Physical Development
Fine Motor and Gross Motor Skills Development
The human body is capable of moving in many different
ways and positions. Simple daily physical routines like brushing one's
teeth or taking a walk requires the movement and control of various
muscle groups and connective tissue that surrounds the human skeleton.
Like all mammals, humans are not born with the necessary skills needed
to move in a goal directed manner. Motor skills are learned and
developed overtime throughout a persons lifespan and can be influenced
either positively or negatively, depending on the situation (Auger and
Rich, 2007). If a student fails to develop simple motor control by a
certain age or shows poor limb coordination, balance, or posture, due to
a lack of stimulation at home or at school, it is the teachers
responsibility to target the student's physical weaknesses and devise
specialized strategies that can enhance the students physical
performance.
Figure 1. Dexterity is helpful when
knitting.
Figure 2. Playing physical sports
can help develop one's balance and coordination (gross motor muscle
control).
There are two types of motor skills: gross motor and
fine motor skills. It has been noted that large muscles generally grow
faster than the smaller ones during a child's growth period. Thus, gross
motor development is sometimes considered the foundation for other areas
of development, including fine motor skills. Gross motor skills are
developed, improved, and better controlled throughout early childhood
(Auger and Rich, 2007). They include movements like crawling, sitting,
running, and jumping, which come from large muscle groups, and require
balance and coordination (Figure 2). On the contrary, fine motor skills
have more to do with precision and the use of smaller muscles groups to
do more delicate tasks, such handwriting, cutter paper with scissors, or
painting. It includes the ability to manipulate small objects with their
hands and fingers (known as dexterity), similar to putting together
pieces of a puzzle, in coordination with the eyes (Auger and Rich,
2007) (Figure 1). It also important to note that during late
adolescence, muscle growth continues in boys because of androgen
production; therefore, it is natural for males to be clumsier than
females (Cox et al., 2002).
Figure 3. Various activities that
can help stimulate fine motor and gross motor development.
In order for a teacher to promote and assist students
in the development of these skills, they must have a good understanding
of the types of activities that will help stimulate these areas of
physical growth. For instance, an elementary school teacher may want to
include simple activities like painting with different types of brushes,
alternating between large, stubby brushes and smaller, finer brushes (Versluys,
2002). This will allow the students to be more precise in their work and
to develop a better grip, which is needed for more defined writing.
Students who are just starting to learning how to print may experience
frustration using a regular pencil. To help the student develop the fine
motor skills needed to use a regular pencil, a teacher can assist the
child by providing a primary-size pencil. This will help improve their
writing, and in turn, assist their self-esteem by providing a sense of
accomplishment. Likewise, if a high student feels uncomfortable writing
an answer to a question on board because they feel their hand writing is
messy, a teacher should also provide the option to have their students
respond verbally instead. For younger students, such as preschoolers and
kindergarteners, a teacher may encourage students to play with material
that is more manipulative, such putting together pieces of a puzzle or
molding a sculpture out of play-dough (Versluys, 2002). This will allow
them to better develop hand-eye coordination and gain better control
over their finger movement. To teach gross motor skills, elementary
school teachers can plan their physical education lessons to include
activities with greater muscle movement, such as running, dancing, and
team sports that promote balance and coordination. High school science
teachers can also encourage gross motor development by taking their
students out on nature walks. Overall, knowing about these skills will
help an educator better understand where there students are coming from,
suspect any delays students may be experiencing, and better prepare for
lesson plans by adding more time for physical activities.
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