Physical Development

How children grow and mature

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How was last week? Any surprises?

WELCOME BACK

Housekeeping

Post introductions to Week 2 Provide feedback to your peers using the

rubric found in the detailed website assignment information document

Discussion Board

At your table groups think of a creative way (dramatic representation, poem, visual representation, song etc.) to present the major developmental milestones for your developmental target range. Use the table 1.7 in the Auger & Rich reading to identify key developmental milestones

Table groups – Refresh your memory

DCD: Developmental Coordination Disorder Vicious cycle:Fear of Failure Withdrawal limited practice Children with poor motor ability are at risk for

social, emotional, behavioural problems ↓ fine motor = ↓ perceived scholastic ability ↓ gross motor = ↓ perceived athletic ability Males perceived athletic competence impacts

self worth Females perceived scholastic and athletic

competence impacts self worth

The Relationship Between Fine and Gross Motor Ability, Self-Perception and Self-Worth in Children and Adolescents

Speech disorders, in fluency, voice or articulation problems

Visual or hearing impairments

Functional impairments

Orthopaedic impairments

Childhood diseases

Common physical disabilities

As a teacher, you may consult with: Occupational Therapists (OT) Physiotherapists (PT) Speech Language Pathologists (SLP) Child Psychologist employed by the Board Special Education school team Child and Youth Worker (CYW) Social Worker

For support

“Babies are a really great way to start people”

“A baby is the most complicated object ever made by unskilled labour”

Reflections....

The most widely used classification of developmental periods includes the following sequence:

Prenatal period – from conception to birth Infancy – from birth to 18-24 months Early childhood – end of infancy to 6 years Middle and Late childhood – 6 to 11

years Adolescence – 10-12years to 18-22 years

Periods of Development

Hazards during pre-natal period include: Teratogens – agents that cause congenital birth

defects Prescription drugs Psychoactive drugs Environmental hazards Diseases (AIDS, syphilis, rubella, herpes) Nutrition, age, stress, emotional state of

mother These may all affect how the child

develops

Pre-Natal Period

Disease Potential Consequence

AIDS Frequent infections, neurological disorders, death

Cytomegalovirus

Deafness, blindness, abnormally small head, mental retardation

Genital Herpes Encephalitis, enlarged spleen, improper blood clotting

Rubella Mental retardation, damage to eyes, ears, and heart

Syphilis Damage to the CNS, teeth, and bones

Teratogenic diseases and their Consequences

Drug Potential Consequence

Alcohol Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, cognitive deficits, heart damage, retarded growth

Aspirin Deficits in intelligence, attention, and motor skills

Caffeine Lower birth weight, decreased muscle tone

Cocaine and Heroine

Retarded growth, irritability in newborns

Marijuana Lower birth weight, less motor control

Nicotine Retarded growth, possible cognitive impairments

Teratogenic Drugs and Their Consequences

Hazard Potential Consequence

Lead Mental Retardation

Mercury Retarded growth, mental retardation, cerbral palsy

PCBs Impaired memory and verbal skills

X-rays Retarded growth, leukemia, mental retardation

Environmental Teratogens and Their Consequences

Positive effects in the pre-natal period which can affect later child development include:

Good nutrition Avoid alcohol, nicotine and other drugs Decrease stress Seek emotional support Exercise! Get excellent pre-natal care Pre natal vitamins These can help a child’s positive growth and

development!

Pre-Natal Period

On average kids grow 2.5 inches in height and 5-7 pounds per year

Congenital factors can affect this, as do emotional difficulties, lack of nutrition and unhealthy environments

By age 5 the brain has reached 9/10 of its adult size

Age 3-6 rapid growth in the frontal lobe

Early Childhood: 2 – 6 yrs

Dopamine – a neurotransmitter that increases a great deal ages 3-6 and increases ability to concentrate and working memory

Senses well developed, but still farsighted, therefore BIG LETTERS

Visual maturity occurs, come children can develop “lazy eye” or strabismus where both eyes do not focus on the same thing

Early Childhood: 2 – 6 yrs

Keep in mind:- Large muscle movement more developed than

fine- Refining basic motor patterns- Motor skills can be performed singularly, difficulty

combining- Can master locomotor activities- Manipulation skills and visual and tracking

abilities still developing- Center of gravity high – stability skills still

developing- Muscular endurance is low

Ministry suggests for Gr. 1-3….

Programs at this level should involve students in moderate

to vigorous activity and provide opportunities for them to

take breaks when they tire. Activities should focus on

gross motor skill development before proceeding to fine

Motor development. Throwing and catching activities, for

example, should start with large balls or textured objects

that are easy to catch before proceeding to the use of

smaller objects. Activities for these students shouldprovide opportunities for boys and girls to play

together. Itis important that students be able to explore a

widerange of activities, but they should also have achance to revisit activities instead of experiencing them only once. Ontario Physical Education

Curriculum pg. 67

Ministry suggests for Gr. 1-3….

Fine Motor Skills involve finely tuned movement, such as buttoning a shirt, writing, tying shoes, using scissors etc.

The development of reaching and grasping gets refined in the first 2 years of life

Initially babies grasp with whole hands (palmer grasp) then with thumb and forefinger (pincer grasp)

Fine motor skills in Infants

Hand preference by 4-5 but cartilage not hardened

Fine motor skills increase, scribbling at age 2, picture drawing at age 4-5 – improving hand muscles, and eye-hand coordination

Let children use the hand they favour!

Fine Motor Development in Early Childhoood

Age 7 – hands become steadier, prefer pencil to crayon, binocular vision developed but still farsighted until 9

Age 8-10 hands can be used independently and with precision. Cursive writing develops over printed letters. Letter size becomes smaller and more even

Age 10-12 – kids begin to show manipulative skills similar to adults. Complex coordinated movements allow learning to play a musical instrument

Girls usually outperform boys in fine motor skills

Fine Motor Middle and late childhood

In groups, using the objects at your table create activities students could engage in to develop fine motor skills. Be prepared to share.

Examples of fine motor activities

This period involves slow consistent growth but with significant individual differences

Major milestones include:- Development of skeletal and muscular

system- Tooth development and Dental care- Motor development

Middle and Late Childhood: 6 - 11

Motor development becomes smoother and more coordinated than in early childhood

Activities like running, climbing, skipping rope, bike riding and skating are appropriate

Increased ability to combine motor skills in sequence

Reaction times improve Elementary school kids are far from being

physically mature, and they need to be active Improved cognitive and social understanding

enable child to accept games with rules and cooperation

Middle and late childhood: 6 - 11

Keep in mind:- Significant individual differences- Approaching puberty average weight and height

of girls are greater than boys- Secondary sex characteristics may be developing- More developed locomotor and fine motor skills- Can combine skills in sequence- Bodies are less flexible unless they work on

flexibility

Ministry suggests for Gr. 4 - 6…

Programs for these students should provideopportunities to participate in a wide range of

activitiesand should avoid concentrating on only one type ofactivity, as this can lead to overuse injuries. Providing

awide range of activities also exposes students to newIdeas and experiences that may further encourage

theircommitment to an active and healthy lifestyle.Individual and small-group lead-up activities give allstudents opportunities to be engaged in their

learning.Because of the range of differences in individualdevelopment, students will benefit from having a

choice of activities or being able to modify activities to suit their varied needs. PE curriculum p. 113

Ministry suggests for Gr. 4 - 6…

Gross motor skills : These are large muscle activities like posture,

moving arms and walking Learning to walk and postural control are linked

Motor skills in infants

Babies move through a natural progression Prone, lift head Prone, chest up use arms for support Support some weight with legs Sit without support Stand with support Pull self to standing Walk using furniture for support Stand alone easily Walk alone easilyDynamic Systems Theory: acquire increasingly complex

actions that build upon each other.Eg. You cannot stand without learning to sit

Milestones - learning to walk!

Identifies movement skills and concepts to include pg. 25-26:◦ Stability Body awareness◦ Locomotion Spatial awareness◦ Manipulation Effort awareness◦ Relationship

Ministry of Education

Read pg 23 - 28 in Interim Physical Education document about Movement Skills, Concepts, and Strategies

Each table group has an activity category for common games (p. 28)

1. Choose a game for your activity category (see the examples)

2. Decide the skills, and sequence of skills required to be able to accomplish your activity (Link to DST)

3. Present- Include: Description of your activity category ie. Target, or Net/Wall, or Striking etc.Describe sequence of skills you would teach so that students could successfully play the game you have chosen.

Gross Motor and DST

Remember development happens in sequence but there is a wide variation in normal physical development

In North American culture parents tend to want their kids to grow faster than other children

Be wary of “superbabies”!! - David Elkind “The Hurried Child” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLP0mWUuXSM

Cues for teachers and parents

What can we as teachers do to prevent a “hurried child?” What would our classrooms look like/sound like/feel like/include/exclude/explicitly address?

Talk in your table groups.

Discussion

Energy needs increase, due to basal metabolic rate, growth and physical activity

Rates of obesity in children are increasing You may see behavioural issues which start

due to poor nutrition Research shows that kids who eat breakfast

do far better academically than those who do not

Health

Nutrition Exercise and sports Obesity Childhood diseases Accidents and injuries

Central issues in children’s health

Visit http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teachers/dpa.html

Half the class review Gr. 1 – 3 Half the class review Gr. 4 – 6

Present 3 new learnings, and one activity your group finds useful/fun. Post to Blackboard

Daily Physcial Activity (DPA)

Give young children plenty of opportunities to be active and explore their world

Make sure motor activities are fun and appropriate for their age

Give young children lots of opportunities to engage in art to develop fine motor skills

Good nutrition is key! Schools now call “recess” a “nutrition break”

Make sure your class and play areas are safe!

Be a good role model of active healthy living

Tips for teachers and parents

Elementary children should participate mainly in active rather than passive activities

Monitor children’s nutritional intake Improve physical education programs! Parents and teachers model being

physically active Teach about safety in the class and on the

playground to prevent injury

Tips for teachers and parents

Physical Literacy

Individuals who are physically literate move with competence

in a wide variety of physical activities that benefit the development of the whole person.Physically literate individuals consistently develop themotivation and ability to understand, communicate, apply,and analyze different forms of movement. They are able

todemonstrate a variety of movements confidently,competently, creatively, and strategically across a widerange of health-related physical activities. These skillsenable individuals to make healthy, active choicesthroughout their life span that are both beneficial to andrespectful of themselves, others, and their environment.J. Mandigo, N. Francis, K. Lodewyk, and R. Lopez, “Physical Literacy for Educators”,Physical and Health Education Journal 75, no. 3 (2009): 27–30.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak1H7fZmKes&feature=relmfu

Play promotes physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development

Play lies at the core of innovation and creativity. It provides opportunities for learning in a context in which children are at their most receptive. Play and academic work are not distinct categories for young children, and learning and doing are also inextricably linked for them. (Ontario Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten Program, 2010)

Play

Object, pretend, and sociodramatic play often focus

Physical Play: Rhythmic Stereotypies – body movements

in babies i.e. kicking, waving arms Exercise Play – enhance training of muscles,

promote strength and endurance, enhanced skills e.g. running, jumping, climbing

Rough and Tumble Play – wrestling, grappling, chasing, kicking, tumbling,

Play and Physical Development

Found to decrease from age 6-11 Mostly limited to recess Space is an issue Children need exercise play because they

get restless, builds strength, endurance, skill Deprivation studies – children

overcompensate when given opportunity (especially boys)

What is in the space? Malnourishment has negative effects

Exercise Play

Chasing more common among girls Increases through preschool and early

elementary Friends chosen for R&T play

Telling the difference between R&T and real fighting.

Most schools have a “Hands Off” policy.

Rough and Tumble Play

Consult the kindergarten curriculum Where and how can play be infused?

Purposeful Play in the Classroom

Discuss with your partner/group ideas that you could use to “energize” your students and maintain their attention

IDEAS – quick energizers !!