The nature of psychomotor skills and their relationship to academic achievement and positive self concept are discussed. Illustrations of program implementation and instructor preparation in several schools are presented. (RW)

"Research Findings:" The present study aims to investigate the relationship between physical fitness and visuomotor integration in young children. A total of 242 three- to six-year-old preschoolers were randomly selected from a preschool in Shenzhen, China and their visuomotor integration and physical fitness were evaluated using the…

This paper examines the influence of task and skill level constraints on the generality of proximal-distal control for within-limb movement coordination. Analysis and synthesis of the experimental findings leads to the proposition that proximal-distal is one of several within-limb patterns of coordination, including: the reverse distal-proximal…

The Michigan State University (MSU) Motor Performance Study (MPS) was initiated in 1967 and was known across the United States for its unique blend of teaching, service, and research. Dr. Vern Seefeldt began the study as a means to begin research with children on-campus. The instructional portion of the program ended in 1999; data collection…

This paper aimed to investigate different dimensions of motor competence (MC) by using four commonly administered MC assessment tools (Test of Gross Motor Development-3, Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 Short Form, Körperkoordinationtest Für Kinder, and Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2) in a sample of 184 girls…

Background: The Early Learning Outcomes Measure (ELOM) assesses early learning programme outcomes in children aged 50-69 months. ELOM assesses gross motor development (GMD), fine motor coordination and visual motor integration (FMC & VMI), emergent numeracy and mathematics (ENM), cognition and executive functioning (CEF), and emergent literacy…

Perceptual development which depends on ability of learning and maturity, is the most important process of mental development. It is commonly believed that the mental development of children is limited due to city life. Children can learn perceptual elements through movement participation. This improves the cognitive development, which triggers…

This article describes an evaluation of universal resources designed to support motor development in Reception and Year 1 children. Four schools (Year R-Year 6) in the South East of England, three with high numbers of disadvantaged children participated. Senior leadership influenced take up of the initiative. Health and well-being practitioners…

Purpose: Improvements in motor performance and coordination may be impacted by the interaction of practice and organismic constraints. It has been proposed that these aspects of motor learning are achieved at a different time rate: first, during placement of the events (performance), and second, segmental spatiotemporal relationships…

To determine whether motor difficulties documented in Asperger's Syndrome (AS) are related to compromised visual abilities, this study examined perception and movement in response to dynamic visual environments. Fourteen males with AS and 16 controls aged 7-23 completed measures of motor skills, postural response to optic flow, and visual…

The purpose of the current article is to highlight the potential of self-determination theory (SDT) to inform the teaching practices of physical education (PE) teachers. Such practices may enhance motivational levels for participation in physical activity (PA) for children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). First, we review the…

A heterogeneous sample of 137 school-aged children with learning disabilities (IQ greater than 80) attending special needs schools was examined on the "Movement Assessment Battery for Children" (MABC). The results show that compared to the available norm scores, 52.6% of the children tested performed below the 15th percentile on manual…

The aim of this study was to examine the performance of children with visual impairments (VI) aged 7 to 10 years on different types of motor skills. Furthermore, the association between the degree of the VI and motor performance was examined. The motor performance of 48 children with VI (32 males, 16 females; mean age 8y 10mo [SD 1y 1mo]) was…

As the demand for services from therapists in the educational environment continues to grow, both physical and occupational therapists seek innovative and effective ways to meet the identified needs of the child and school environment. Train-the-trainer model of service delivery can be used to meet the needs of both the therapist and the preschool…

Early movement successes for young children are related to performing activities of daily living without assistance or with minimum assistance, recreational opportunities, and overall health wellness, growth, and development. As children are provided with frequent opportunities to participate in everyday fun and engaging physical activities, they…