Practical Application Paper:

Assessing Skill Development of Children

Allyson Furman

Peds 293
Professor Jackie Bender
October 30th, 2014

Clip #1: Jumping

Right click on the link below and click on Open Hyperlink to be redirected to Youtube
where you will watch Clip #1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fAQyShLCGQ
The child is performing the locomotor skill of jumping in an informal activity setting.
The child is moving from point A to point B by jumping over four successive hurdles. This
involves the motor, cognitive, and affective domains.
Within the Movement Concept there is Body Concepts which examine what the childs
body is doing. The child is planting his feet, bending his knees, and swinging his arms. He is
performing a locomotor skill, and his body shape is initially curled then stretched. He is
launching his weight forward by propelling off his feet and swinging his arms.
In Spatial Concept the boy is in a general space, moving in a forward direction at a
medium to high level. His pathway is straight and he is extending his arms out away from his
body.
In Effort Concept his speed is fast, force of weight is firm, and his flow is bound. He is in
relationship with the gym floor and the hurdles he is jumping over.
I have determined his developmental stage as elementary due to the fact that he is
performing the skill with proper techniques but is awkward in carrying it out. According to the
excerpt from Chapter 2, Motor Development and Motor Learning for Children the little boy
meets the description of Intermediate Level motor development. He is planting his feet,
although they are not always together and facing forward. He is propelling himself forward by
pushing off his feet and swinging his arms. He is landing with two feet although they are not
always together and or facing forward and his landing is somewhat wobbly and unbalanced.
His take off toward the next hurdle is crooked and unbalanced as well. As you can see in the
video he hits the first hurdle, clears the second, and hits the third and then clears the final
hurdle clearly exemplifying his lack of coordination.
I would estimate he is 5 years old and say his movement is within that (3-5) elementary
stage of the fundamental movement skill phase.
Some tips I would give the child would be to start stationary and have both feet
together in the forward direction for a straight take off and to also swing his arms back and
forth a few times to gets his momentum going before pushing off and propelling forward over
the hurdle. This may help give the child more distance. Id remind the child that he wants to
push off in the forward direction but also to really bend his knees when pushing off as he
wants to get substantial height as well in order to clear the hurdles. In landing Id direct the
child to bring down his arms by his side as a form of stability to keep him from being
unbalanced, also to land with both feet together in the forward direction.

Clip #2: Dribbling

Right click on the link below and click on Open Hyperlink to be redirected to Youtube
where you will watch Clip #2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AH914EQSD0
The child I am analyzing is the first child to dribble through the pylons. I am analyzing
the childs performance through the six pylons and not his shooting ability. He is performing the
manipulative skill of dribbling in an informal activity setting. The child is changing something
around him and controlling the basketball by dribbling around six successive pylons.
Within the Movement Concept there is Body Concepts which examine what the childs
body is doing. The child is moving his feet in the forward direction (walking) while continuously
bouncing the basketball in his hands while extending out his arms to exert force onto the
basketball. He starts at the first pylon by dribbling the ball in his right hand and bouncing it
under his right leg while lifting his leg, where he then begins dribbling with the left hand. He
switches back to dribbling with the right hand and repeats this action while weaving through
remaining pylons. He is performing a manipulative skill and his body shape is narrow. His feet
are acting as the supporting weight moving him forward while his hand is the leading force
propelling the ball forward.
In Spatial Concept the boy is in general space, moving in a forward direction at a high
level. His pathway is curved and the extension of his leg is a big movement, far from the body.
His hands are extending slightly out, close to his body.
In Effort Concept his speed is slow; his force is light on his feet and firm on the ball and
his flow is bound. The boy is in relationship with the gym floor and the basketball he is
manipulating.
I have determined his developmental stage as elementary due to the fact that he is
well coordinated but performs the skill with some awkwardness and room for improvement.
According to the excerpt from Chapter 2, Motor Development and Motor Learning for
Children the boy is meeting the description of Intermediate Level motor development. He is
able to dribble the ball with both hands while weaving through pylons and manipulate it
under his right leg without it hitting his leg or losing control of the ball through majority of the
pylons. He is however not ready for the specialized movement stage as he does lose control of
the ball on the 4th and 5th pylon. He is demonstrating multitasking of the body as his eyes
look ahead to direct him while his hands work to manipulate the ball to follow where he
wants to go.
I would say the boy in the video has to be at least 5 years old and his movement is
within that (3-5 year) elementary stage of the fundamental movement skill phase.

Tips I would give to the child would be to approach the course slower to gain more
control of the ball and to keep his head up so he doesnt run into the pylons as he weaves
through them. Id also encourage him to try and keep the height of the ball at his hip to
maintain better control of the ball and to also dribble slower. He loses a little bit of balance
raising his leg to dribble under it so Id recommend he stand stationary while he does this to
start and then once he feels confident begin the skill while moving.

Clip #3: Throwing

Right click on the link below and click on Open Hyperlink to be redirected to Youtube
where you will watch Clip #3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCAFSUcMlZ4
The child is performing the manipulative skill of throwing in a formal activity setting.
The child is changing something around him and controlling the baseball by throwing it
overhand. He is lifting the ball up over his head and back behind him then following through
to the release of the ball in front of him.
Within the Movement Concept there is Body Concepts which examine what the childs
body is doing. The child is stretching out his arm in his follow through and twisting his body
towards the target as he throws. He is performing a manipulative skill and his body shape is
narrow and stretched. His arm is acting as the leading weight propelling the ball in the
forward direction.
In Spatial Concept the boy is in general space, his direction is forward and his level is
high. His pathway is straight and the extension of his arm is big and far from the body.
In Effort Concept his arm speed is fast, and the flow of his movement is bound. He is in
relationship with the ground below him and the ball he is griping in his hand as he throws it
forward.
I have determined this boys developmental stage as mature due to the fact that he
performs the skill with accuracy, coordination, and mechanical correctness. According to the
excerpt from Chapter 2, Motor Development and Motor Learning for Children his
performance of the skill is described as Advanced Level motor development. He turns his
non-throwing side toward the target, draws his arm back with his elbow at about shoulder
height and has the palm of his hand facing away from him. He steps toward the target with
his lead foot and pushes off the ground with his back foot. As he moves his legs he is
simultaneously rotating his upper body so his chest faces the target, keeping his elbow high
and bringing his arm forward. He also follows through towards his target after he releases the
ball.

The boy is stated in the clip to be 7 years old and I think his movement is within that
(5-7) mature stage of the fundamental movement skill phase meaning that his motor
development is on track with where it should be.
The only tip I could give to the child would be to maintain proper technique and form
in practice and focus on accuracy and speed of throw as time goes on. Id also makes sure to
constantly work on arm strength and stance strength to receive the greatest throw results.
Upper body strength is also important in the twisting and maneuvering of the body
throughout the skill.

Resources:
Child B Jumping and Landing sideview. (n.d.). Retrieved October 31, 2014, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fAQyShLCGQ
Coaching Basketball for Young Children. Ages 3-5. (n.d.). Retrieved October 31, 2014, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AH914EQSD0
7 year old pitching phenom Bryce Crabb throws a pitch. (n.d.). Retrieved October 31, 2014,
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCAFSUcMlZ4
Kovar, S., Combs, C., Campbell, K., Napper-Owen, G., & Worrell, V. (2012). Motor
Development and Motor Learning for Children. In <i>Elementary Classroom Teachers as
Movement Educators</i> (4th ed.).