Helping Learners improve content of their memory

Helping Learners improve content of their memory

Recommendations when working with Children

Children have limited motor memory because they have not had much time to experience a lot of variety in motor skill performance situations.

Recommendations when working with ChildrenPractice the Fundamental Skills:In all cases, it is worth looking at a framework for defining fundamental motor skills and then providing all children with a background in practicing all these different ways of moving their bodies.Building a sound foundation in the motor memory can be accomplished by providing sufficient practice of all the fundamental movement skills.

Recommendations when working with ChildrenThese fundamental skills are generally considered to be the following:

Locomotor SkillsManipulative SkillsStability SkillsWalkingThrowingAxial movements:RunningStrikingBending JumpingDribblingStretchingLeapingCarryingTwisting TurningHoppingCatchingSwingingSlidingStatic and dynamic movementsGallopingHangingBody rollingStarting and StoppingDodgingStatic balancingRecommendations when working with ChildrenThe development of general motor programs and schemas for these fundamental skills and types of movements will provide children with a sound basis on which they can build more sophisticated skills in almost any sport, dance or exercise of their choosing.Recommendations when working with Childrenb) Avoid Early Specialization:Research in talent development in sport recommends that children avoid early specialization, even if he/she appears to be talented in a specific sport.Children who specialize in only one sport before puberty tend to drop out of that sport in their teens perhaps they just burn out psychologically.It is also possible that the child who seems to be so promising in a sport, is really just bigger than his/her peers.

Recommendations when working with ChildrenWhen peers catch up physically, the so-called talented child may be just an average adolescent.IF specialization is permitted, then make sure the child has many off-seasons opportunities to participate in other kinds of sport and movement activities.

Recommendations when working with Adolescents

Adolescence is a time period in life that is shaped by many forces, including puberty.In addition to the physical changes in size, shape and fat distribution that occurs during this period, there are very different cultural influences that will affect what motor skills boys and girls will want to learn, and what sport, dance, and exercise forms are considered attractive to them and/or acceptable to their culture.

Recommendations when working with Adolescentsa) Encourage participation in a variety of activities:Promote an interest in a variety of movement forms, even if the adolescent is keen to specialize.Not only might their interests change, but they might discover a talent or a special liking for a sport, dance or type of exercise that is new to them.

Recommendations when working with Adolescentsb) Skill development at the intermediate and advanced levels requires knowledgeable teachers/coaches: If the individual wants to specialize, find a good coach who will provide well-designed and hard practice sessions.The adolescent years are considered to be a critical period for the development of excellence in specific motor skills.

Recommendations when working with Adults.It can be difficult to teach/coach adult learners.Some of them may bring bad habits to the learning of skills, while others may have little or no background in the fundamentals needed to learn the desired skills.There are some adults who used to participate in the particular sport, dance or exercise, and are simply looking to refresh their memory on how to perform the skillsThe following guidelines may be helpful:Recommendations when working with Adults.a) Provide specific skill instruction in a supportive and non-threatening environment:It is more difficult for adults at the beginner level to learn motor skills, than it is for either children or adolescents.They may struggle to learn, which can be a challenge to maintaining their self-esteem.

Recommendations when working with Adults.b) Provide sufficient time for learning:If adults have a good movement background, they can learn quickly.But if they do not have the background, they will require more time for learning than a child would.

Recommendations when working with Adults.c) Let adults define their own objectives for learning:Adults may want to learn motor skills for a variety of reasons.Find out what those reasons are so that practice sessions can be designed to meet their objectives for learning.