"Standing down straight" means to stand on two feet with both stability and relaxation. Using standing down straight as the foundation of class work, Jump Rhythm Technique offers a fresh alternative to conventional systems of dance study. It bases its pedagogy on three behaviors: grounding the body so that it can move with power and efficiency,…

This paper is in memory of Esther Thelen, who passed away while President of the Society for Research in Child Development. A survey of Esther Thelen's career reveals a trajectory from early work on simple movements like stepping, to the study of goal-directed reaching, to work on the embodiment of cognition, and, ultimately, to a grand theory of…

The physical educator or teacher-coach needs to be able to analyze body movement, understand movement patterns, and be aware of factors which affect performance. Types of body movement analyses include kinematic analysis and kinetic analysis. Factors affecting skill performance fall into physiological, psycho-sociological, and environmental…

Perceptual-motor functioning is a cyclic process involving: (1) organizing incoming sensory stimuli with past or stored perceptual information; (2) making motor (internal) decisions based on the combination of sensory (present) and perceptual (past) information; (3) executing the actual movement (observable act) itself; and (4) evaluating the act…

A comprehensive neurodevelopment evaluation technique known as PEERAMID is recommended for pediatricians in the evaluation of learning disabilities. This multifaceted system assesses the learning process individually, analyzing: minor neurological indicators, fine and gross motor function, language ability, temporal-sequential organization,…

Reviews a range of material written about the use of the Alexander Technique in educating children to acquire better kinesthetic awareness of balance and body movement, and introduces briefly the theoretical principles underpinning Alexander's teaching. Presents curriculum issues for young children and the teacher awareness required to educate…

Before discussing the development of skills for playing elementary school physical education games, this document lists basic assumptions about children, movement education, games, and elementary school physical education. Four basic concepts, which are common to all team games, are identified: (1) use of personal and moving space and finding…

This report is an evaluation of a New York City school district educational project funded under Title VIB Education of the Handicapped Act. Under the direction of a project coordinator and a music therapist, 365 emotionally disturbed, hyperactive, and mentally retarded youngsters, ranging in age from 6 to 15, participated in the program. Primary…

Notes the importance of positive human interactions and experiences on child development, and describes seven developmental areas crucial to early brain development. Suggests ways to enhance young children's development of emotional intelligence, social skills, motor skills, vision, language acquisition, vocabulary, and thinking skills. (TJQ)

Intended to assist teachers as they assess, plan for, and teach deaf blind students, this manual describes a process for adapting curricula for students who function within the 0-24 month developmental period, also known as the sensorimotor period. The manual's first section provides an overview of project activities including the literature…