Teaching Motor Skills to Children Ch 3

Variations in Motor Skills  Develop at different rates  Interskill variability- differences in performance of unrelated physical tasks or activities  Intraskill variability- different proficiencies in skills needed for single task

Progressive Motor Skill Development  Age & experience related but not dependent  Same order but not same time

Physical & Psychological Readiness  Ready & motivated then will learn  Cannot force a child into new physical activities  Fears  If not performing correctly could be inappropriate for age or state of readiness

Sequential Development  Develop in orderly fashion  Motor skill development from head moving toward feet – cephalocaudal development  Develop from trunk or midline out to extremities – proximodistal development  Walk-run-leap-jump-hop-gallop-slide-skip

Cumulative Development  Naturally occurring sequence of potentials to learn new motor skills  Acquire new motor skill by gradually building on or incorporating previously learned skill

Directional Development  Don’t perform motor skills same level each time  Variability directional development  Skill not disappearing  Growth spurt, injury, lack of practice  Keep plan flexible but provide movement experiences

Physical Education  Something for everyone  Classify motor skills

Environmental Stability  Closed skills – performed in stable & predictable environments  Open skills – performed in changing or unpredictable environment  Mobility:  Number involved  Speed

Initiation of Movement  Self-paced – initiates own movement  Externally-paced – initiated in response to outside circumstances  Motor skills easier when you control when & how execute the movement

Movement Patterns  Discrete skill – happens once has distinct beginning and end, easiest  Serial skill – 2+ discrete motor skills performed in sequence, more difficult

Developing Logical Skill Progressions  Stable learning environment  Practice at own pace  Combining skills  Develop logical skills progression

Progression  Developing skills-practice fundamental skills  Expanding skills-less predictable tasks, semi self-paced  Mastering skills-unpredictable, externally paced, control over skill, add outside factors

Generic Levels of Skill Proficiency (GLSP)  4 levels children pass through as learn motor skill  Precontrol-move awkwardly, difficulty repeating  Control – concentrate to replicate, still awkward

Generic Levels of Skill Proficiency (GLSP)  Utilization-repeat movements somewhat smoothly & automatically, shift attention to adding defenders/outside influences  Proficiency – automatically & confidence, modify learned skills to adjust to situations  Graham, Holt-Hale, & Parker (2004)

Appropriate Content for Elementary PE  Focus on teaching fundamental motor skills & movement concepts  Movement concepts – how to perform a movement  Space awareness, effort, relationships, vocabulary

Skill Themes  When body moves  Locomotor & non-locomotor  Manipulative skills – associated w/sport skills  Manipulate object w/some part of the body