The author notes that teachers who continually require students to sit still and stop talking apparently prefer to teach a grove of trees rather than a classroom full of students. School environments should be designed to enhance the development of student brains -- and student brains are about movement, not motionless stagnation. 21st century…

The Basic Stuff project is an effort to include more general concepts such as the effects of exercise, the learning of a new skill, and psychological factors influencing performance. The Basic Stuff Series attempts to summarize for teachers appropriate concepts and teaching methods. (JN)

Movement is motivated, encouraged, and governed by psycho-social development, motor development, and humanistic principles as well as by exercise physiology and kinesiology. The Basic Stuff series identifies the body of knowledge which underlies purposeful movement and can be integrated into concept or fundamental skill curricula. (JN)

The paper describes principles and techniques for using microcomputers to enhance the motor development of learning disabled students. Among the guiding principles that the author suggests be kept foremost as educational uses of microcomputers are explored are (1) the fact that microcomputers do not think and cannot replace teachers and (2) that…

Twelve mute children (4-12 years old), diagnosed as autistic, were studied in order to describe their sensorimotor functioning and to relate their sensorimotor performance to nonverbal communication and cognitive development. (Author/BD)

All learning takes place through the unification of body and mind. Within the realm of motor skill learning, the term mental practice has been used to explain this phenomenon. It has been found that individuals can use their imaginations to learn and to improve upon their performance. Mental practice can be used by teachers who have too little…

Perceptual-motor activities are being recognized as possible contributors to the general readiness of children for learning through the development of perceptual-motor abilities. The contribution of perceptual-motor activities to specific perceptual readiness skills is being reexamined. Readiness programs are generally designed to help children to…

Growth concepts as they relate to motor development in children are discussed. The focus of this monograph is on structuring situations to help children develop physical skills. The first chapter deals with individual growth patterns, genetic and environmental influences on human growth, and the development of physical efficiency. Chapter two…

This paper reviews recent literature in the field of fine motor control and training, its theory, practice, and evaluation. The paper is organized into sections dealing with (1) definitions, (2) motor learning in general for developmentally normal and handicapped persons, (3) training methods and concepts, (4) evaluation, (5) other areas, (6)…

Research about the retention and transfer of motor skills is reviewed and applied to physical education and sport settings. More research that is theoretically and empirically based and from which practitioners can draw their technology is needed. (Authors/CJ)

As one of the components of the Project ACTIVE (All Children Totally Involved Exercising) Teacher Training Model Kit, the manual is designed to enable the educator to organize, conduct, and evaluate individualized-personalized physical education programs for prekindergarter through secondary level mentally retarded or learning disabled children.…

Selected from the National Instructional Materials Information System (NIMIS)--a computer based on-line interactive retrieval system on special education materials--the bibliography covers 23 materials for teaching movement exploration and locomotor skills to handicapped students at all educational levels. Entries are presented in order of NIMIS…

Curriculum theory is a rationale for defining purpose, selecting objectives, and determining content. Two rationales, movement analysis, and developmental stages are discussed and evaluated, in terms of their purposes, objectives, content, and teaching methods. (JN)

The materials, methods, and mechanisms that underlie the learning and performance of motor skills are explored. This booklet focuses on concepts which can be used to enhance student learning and performance in physical education. The chapters consider such questions as, "What types of skills will I learn?", "Should I practice different skills in…

This article proposes that changes in pediatric therapy in the 1990s have made the dichotomy between educational and medical therapy moot. Contemporary models of motor development and motor learning, combined with an emphasis on functional outcomes and family-centered services, are seen to pertain equally to children receiving occupational and…