Action Verbs

Here are two pages from the Action Word Writing Packet to expand your student’s vocabulary, use for brain breaks, practice handwriting and more.  Download the Action Word Wall freebie here –  http://yourtherapysource.com/actionwordwallfreebie.html Get more information on the complete packet here – http://yourtherapysource.com/actionwordwall.html

Development of Motor Skills - Running

This post is the second in the series on the advanced development of motor skills.   Just like walking, running skills progress from beginning skills to advanced running skills.

Here is the progression for the development of advanced running skills:

1.  Stride length increases

2.  The increase in stride length results in greater forces being exerted

3.  The rear leg fully extends during push off phase

4.  Knee flexion increases with the heel up close to the buttocks

5.  Thigh swings forward with greater acceleration

6.  Before heel strike, the thigh becomes parallel to the ground

7.  Movement in the sagittal plane is eliminated and the forces stay in the anterior posterior plane

8.  Out-toeing stops and the base of support narrows

9.  the stance leg moves into knee flexion as the body weights moves over the stance leg

10.  Trunk rotation increases resulting in a  longer stride and better arm-leg opposition

11.  Trunk has slight inclination forwards

12.  arms swing forward and back, with the elbow flexion close to 90 degrees moving in  opposition to the legs.

All of the above mentioned steps are dependent upon the child’s muscle strength, balance, coordination, body awareness and biomechanics.

The next time you are evaluating a student’s running pattern don’t forget to review the above steps to determine where in the running cycle the child may need to improve.

Stay tuned for the next post in the locomotor series – the development of jumping.

Reference:  Haywood, K. M., & Getchell N. (2001) Life span motor development. In J.P. Wright, and M. Feld, et al (Eds.), Development of human locomotion (pp. 121-142).Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics

[subscribe2]

Development of Locomotor Skills - Walking

Walking is the first in a series of blog posts on locomotor skills.   Children can learn how to walk at a young age but to become an efficient walker the child's abilities must progress.

Here are the "steps" it takes to develop advanced walking:

1.  The child's stride length increases.  This is due to greater application of force and
greater leg extension at push-off.   From a biomechanical perspective, the child will grow taller therefore increasing leg length resulting in a longer stride.

2. Instead of a flat footed gait pattern, a heel to toe pattern emerges increasing range of motion.

3. The child moves from a position a pointing the toes out to a more neutral position.

4.  The base of support narrows making walking mostly in the anterior posterior planes (front to back) versus sagittal planes (right to left).

5.  The child progresses to extending the knee at heel strike and again at the push off phase of gait.

6. The pelvis rotates while the leg flexes and extends to allow the full range of leg motions and oppositional movement of the upper and lower body segments.

7. Balance improves.

8.  Forward trunk inclination is reduced.

9. Coordination of opposite arm swing with the movement of the legs.

All of the above mentioned steps are dependent upon the child's muscle strength, balance, coordination, body awareness and biomechanics.

The next time you are evaluating a student's walking pattern don't forget to review the above steps to determine where in the gait cycle the child may need to improve.

Stay tuned for the next post in the locomotor series - the development of running.

Reference:  Haywood, K. M., & Getchell N. (2001) Life span motor development. In J.P. Wright, and M. Feld, et al (Eds.), Development of human locomotion (pp. 121-142).Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics

[subscribe2]

Gross Motor Skill Development in Children with Learning Disabilities

Research in Developmental Disabilities published a longitudinal study on the gross motor skill development of children with learning disabilities (LD).  Fifty six children with LD, ages 7-11 years old along with 253 typically developing children were assessed annually for three years with the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD).

The results indicated the following:

1. the ball skills of children with LD improved with age especially between 7 and 9 years


2. the locomotor skills did not improve with age


3. boys had higher ball skill scores than girls and these differences were constant over time


4. typically developing children outperformed the children with LD on the locomotor skills and ball skills at all ages, except the locomotor skills at age 7.


5. children with LD developed their ball skills later in the primary school-period compared to typically developing peers


6. 11 year-old children with LD had a lag in locomotor skills and ball skills of at least four and three years, respectively, compared to their peers

Reference:   Westerndorp, M et al. A longitudinal study on gross motor development in children with learning disorders. Research in Developmental Disabilities. Volume 35, Issue 2, February 2014, Pages 357–363

50 Sensory Motor Activities for Kids!

Creative, fun filled activities and games that get children moving.  Find out more information at http://www.yourtherapysource.com/50book.html

Locomotor Games

This download is a collection 20 locomotor cards, 10 non locomotor cards, 10 body part cards, 10 directional cards, 6 speed/path cards, 10 number cards, 30 object cards, 2 Roll and Move games and one relaxation poem.  Find out more information at http://www.yourtherapysource.com/locomotor.html

 

Low Competency in Fundamental Movement Skills

Pediatrics will be publishing research on almost 7000 elementary and high school students in Australia to explore the demographic and health-related characteristics of school-aged children with low competency in fundamental movement skills (FMS). Staff examined each student's height, weight, and assessed FMS and cardiorespiratory endurance. Demographic and physical activity was measured with a questionnaire. The results indicated the following:

• the prevalence of students with low FMS competency was high
• girls with low socioeconomic status were twice as likely to have low FMS competency compared to their higher socioeconomic peers
• for boys low competency in FMS was associated with non-English speaking cultural backgrounds
• low competency in FMS was associated with decreased cardiorespiratory endurance
• boys with low competency in object control skills also did not meet physical activity recommendations
• the odds of being inactive were double among girls with low competency in FMS

The researchers concluded that fundamental movement skills need to start during the preschool and elementary school years.

Need ideas to teach fundamental movement skills? You can download Locomotor Games for only $1.99.

Reference:  Louise L. Hardy, Tracie Reinten-Reynolds, Paola Espinel,Avigdor Zask, and Anthony D. Okely. Prevalence and Correlates of Low Fundamental Movement Skill Competency in Children. Pediatrics peds.2012-0345; published ahead of print July 23, 2012, doi:10.1542/peds.2012-0345

Teaching Motor Skills

The development in children of fundamental motor skills such as ball handling and locomotor skills need to be learned, practiced and practiced some more.  A recent research review in Child: Care, Health and Development aimed to determine the effectiveness of motor skill interventions in children.  The results indicated the following:

1.  A significant positive effect of motor skill interventions on the improvement of fundamental motor skills in children was found.

2.  Object control and locomotor skills improved similarly from pre- to post-intervention.

3.  Overall effect size for the control groups who only had free play had no significant changes

4.  There was a a non-significant, negative correlation between effect size of pre- to post-improvement of fundamental motor skills and the duration of the intervention (in minutes).

The researchers concluded that early childhood centers should schedule motor programs to facilitate motor skill development in children. 

Pediatric occupational and physical therapists can help to educate teachers and parents on the importance of teaching and practicing fundamental motor skills.  If you need ideas check out these sensory motor books:

Sensory Motor Group Activities A to Z
Locomotor Games 
50 Sensory Motor Activities for Kids!

Reference:  Logan, S. W., Robinson, L. E., Wilson, A. E. and Lucas, W. A. (2012), Getting the fundamentals of movement: a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of motor skill interventions in children. Child: Care, Health and Development, 38: 305–315. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01307.x