Physical Development Flashcards
Impact of physical domain on children’s learning
part of the brain that processes movement is the same part that processes learning
strong evidence of positive correlation between movement and learning
healthy students are better learners
sedentary lifestyles have negative impact on health, learning
As brain wiring becomes more complex, thinking and communication skills increase.
In early childhood children are far sighted not suited to close work
movement important developmentally as motor and sensory apparatus in body integrate child needs to learn to crawl, walk, run etc.
movement tones muscles and increases oxygen intakelinks to social/emotional concepts?
links to self-concept?
integration of primitive reflexes?
Research confirms physical education significantly impacts literacy
Teaching physical skills that underpin reading/writing with early literacy skills dramatically improves student learning
Motor development principles
MATURATION
MOTIVATION encouragement, parent/teacher interest/example, cultural conditioning
EXPERIENCE quality instruction, environmental setting
PRACTISE
Motor development
phases, stages: sequential, predictable
age-related not age dependent
effected by genetics, environment, task factors
Gross motor skills
coordination of large muscles (core stabilizing)
every day/self-care: standing, sitting upright, walking, running, skipping
playground: climbing
sporting, hand-eye coordination: catching, throwing, kicking
school: upper body support to write, draw, cut, sit upright to attend to class instruction (impact learning);
endurance to cope with full day at school
core strength
general strength
motor planning, sensory motor
need to be taught, practiced
Fine motor skills
coordination of small muscles manipulative skills tying shoelaces cutting grasping drawing may be dependent on gross motor skill development need to be taught, practiced supinate grasp (whole hand pencil grip) pronate grasp (pencil grip away from tip) dynamic tripod grip (correct)
Physical development
Predictable
Orderly
Sequential
Influenced by environment and genetics
Considerable variation in rate and extent children develop
Periods of rapid growth (spurts) and slower growth (plateaus)
Early childhood physical development
2-6 years
active
energetic
gross motor rapid develops before fine motor
little gender difference
children are far-sighted not suited to close work
by 3 yo brain is 75% adult weight
Later childhood development
7 to puberty
slow steady growth
Cephalocaudal trend (head to toe growth)
Proximodistal trend (centre to periphery growth)
large muscles develop before small ones
girls 1 year ahead
improved hand-eye and foot-eye coordination
Adolescence development
physical features change
hormonal activity
reproductive ability
potential social, physical, emotional issues
girls ahead of boys
skeleton grows faster than muscles, ligaments
Helpful for physical development
exercise good nutrition hydration sleep rest fresh air, oxygen natural light
Unhelpful for physical development
alcohol drugs smoking high-risk behaviors toxic stress, cortisol medical conditions/illnesses
Why promote movement skills?
not automatic as child matures (need to be taught & practiced) easiest when young allows successful involvement in activities/games avoids bad habits avoids self-consciousness, embarrassment promotes social acceptance promotes healthy self-concept engages cognitive and physical domains promotes emotional-social skills
Teachers/school promoting physical development, PE, movement experiences
developmentally sequential curriculum
(stage of development more important than age when planning)
plenty of practice
movement opportunities
adequate facilities, equipment
allow for individual differences in abilities
promote lifelong participation
encourage positive health outcomes
*give each child a chance to shine (find something he or she is good at)
give equal emphasis to other domains
exercises set to nursery rhymes to develop physical skills (holding pencil, tracking eyes across page, sitting up straight)
teaching phonics and physical skills together (improves dexterity; attentiveness)
don’t just do more literacy!
