Perceptual Motor

Development

Characteristic
Involves children during preschool to
primary grades; usually ages 21/2 to 6.
Combines movement abilities with
academics (reading,writing,language,
math)
Engages children in movement activities that
integrates perception and movement.

Perceptual Motor Development

Researchers have difficulty defining this
term but perceptual-motor, sensory-motor
processes and their effect upon growth,
development, and learning has been
extensive studied.
Perceptual motor development is based on
the works of Piaget, Gesell, and
Montessori.

Empirical Research
Importance of active movement for optimal
motor development
Held & Hein dark environment study with
Kittens indicated that active kittens acquired
normal depth perception versus inactive.
Individuals must attend to objects that move
in order to develop normal spatial skills
(Motion Hypothesis)

Sensory Motor Process

Brains need for sensory stimulation is needed to
function adequately.
Importance of sensory stimulation to develop is
well supported.
-Typical grow and development trends
follows a sequence of events. The child passes
through developmental stages through
interaction with the environment. The
environment provided the sensory stimulation to
which the child adapts in order to grow &
develop (Moore, 1969).

Sensory-Motor Simulation
Ayres (1972) contends that inadequate sensory
integration accounts for some aspect of learning
disorders.
-Sensory integrative therapy has become
popular as a intervention used primarily by
occupational therapists.
Piaget (1952) wrote that children develop through
sensory experiences of tactile (touch),
kinesthetic, visual, and auditory modalities which
later forms the childs perception.sensory
experiences are a necessary part of the total
development of an individual.

Keparts Contention
The feedback process necessary for
correcting errors in movement was faulty
in children with learning disabilities.
Participation in basic forms of movement
would help the feedback problems and
consequently improve the childs learning
of academic skills, such as reading and
spelling.

Delacatos Contention
Involvement in certain forms of movement
behavior facilitates intellectual development.
Key element was the development of hemispheric
dominance through the process know as
patterning.
Patterning was where the patient would practice a
skill they missed or be passively be assisted
through movements which lacked hemispheric
dominance.

Researching the Contentions of

Kepart & Delacato
Meta-analysis of 180 studies indicated that:
Children improved slightly in their cognitive ability
when involved in a perceptual motor program.
Perceptual motor program as in intervention to
directly improve the childs intelligence later in life was
not support

Many educators believe that a perceptual-motor

program is an excellent medium through which
reading, spelling, math, social studies, or math
can be facilitated.

Recent Research
By having your child involved in
perceptual-motor skills; they produced
positive changes in their motor
performance.

Perceptual Motor Learning

Tactile
Vision
Audition

Senses

Proprioception
Vestibular
Perceptual-Sensory System

Perception

Perceptual-Motor Process
Feedback

Reception of
environmental
information

Comparison of Information
of present movement to past
movement stored in memory

Movement selection

Perceptual (Sensory) Motor

Program
Improvement in the perceptual sensory system
occurs through environmental stimulation
Not all activities are perceptual activities
Only activities involving children in sensory integration
Improve Balance (Vestibular)
Spatial Awareness(Understanding external spaces around
the child- Audition & Vision)
Temporal Awareness(Ability to predict when stimuli arrivesall senses)
Body & Directional Awareness(Ability to knowproproception)

Motor Development Program

Balance
Static Balance
-ability to maintain a desired body posture
or position when the body is stationary
Dynamic Balance
-ability to maintain a desired body posture
or position when the body is moving.

Balance Training in Older Adults

Wolf (1993,1996) compared 2 types of
training programs on balance with older
adults (71-81 years of age).
-static balance training (balance
platform)
-dynamic balance training (tai chi)
Results indicated a .63 reduction is risk ratio
for falls in the dynamic balance training as
opposed to static balance training

Balance Training in adults

Balance Training in Adults

Training Balance in Children

Static Balance
Stand on both feet extend your arm, hold an
object of different weights, move your arms,
Stand on one foot extend your arm, hold an
object of different weights

Dynamic Balance
Walk across a low balance beam with or with
object of different weights at slow or fast
speeds

Balance Training in Children

Awareness (Body Control Skills)

Spatial Awareness-Understanding of the external
spaces surrounding an individual and the
individuals ability to function motorically in and
through space.
Temporal Awareness-understanding of time
relationships such as ability to predict the
projectiles time of arrival.
Body Awareness-developing ability to know and
understand names and functions of various body
parts
Directional awareness- understand and application
of laterality and directionality.

Training of Awareness
Location
-Self-space
-General space
-Identify body parts
Directions
-Up/down
-Forward/backward
-Right/left
Levels
Low-Middle-High

Pathways
-Straight
-Curved
-zigzag
Extensions
-Far/near
-Large/Small
Effort
-Fast/slow
-Strong/Light

Activities that Develop Visual

Perception

Forms & Shapes

Catching,trapping, and striking
Throwing
Locate Objects in space

Activities that Develop

Proprioception

Recall limb position

Left/Right Discrimination
Levels (UP/Down;Front/Back;Side to Side)
Swimming,skipping,batting
Foot-eye & Hand & Eye activities
Cue children to locate objects on their
body
Balance activities

Activities that Develop Auditory

Perception

Simon Says (Ability to listen)

Child changes direction upon command
Tapping to beat of sound
Moving to the beat of music,sound, or
voice

Perceptual Motor Program

Start with easy activities and progress to
more difficult (developmentally
appropriate)
Low level skills
Intermediate skills
High-level skills

Assess the child regularly on their abilities

Refine your training based on perceptual
motor deficiencies.

Resources
Project Beacon, Fairfax County Public Schools, 10700
Page Avenue, Fairfax, VA.
Motor Control: Theory & Practical Applications. ShumwayCook & Woollacott, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
The important Eary Years, Diem, AAHPER.
Perceptual-Motor Development Guide, Bossenmeyer, Front
Row Experience Pub.
Movement Experiences for Early Childhood, Hammet,
Human Kinetics Pub.
Physical Education Unit Plans for Preschool Kindergarten.
Logsdon, Alleman, Straits,Belka, & Clark. Human
Kinetics Pub.