Academics and Motor Skills in Children with LD

Some interesting research was published in the Journal of Learning Disabilities. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) was performed on 137 children with learning disabilities (IQ>80). The following results were seen:

• 52.6% scored below the 15th percentile on manual dexterity
• 40.9% scored below the 15th percentile on ball skills
• 33.7% scored below the 15th percentile on balance skills

In addition, when controlled for IQ the following small to moderate correlations were seen between:

• spelling and math scores and overall MABC score
• mathematics and balance scores
• reading and ball skills
• spelling and manual dexterity.

Reference: Pieter Jelle Vuijk, Esther Hartman,Remo Mombarg,Erik Scherder, and Chris Visscher Associations Between Academic and Motor Performance in a Heterogeneous Sample of Children With Learning Disabilities J Learn Disabil May/June 2011 44: 276-282, doi:10.1177/0022219410378446