ABSTRACT
Maturation implies an inherent, preordained 'unfolding' of potential, which is already there. Growth involves gain of some sort and is a part of maturation. Both are part of development, which one may see as the changes which occur as the result of the maturing child's interaction with his environment. The current developmental level of the child will limit his educational achievement. If the task requires mental operations of which he is not yet capable, he will fail. He may, nevertheless, sometimes 'get the right answer' by other means. But another cause of failure may be that the child has had his present potential limited by his previous inadequate experience when at an earlier stage of development. This is why it is so important to tackle and remedy the cycle of deprivation early in a child's life. This applies to both mental and physical growth, which are considered together in this chapter as different but inseparable aspects of an individual.
