Characteristics of children that influence their motor skill learning ?

This research talks about the gender differences in throwing for distance. Researches evaluated the relationship between throwing performance and several biological and environment variables in 100 boys and girls who were 5 years old. Boys were able to throw further than girls and exhibited a more mature throwing form. However, one hypothesis about girls’ throwing performance lagging behind boys is that practice will produce a “Catch up” effect. Researchers evaluated five studies that trained young boys and girls (age 5-8 years) using meta-analysis techniques and found that girls gained slightly more than boys as a result of training, but the gains were not significant (Information collected was limited due to only 5 studies). These results suggest that the differences are difficult to overcome with training, however, it depends on the specific tasks that they are doing. Elite female performance has continued to become closer to elite male performance over the past 50 years.

I want to find out if there is a difference in motor skill performance for different gender. I found out that motor skill performance is more similar than different for both genders. This helps me gain a better understanding towards the motor skills of both genders.

Young children fail to use cognitive strategies to improve performance in many tasks including motor skills. When evaluating developmental cognitive features that influence motor performance, the lack of strategy use may be attributed to maturation or lack of practice (Cognitive processing views). The neoPiagetian model (Working memory increasing in a stage like way across childhood) was limited to explain why young child fail to use cognitive strategies to improve performance.

Limitations of Piaget’s Theory

Is motor skills development link to cognitive development

Optimum development involves early recognition and prompt intervention of motor skill abilities in a developing child. Making learning fun by including movement is an important element in teaching young children. According to research, 85% of school age children are natural kinaesthetic learners. Implicit learning (Learning through your body) is more powerful than explicit learning (Text, facts, and basic recall).

Motor learning, like learning in all other skill areas, is part of an individual’s total development. Educators are becoming more aware that motor development is linked to cognitive development. Both motor and cognitive skills may have a similar developmental timetable with accelerated development during childhood. This literature consistently reports that increased physical activity time in school have enhance academic attainment, executive functions, and on task behaviours in children and adolescents. Active children tend to have better health and cognitive outcomes when compared to their less active peers.

Conclusions

Conclusion : Depending on the tasks, there is not much difference in motor skill performance for both gender. Deficits in motor performance associated with cognitive function were more likely due to lack of practice rather than structural limitations such as mental space. Children’s performance must link with work on children’s cognition and motor performance. Repeatability of fine/gross motor tasks are beneficial for children’s health and cognitive outcomes.

Links :

https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.library.uq.edu.au/docview/861360500/5040AED4FE9F4CEEPQ/2?accountid=14723

https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.library.uq.edu.au/docview/218547044/5040AED4FE9F4CEEPQ/1?accountid=14723

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Piagetiantheoriesofcognitivedevelopment