Developing Fundamental Movement Skills in Children-Should

Developing Fundamental Movement Skills in Children- Should Coaches Adopt an Isolated or an Integrated Approach?

Dr Swarup MukherjeeAssociate Professor

Physical Education and Sports ScienceNational Institute of Education

Nanyang Technological University Singapore

Fundamental Movement Skills


Active lifestyle

Social development

Physical development

Cognitive development


Fundamental movement skill (FMS)An organized series of basic movements that involve the combination of movement patterns of two or more body parts (Gallahue & Cleland-Donnelly, 2007)

Types of FMS;- Stability- Locomotion- Object-control


Stability skills (balance)- Bending- Twisting- Turning- Swinging- Inverted supports- Body rolling- Landing/stopping- Dodging- Balancing


Locomotion skills (transporting the body from one point to another)- Walking- Running- Jumping- Hopping- Skipping- Galloping- Sliding- Leaping- Climbing


Object control skills (manipulative skills)- Throwing- Catching- Kicking- Trapping- Striking- Volleying- Bouncing- Ball rolling- Punting


FMS proficiency most successfully acquired

Elementary years

Increased sports and PA participation(Formal/informal/habitual)

Fundamental Movement SkillsLow FMS proficiency

Low PA levels Increased obesity risk

FMS proficiency during childhood - Actively developed- Adequately developed- Continuous practiced

Refined FMS

Sports-specific skills


Children who do not receive adequate FMS stimulus

Developmental Frustration & Difficultydelays in GMS in learning advanced skills

Discourages PA participationReduces sports competence perception

Reduces motivation for active and healthy lifestyle


Previous studies

Low FMS mastery in 8-11 year olds

Inadequate FMS proficiency in early school years

Declining neuromotor fitness in children

Tracks into adolescence and adulthood

Inactive lifestyle Adverse health outcomes


The Singapore situation6-7.5 year old children: Level of FMS mastery/near-mastery

None of the FMS was mastered by all childrenMost children: below avg. or poor rating

Mukherjee et al., Perceptual and Motor Skills, 2017, 124 (3), 584-600.


The Singapore situation8.5-10.0 year year old children: Level of FMS mastery/near-mastery

None of the FMS was mastered by all childrenMost children: below avg. or poor rating

Mukherjee et al., Perceptual and Motor Skills, 2017, 124 (3), 584-600.

Fundamental Movement SkillsThe Singapore situation: Comparison with US normative sample


Our results on FMS proficiency in Singapore children–- Mean motor age – lower than chronological age- 6-10 yr old– poorer than age-equivalent US samples

Cause for concernMotor skill proficiency

key predictorHigh sports competence perception

Adolescent PA and sport behaviour

Fundamental Movement Skill Development in youth sport

Isolated or integrated approach?

Developing FMS

FMS in children is developed through:- Physical education- Organised sport

Each of these contexts:- Specific learning objectives- Specific delivery pedagogies- Specific learning outcomes- Specific progression paths

Developing FMS

Proponents of FMS:- Early acquisition of FMS

- self-competency- self-confidence- increased & continued engagement in PA

- Set of FMS - necessary pre-requisite for playing games

Low FMS proficiency-- Inability to perform in games and competitions- Insufficient confidence to participate in diverse activities

Developing FMSTraditionally:FMS – taught using a ‘binary logic’ approach

- system of arriving at a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decision- based on ‘yes’ or ‘no’ choices

Developing FMS

In the ‘binary logic’ approach:- Technique is separated from tactic- Technique is separated from skill- Tactic is separated from skill

Assumption of the ‘binary logic’ approach:- Good technique will emerge naturally

- adaptive outcome of playing games

Developing FMS

Binary logic approach to developing FMS-- Priority to teaching FMS in early years- Emphasises essentially on the intrinsic component (individual)- FMS development is a pre-structured (linear) process- Context/understanding can be developed later

This approach:- Isolated- Has been questioned - Not a practical pedagogy in youth sport coaching

Developing FMS in youth sportContext of youth sport coaching

Myer et al., Sports Health, 2017, 8(1), 65-73.

Developing FMS in youth sport

Developing FMS in the context of youth sport coaching- Expression of relational dynamics

These three components/dynamics-- Across all levels

- individual- environment- others

FMS development in in youth sport-- Beyond the individual-environment interface

Non-linear

Self-organising

Interactive


Relational dynamics in skill expressionDeveloping FMS in youth sport –- Complex synergies of relational dynamics

Practical pedagogy-- FMS development in youth sport

- Integrated approach- FMS + FGS (fundamental game skills)

FMS and FGS-Not a dichotomized relationship

Intrinsic

Individual

Interactive


FMS FMS + FGS

- Isolated movements- Coordinated pattern- Linear- Intrinsic movement dynamics- End point (yes or no)

Individual MovementIndividual

EnvironmentOthers

Spaces Context

Movement


FMS + FGS

IndividualEnvironmentOthers

Spaces Context

Movement

Individual Others

Individual Spaces


FMS + FGS

IndividualEnvironmentOthers

Spaces Context

Movement

Individual Others

Individual Spaces

C O N S T R A I N T S

Instrinsic Movement Dynamics/patterns

Non-linear Self-organising

FMS development & observation


Trying to dribble past the defender- Ball control- Eye-foot coordination- Ball close to feet- Body swerves- Acceleration and speed- Multiple directions of movement- Dodging - Deception

Trying to prevent the attacker get past- Focus on ball- Focus on attacker- Mirror movements- Body swerves- Multiple directions of movement- Block the space- Dodging - Deception- Attempts to get the ball

Individual FMS nature of skill Individual FMS nature of skill


Trying to dribble past the defender Trying to prevent the attacker get pastIndividual FM nature of skill Individual FM nature of skill

Observed FMS(Intrinsic FMS)

Observed FMS (Intrinsic FMS)


Trying to dribble past the defender

To be developed& observed

Trying to prevent the attacker get past

To be developed & observed

Action of individual Action of individual

Instrinsic movement dynamics/patterns


Skillful play Mastery of

FMS - Action at individual level

Non-linearitySelf-organising

Environment

Spaces Context

Others

Smith, Sport, Education and Society, 2016, 21(3), 431-442.



For youth sport coaches-All stages of skill development

Focus of attention during Focus of attention duringindividual practice interactive play

Technical teaching Game-centered learning




Practiced separately Practiced separatelyPracticed together




Observed separately Observed separatelyObserved together


Two parts of a system (skill)

- Able to function independently- Coordinate as a collective unit- Contribute to larger collective units

Continuously Emerging

FMS FGS


Pattern dynamics of the overall game


Practical pedagogy of developing FMS in youth sport-- Complementarity between the individual (FMS) and interactive (FGS)- Relational dynamics emerging from the interactive components- Internal and external coordination dynamics in movement- Provide authentic practice conditions- Closely model to reality of game

enhance decision making- Develop tactical awareness underlying the developed FMS- Progressive – constantly adapting and emerging- Enjoy learning

Thank you

[email protected]

In support of Coaching Development Supporting Partner Education Partner Partner in Sport

Documents

Developing Fundamental Movement Skills in Children-Should