Final answer:
Children in grade school develop a sense of competence as part of Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. Parents and teachers can foster this by encouraging and providing a supportive environment to build positive self-concept and belief in their abilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, children work industriously in grade school to develop a sense of competence. During the elementary school stage, typically ages 7-11, children face the challenge of industry versus inferiority. This period is significant for children as they begin to compare themselves with peers and develop either a sense of pride in their accomplishments or feelings of inferiority if they don't feel they measure up. To foster a sense of competence, parents and teachers can encourage children, praise their efforts, and help them set achievable goals. This contributes to building a positive self-concept and belief in their own abilities.
Two other stages mentioned in Erikson's development theory include the stage of initiative in preschool children and the stage of identity versus role confusion in adolescents. Both stages highlight different developmental tasks for children, such as beginning to develop a sense of identity in adolescence.