In this article, the author discusses two strategies--visual cues (modeling) and verbal cues (short, accurate phrases) which are related to teaching motor skills in maximizing learning in physical education classes. Both visual and verbal cues are strong influences in facilitating and promoting day-to-day learning. Both strategies reinforce…

Recreational games can be incorporated into physical education programs to encourage play and activity among students during their leisure time. Students can play their own games during recess, before or after school, during intramural programs, or in their neighborhood with family and friends. This article describes five such games namely:…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the test-retest and inter-rater reliability of a measure of muscle extensibility developed by Tardieu, de la Tour, Bret, and Tardieu (1982) in fullterm and preterm newborns. Method: Twenty-one fullterm infants and twenty preterm infants were examined by two physical therapists. Each physical…

Children with developmental delays often have feeding difficulties resulting from oral-motor problems. Based on both clinical experience and a review of published studies, oral-motor interventions have been shown to be effective in improving the oral function of preterm infants and children with neuromotor disorders, such as cerebral palsy.…

In this article, the author talks about the Westwood Elementary's knitting and crochet club. The idea for this group unraveled when one of their third graders received a knitting kit as a birthday gift. The mother of the student told the author what a wonderful hobby knitting had become for her daughter and how this craft worked to help develop…

Teaching strategies that work for typically developing children often do not work for those diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. However, teaching strategies that work for children with autism do work for typically developing children. In this article, the author explains how the principles and concepts of Applied Behavior Analysis can be…

Objective: To explore parent perspectives regarding the early experiences of their children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Methods: A phenomenological approach was used to explore the meaning of developmental experiences for children with DCD and their families. Parents of 13 children with DCD, aged 6-14, were recruited through…

In 1990, the National Education Goals were established by the President and the 50 state governors. Great attention has been given to Goal 1, dubbed the "readiness" goal: By the year 2000, all children in America will start school ready to learn. The Goal 1 Resource Technical Planning Groups were asked to suggest ways in which Goal 1…

This book serves as a guide to selecting play materials for individuals providing education and care for young children. The introductory chapter of the book discusses child play and the importance of selection of play materials based on needs of children and the purposes they serve. The next six chapters provide information on play materials,…

This paper discusses the use of child development charts to assess the social, self-help, gross motor, fine motor, and language development of infants and young children. It examines the roles of teachers and parents in observing and assessing children's development and provides 2 checklists, one for infants from birth through 21 months (at…

This handbook, designed for use with preschool and elementary age children, provides instructions and instructional materials for the development of proficiency in cutting. Scissor cutting is a critically important activity for young children to practice because, along with coloring and pasting, it is used widely to foster the three R's as well as…

This study examined the impact of play context on the speech of mothers and children. It was expected that the types of speech produced by both children and mothers when they played with toys that involve fine motor manipulation would differ from the speech produced when they played with toys that involve gross motor play. Sixteen children (eight…

The Interdependent Support Service Model, a 3 year project operated by the Hennepin Technical Center (Minneapolis, Minnesota) was designed to evaluate and program for communication and motor needs of severely/profoundly handicapped students and to develop related inservice training for staff. First year activities included modifying existing…

An approach to occupational therapy (OT) in a rural school is described which utilizes a combination of direct service, monitoring, and consultation. A collaborative style of OT consulting is used, which calls for the therapist to join the child study team when motor-related problems are identified. The approach provides continuous and…