Background: The innate ability for typically developing children to attain developmental motor milestones early in life has been a thoroughly researched area of inquiry. Nonetheless, as children grow and are required to perform more complex motor skills in order to experience success in physical activity and sport pursuits, the range of…

We argue that 4 fundamental gestalt phenomena in perception apply to the control of motor action. First, a motor gestalt, like a perceptual gestalt, is holistic in the sense that it is processed as a single unit. This notion is consistent with reaction time results indicating that all gestures for a brief unit of action must be programmed prior to…

The article points out the importance of deciding what kind of perceptual problem a child has and providing the appropriate kind of perceptual motor program. (CD)

FINDINGS WERE REPORTED ON THE ROLE OF EXPERIENCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE SKILLS NECESSARY FOR VISUALLY DIRECTED REACHING. THE SKILLS INVOLVED WERE THE ORIENTING, ACCOMMODATING, AND PURSUIT RESPONSES OF THE EYES, ALL OF WHICH ARE ACHIEVED DURING THE FIRST HALF-YEAR OF LIFE. SEVERAL EXPERIMENTAL CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE ENVIRONMENT OF A GROUP OF…

Research using subjects wearing glasses that allowed them to see a target but not their responding limb or the outcome of movement indicated that there is a relationship between proficiency of performance and variability of target practice. (CJ)

Tested children 18 months to 4 years for their ability to relocate a hidden object after self-produced movement around an array of 4 locations. Children encountered no specific difficulty in coordinating dimensions, or they solved the task without recourse to such a system. They also appeared to change strategy when the problem requires more…

Sensory and motor experiences are essential in childhood and are the foundation for all higher level learning and skill acquisition. This paper examines how young children make sense of sensory experiences, focusing on infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. It also looks at the importance of creating an environment rich in…

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…

This document describes the methods employed in, the information gathered during, and the current status of this project. The project attempted to (1) identify those perceptual skills that appear to be directly related to the basic classroom tasks of reading and arithmetic at the primary level, (2) identify perceptual skills that relate directly…

One of a series of over 50 similar selected bibliographies dealing with handicapped and gifted children, the bibliography contains 96 references concerning perceptual-motor development and learning. Entries, which include research reports, texts, journal articles, and other types of literature, were selected from Exceptional Child Education…

THE THEORY OF VISIBLE DISPLAYS IMPLIES A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERCEPTION IN THE CHILD AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIS CAPACITY TO MAKE THINGS THAT STIMULATE PERCEPTION. TO VERIFY THIS, TWO STUDIES ON THE FUNDAMENTAL GRAPHIC ACT AMONG YOUNG CHILDREN CONSIDERED MOTIVATING FACTORS LIKE THE PLEASURE OF MOVING, KINESTHESIS, ACTIVITY DRIVE,…

A program for neurological organization is explained and its purposes are stated. Hints are given for working with both child and parents; and form for evaluating measures of neuromotor fitness is included. Also provided is a checklist for rating motor exploration, including movements performed lying on the back, on the knees, or standing or on…

In 1988, 59 Kindergarten students were studied to determine the effect of "shadowing" on perceptual-motor learning. Shadowing is a method whereby the use of one's shadow provides visual feedback. The method developed from observing children's natural curiosity in creating shadows. Illuminated by sunlight outdoors or overhead projectors…

THE FIRST OF A 3-VOLUME PERCEPTUAL MOTOR CURRICULUM, THE BOOK DESCRIBES A PROGRAM BASED ON A THEORY OF MOVEMENT WHICH THE AUTHOR LABELS MOVIGENICS (THE STUDY OF THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF PATTERNS OF MOVEMENT IN MAN AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF THESE MOVEMENTS TO HIS LEARNING EFFICIENCY). TEN BASIC CONSTRUCTS OF MOVIGENICS ARE OUTLINED, AND THE…

Addressed to elementary school and special class teachers, the text presents research-based information on perceptual-motor behavior and education, including movement and the human personality, research guidelines, and movement activities in general education. Special education is considered and perceptual motor abilities are discussed with…