
Possible Examples
- Acts out roles from own family in pretend play.
- Communicates, “I’m making cookies—just like Grandma!” while rolling play dough.
- Draws picture of a house and communicates, “This is my house.”
Building Middle
Describes self on others based on physical characteristics
Possible Examples
- Communicates, using communication board, “His hair is red!”
- Identifies own height, as indicated on a growth chart posted on the wall.
- Narrates details while drawing a picture of a friend.
- Draws a picture of own family, representing traits such as heights and hair colors.
Building Later
Describes own preferences or feelings; and Describes the feelings or desires of family members, friends, or other familiar people
Possible Examples
- Communicates to an adult, “I was mad when it rained because we couldn’t go outside.”
- Communicates that a friend is happy because he is going to have a birthday party.
- Says, “Ayokong hawakan ang susô. Na tatakot ako,” [“I don’t want to touch the snail. It scares me,” in Tagalog].
Integrating Earlier
Compares own preferences or feelings to those of others
Possible Examples
- Selects a pink scarf for a friend whose favorite color is pink, then selects a blue scarf for self.
- Communicates to a peer that they both like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
- Communicates, “我喜 歡 游泳, 但是我姐 姐不 喜歡,” [“I love to swim, but my sister doesn’t,” in Chinese].