The paper analyzes the expectations and potential of a comprehensive education curriculum for the severely and profoundly handicapped. (CL)

This brief paper summarizes warning signs of learning disabilities in preschool children, elementary school children, and secondary school children. It notes that learning disabilities are presumed to arise from dysfunctions in the brain resulting in significant difficulties in perceiving information, processing and/or remembering information,…

This action research project evaluated a program for improving motor skills in kindergartners by incorporating into the core curriculum motor activities, new materials focused on motor skills, and authentic assessments of motor skills. Teacher observations, scores from the DIAL-R (Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning-Revised)…

A case study of a 10-year-old boy with cerebral palsy and severe mental retardation investigated whether he would be able to: (1) benefit from a program of supports which includes neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) with intensity sufficient to achieve a tetanic muscle contraction, (2) participate in a weekly program, using NMES, in a…

Prepared by the Reading Research Foundation, Inc., Chicago, Illinois. (RJ)

Reports longitudinal studies of the unique developmental patterns of the blind baby, and discusses the use of home visits to show parents how to assist their infant's development. (NH)

A collection of articles on the lifelong process of motor development focuses on: (1) neural changes in lifespan motor development; (2) the effects of developmental memory differences on learning motor skills; (3) physical growth and motor performance; (4) motor development in children with learning disabilities; (5) a motor development program…

Scores on Kaufman's (1977) McCarthy short form and the McCarthy Screening Test (1978) were obtained for first graders (N=53). As follow-up nine months later, the Metropolitan Achievement Test was administered. Results showed Kaufman's short form scores usually indicated a smaller number of false negatives than did McCarthy Screening Test scores.…

Down's syndrome adolescents were compared with age- and I.Q.-matched non-Down's syndrome retardates on a two-point finger tapping task. Results supported the hypothesis that Down's syndrome retardates show a deficit in developing and utilizing preprogramed motor sequences. (CM)

This study examined the association between selected family characteristics and some gross motor traits of children diagnosed as either educable mentally retarded or minimally brain-injured. (MM)

This study examined perceptions of 15 British parents whose children with physical disabilities attended a three-week conducive education program focused on functional development, pedagogy, and language and social development. A majority of parents reported progress in walking, motivation, and grasp. Progress was least reported in sleeping,…

Educational gymnastics uses a problem-solving approach to accommodate multiple correct solutions to open-ended movement problems in gymnastics. A four-stage framework is outlined to help teachers systematically increase and decrease task difficulty in educational gymnastics. Answers to common questions about educational gymnastics are provided.…

Describes an empirical study that examined the impact of being carried on a parent's back on a child's visual integration pathways. Draws on a previous study (Pretorius et al.) postulating that this cultural behavior could have a negative impact as it prevents the child from crawling adequately or enough during the sensorimotor stage. (Author)

Less experienced teachers may present skill tasks to physical education students and athletes in a manner that is too complicated. This paper explains how beginning and intermediate learning of motor skills occur, noting implications for teaching in the verbal-cognitive stage for beginners and the motor- associative stage for intermediate…

Outlines the challenges that well-taught physical education poses during early years' education. Revises some basic notions of why such activities are deemed "good" for children's development and highlights significant difficulties that teachers encounter when faced with delivery of such material. Suggests a model of how teachers might…