Teaching Motor
Skills to Children
Ch 3
Variations in Motor Skills
 Develop at different rates
 Interskill variability- differences in
performance of unrelated physical tasks
or activities
 Intraskill variability- different proficiencies
in skills needed for single task
Progressive Motor Skill
Development
 Age & experience related but not
dependent
 Same order but not same time
Physical & Psychological
Readiness
 Ready & motivated then will learn
 Cannot force a child into new physical
activities
 Fears
 If not performing correctly could be
inappropriate for age or state of
readiness
Sequential Development
 Develop in orderly fashion
 Motor skill development from head
moving toward feet – cephalocaudal
development
 Develop from trunk or midline out to
extremities – proximodistal development
 Walk-run-leap-jump-hop-gallop-slide-skip
Cumulative Development
 Naturally occurring sequence of
potentials to learn new motor skills
 Acquire new motor skill by gradually
building on or incorporating previously
learned skill
Directional Development
 Don’t perform motor skills same level
each time
 Variability directional development
 Skill not disappearing
 Growth spurt, injury, lack of practice
 Keep plan flexible but provide movement
experiences
Physical Education
 Something for everyone
 Classify motor skills
Environmental Stability
 Closed skills – performed in stable &
predictable environments
 Open skills – performed in changing or
unpredictable environment
 Mobility:
 Number involved
 Speed
Initiation of Movement
 Self-paced – initiates own movement
 Externally-paced – initiated in response
to outside circumstances
 Motor skills easier when you control
when & how execute the movement
Movement Patterns
 Discrete skill – happens once has distinct
beginning and end, easiest
 Serial skill – 2+ discrete motor skills
performed in sequence, more difficult
Developing Logical Skill
Progressions
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

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Stable learning environment
Practice at own pace
Combining skills
Develop logical skills progression
Progression
 Developing skills-practice fundamental
skills
 Expanding skills-less predictable tasks,
semi self-paced
 Mastering skills-unpredictable, externally
paced, control over skill, add outside
factors
Generic Levels of Skill
Proficiency (GLSP)
 4 levels children pass through as learn
motor skill
 Precontrol-move awkwardly, difficulty
repeating
 Control – concentrate to replicate, still
awkward
Generic Levels of Skill
Proficiency (GLSP)
 Utilization-repeat movements somewhat
smoothly & automatically, shift attention
to adding defenders/outside influences
 Proficiency – automatically & confidence,
modify learned skills to adjust to
situations
 Graham, Holt-Hale, & Parker (2004)
Appropriate Content for
Elementary PE
 Focus on teaching fundamental motor
skills & movement concepts
 Movement concepts – how to perform a
movement
 Space awareness, effort, relationships,
vocabulary
Skill Themes
 When body moves
 Locomotor & non-locomotor
 Manipulative skills – associated w/sport
skills
 Manipulate object w/some part of the body