GL 320 Hallmark Project
HSS 320 Hallmark Project
Rubric/Sample Outline
Name(s) ______________________________________________________________________
Total Score: _____/100
1. Cover Page/ Spelling/ Grammar ___/5pts 2. Introduction ___/5pts
a. Include a discussion of the significance of the study of growth and motor development
3. Locomotor Skills ___/10pts
a. Description of locomotor skills
b. Include a discussion of the significance of locomotor skills
c. Equipment used for each skill assessment and testing location
d. General overview of locomotor skills
i. Discussion of the distinguishing characteristics of the various stages in skill development for each of the locomotor skills assessed. ii. Clearly define the differences between …show more content…
an individual at an early stage and a proficient level for each of the locomotor skills listed below.
1. Walking
2. Running
3. Galloping
4. Hopping
5. Skipping
6. Sliding
7. Standing long jump/horizontal jump
4. Ballistic Skills ___/10pts
a. Description of ballistic skills
b. Include a discussion of the significance of ballistic skills
c. Equipment used for each skill assessment and testing location
d. General overview of ballistic skills
i. Discussion of the distinguishing characteristics of the various stages in skill development for each of the ballistic skills assessed. ii. Clearly define the differences between an individual at an early stage and a proficient level for each of the ballistic skills listed below.
1. Overarm throw
2. Kicking
3. Two-hand striking (swinging a bat)
5. Manipulative Skills ___/10pts
a. Description of manipulative skills
b. Include a discussion of the significance of manipulative skills
c. Equipment used for each skill assessment and testing location
d. General overview of manipulative skills
i. Discussion of the distinguishing characteristics of the various stages in skill development for the manipulative skill assessed. ii. Clearly define the differences between an individual at an early stage and a proficient level for the manipulative skill listed below.
1. Catching
6. Description of Data ___/15pts
a. Describe, in detail, the findings of each of the skill assessments of both children
7. Constraints ___/10pts
Refer to #13 on the Project Guideline
a. Discuss Newell’s Model of Constraints
i. Provide examples
b. Identify and discuss constraints witnessed in the testing experience
c. Discussion of rate limiters/rate controllers
8. Reflection – Refer to #14 on the Project Guideline ___/5pts
9. Compare/Contrast – ___/5pts
Refer to #15 on the Project Guideline
a. Discuss similarities and differences amongst the two children and age appropriate stages
b. Use the biographical data to help support the reason why there would be similarities and differences.
10. Prescription ___/15pts
Refer to #16 on the Project Guideline
11. Reference Page (APA format) ___/5pts
Appendix – These forms must be attached to your Hallmark ___/5pts Biographical Data Sheet Skill Assessment Evaluation Form
Rebecca Maddock, Jessica Page, Sharity Staser, Breona Trice, Nicholas Tsueda
HSS 320-50: Growth and Motor Development across the Lifespan
Jaylan, age twelve years, and Christian, age three years
March 30, 2014
Introduction As all human beings grow and develop their movements tend to change with time. These changes in motor skills occur in stages: we see infants and children learning new motor skills early in life, growth and expansion on these skills learned throughout adolescence, and, unfortunately, many times loss of certain motor skills later on in life as people age. It is important to study these changes in growth and motor development so that people may know what the “norms” are and whether or not they should be alarmed by certain changes in motion. The study of growth and motor development also focuses on the three types of constraints (individual, environmental, and task) that are responsible for the changes that occur over the lifetime. For this assessment, two children ages three and twelve have been studied. Many parents worry whether or not their children are developing “normally” and want to know what they can do to help their child develop new skills. Thanks to the study of growth and motor development, parents can compare their children’s own personal growth and attained skills to charts such as the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Charts such as these allow parents and guardians to know whether or not they should be concerned about their child’s development in certain skills, such as walking, for example. The study of growth and motor development pertains to all people, as movement is a fundamental science that affects us all.
Locomotor Skills According to Haywood & Getchell, locomotion is “the act of moving, or the capability to move, from place to place” (2009, p. 112). Although a simple definition, the development of locomotor skills is not as easy as it may seem. For one to develop locomotor skills, a person must start at the very beginning with the ability to lift one’s head in the prone (upright) position, the strength to perform each set of skills, and the ability to segregate the movement in their extremities (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p.112-113). According to the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, an infant should be able to hold their head “erect and steady” somewhere between 0.7 and 4.0 months old (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 103). From that point, the development of locomotor skills is ongoing. Locomotor skills are used all throughout one’s lifetime and can be altered due to certain constraints such as environmental, individual, and task. There are many different locomotor movements that people can perform, but for this assessment only seven were chosen: the types of locomotor skills used in the assessment of brothers twelve year old Jaylan and three year old Christian were walking, running, galloping, hopping, skipping, sliding, and standing long jump. All of these skills were assessed inside of the boys’ home. The only equipment the boys used for these skills were the lines that marked where to begin and/or end a skill. For the walking portion of the assessment two lines, 30 feet apart were marked. Jaylan and Christian were instructed to walk from one line to the other. Walking is defined as “a 50% phasing relationship between the legs, as well as a period of double support (when both feet are on the ground), followed by single support” (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 114). In the early stages of walking, short steps with little hip extension are taken and no trunk rotation is present. When an infant first begins to walk their arms are held in “high guard”, which means their arms are held high and slightly bent (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 114). Eventually, the infant will lower their arms and may swing their arms some, but not in an oppositional swinging motion. When proficient walking patterns emerge, many motions are taking place. There is a longer stride length, increased range of motion, and reduced out-toeing. According to Haywood & Getchell, “The skilled walker adopts the double knee-lock pattern to assist the full range of leg motion” (2009, p. 116). A proficient walker also rotates their pelvis, has improved balance, and can coordinate the oppositional arm swing mentioned before. Two lines, 50 feet apart were marked for the running portion of the assessment. The brothers were told to run fast from one line to the next. According to Haywood & Getchell, “Running, like walking, has a 50% phasing relationship between the legs. Unlike walking, there is a period of flight, when neither foot is in contact with the ground” (2009, p. 118). When an infant first begins to run the most noticeable characteristic is the change in speed. The infant still has limited range in motion and, according to Haywood & Getchell, “The rear leg does not extend fully as the child pushes off the ground” (2009, p. 119). There is some slight arm swinging and the infant’s extremities tend to rotate to the side rather than forward and back. Once the child reaches the proficient level of running, stride length is increased and the side-rotation seen in the earlier stages in eliminated. Oppositional arm swinging improves to a forward and back motion, trunk rotation increases, and the runner eliminates out-toeing. After a line was marked on the floor, each boy was told to start at the line. Once behind the line, the boys were told to jump far. “Jumping occurs when individuals propel themselves off the ground with one or both feet, then land on both feet” (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 122). When discussing development in jumping, certain norms have been set for jumping achievements; children are expected to be able to perform certain types of jumps by certain ages. According to Haywood & Getchell, “Most young jumpers begin by executing a vertical jump, even if they intend to jump horizontally” (2009, p. 126). Early jumpers have only a slight crouch before attempting to leave the ground and the legs are usually bent at take off rather than extended. As a proficient jumper the crouching before liftoff is improved and both feet leave the ground at the same time. When jumping for distance a proficient jumper will fully extend their legs at liftoff, extend their arms overhead, flex their trunk, knees and hips, and land on both feet. For the hopping assessment, Jaylan and Christian were asked to hop three times, first on one foot and then on the other. According to Haywood & Getchell, “Hopping occurs when individuals propel themselves with one foot, then land on the same foot” (2009, p. 122). Early characteristics of hopping vary, but may include slight arm movement, inactive swinging leg, the support leg being pulled from the floor, and minimal extension at takeoff (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 131). A proficient hopper lets the swing leg lead the hip, extends the support leg fully, moves their arms in opposition to the legs, and flexes the support leg to absorb shock and continue the skill, if desired. After two lines, 30 feet apart were marked Jaylan and Christian were asked to gallop, leading with one foot and then the other, from one line to the other three times. Galloping is an asymmetric gait consisting of a step on one foot, then a leap step on the other foot in a forward motion (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 136). For a beginning galloper, the arms may be stiff and held in the high-guard position, the stride length is short, and vertical movement is exaggerated. According to Haywood & Getchell, “In early galloping attempts, a child’s trailing leg may land ahead of the lead leg” (2009, p. 137). Once a child is proficient at galloping, the arms are no longer necessary for balance and may even be used to do other activities, the knees are flexed on landing and extended at takeoff, and the child can use either the dominant or non-dominant leg to lead on. Two lines, 30 feet apart were marked. Jaylan and Christian were then asked to slide from one line to the other three times while facing the same direction. Sliding consists of the same motions as galloping, but the movement is sideways instead of forward (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 136). Characteristics for early sliding are similar to those of galloping: the arms are stiff and stride length is short. The knees are also stiff in early attempts at sliding. A proficient slider can relax both their arms and knees and can also slide to both sides. For the skipping portion of the assessment two lines, 30 feet apart were marked. The brothers were then asked to skip from one line to the other three times. “Skipping is a step and a hop in the same foot, with alternating feet” (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 136). According to Haywood & Getchell, “Skipping is usually the last of the locomotor patterns to emerge, usually between 4 and 7 years of age” (2009, p. 138). Early skippers generally have difficulty skipping with both legs and instead perform a sort of skip-hop movement. The arms are not used in rhythm with the legs, the skipper lifts their knees up high, and the overall skipping motion is not smooth. Once a child becomes proficient at skipping a smoother rhythm is established, the knee lift is lowered, and the arms become more relaxed and swing in opposition to the legs.
Ballistic Skills As explained in the textbook, Life Span Motor Development, ballistic skills are skills in which a person applies force to an object in order to project it (Haywood & Getchell, 2009). The skills that are a part of the ballistic category include over arm throwing, kicking, and side arm striking. Hand eye coordination is developed through the development and maturation of the ballistic skills. Hand eye coordination becomes very important in excelling in sports, as well as everyday tasks, so ballistic skills become very important throughout one’s life. When conducting ballistic skills, equipment must be used. During the observations different types of equipment to conduct the skills were used. For the over arm throw a baseball was used. During the kicking ballistic skill a size five soccer ball was used. And for the two-hand striking a wiffle ball and a bat were used. These assessments were also performed inside the boys’ home. During the early characteristics of an over arm throw most of the movement comes from the arm: the rest of the body and trunk are not used as much. For example, during the throw there in generally no step forward or hip extension in the action, most of the skill is done through the persons elbow extension (Haywood & Getchell, 2009). Contrary to the early stages of an over arm throw, the proficient over arm thrower uses movement throughout the entire body. The weight of the subject shifts to the back foot; the trunk rotates back and the arm makes a circular downward backswing for a windup. Next the back foot will come forward to allow full trunk rotation. The upper spine rotates, which is followed by the upper arm swing. There is then an upper arm inward rotation and elbow extension, once the elbow is extended the ball is released (Haywood & Getchell, 2009). Kicking is the projection of an object by using the foot. Early characteristics of kicking are mostly done with the kicker standing still when kicking the ball with little to no wind up or run up. The kicker’s knee may be bent during the contact with the ball. Also, the kicker may quickly pull their leg away once contact is made between ball and foot. During this stage there is no trunk rotation and the arms are usually held to the side. During the early learning stages of kicking, the kicker will have difficultly directing where the ball goes. A proficient kicker has a preparatory windup; the trunk is rotated back and the kicking leg is in a cocked position by running to the ball. After the initial push off the kicking leg becomes flexed so the maximal force is to be applied over greater distance. The run up in the proficient kicker allows there to be momentum into the kick. Right before the foot makes contact with the ball the thigh will first rotate and the then lower leg will extend. The straight leg continues forward after contact because of the force that the kick produced. There is also full range of motion in the hip of the kicking leg. The proficient kicker also uses trunk rotation, as well as the opposite arm. Mechanical principles are similar for all striking tasks. The task of the side arm strike requires the use of various body parts. Equipment such as baseball bats, tennis rackets, or golf clubs can be used. During the action of the side arm swing, the arm remains at or below the shoulder level. Early characteristics of sidearm striking give more the motion of a chop rather than a smooth, swinging motion. Sometimes it can also look like an unskilled attempt to throw a ball over hand. A proficient side arm striker has differentiated trunk rotation. The subject will be standing sideways and will step with their leg into the hit. They will also swing through in a full range of motion in order to apply the most force possible on the particular object. During the horizontal swing, the arm is extended before contact is made.
Manipulative Skills The manipulative portion of skills is any skills where an object is handled with the hands, feet, and/or any other body part. They are the basic components of all sports. Catching is the most common manipulative skills. The textbook Life Span Motor Development explains that catching is gaining possession or control of an object by reaching to intercept a moving object or stopping it with an implement (Haywood & Getchell, 2009). To be considered proficient in catching, the catcher or receiver must learn to catch with their hands, and “give” with the ball. They also must be able to move to the left or move to the right under the ball, point their fingers in an upward position when catching a highball, and lower position when catching a low ball.
Description of Data The children were tested in the following activities for proficiency: walking, running, galloping, hopping, skipping, sliding, the standing long jump or horizontal jump, overarm throwing, kicking, sidearm striking, and catching. The walking assessment had the children walk a distance of thirty feet. Neither child walked with perfect form. Child #1 had an extended stride however Child #2 did not. Child #1’s arms did not move in opposition to their legs however Child #2’s arms did. Both children walked with a “heel then forefoot” pattern. For the running assessment the children were asked to “run fast” for a distance of fifty feet. The arm and leg action was perfect except neither child had a brief period where both feet were off the ground amid stride. The children were asked to gallop a distance of 180 feet between two lines marked thirty feet apart. First they were instructed to gallop with their preferred lead foot from one line to the other three times for a total of ninety feet. Then the children switched lead feet and repeated for another ninety feet. Neither child stepped forward with their lead foot followed by a step with the trailing foot to a position adjacent to or behind the lead foot, nor was their arms free to engage in other activities during the gallop. Both children were able to lead with either their left or right foot. When asked to hop neither child bent, carried back, and swung the foot of the non-supporting leg in a pedulare fashion to produce force. Both children bent their arms and swung them forward on takeoff. Only Child #1 was able to hop on the right and left foot. For the skipping assessment, two lines were marked off thirty feet apart. They skipped from one line to the other three times. Child #1 did not have a rhythmical repetition of the step-hop on alternate feet whereas Child #2 did. Both children kept the foot and knee of the non-supporting leg low to the surface of the ground. Neither child alternated arm movement in opposition to leg movement. The test administrator, Breona, marked off two lines thirty feet apart and asked the children to slide from one line to the other three times facing the same direction. Both children were proficient at turning their bodies sideways to the desired direction of travel, stepping sideways with a lead foot followed by a sliding trailing foot ending next to the lead foot, and had relaxed arms free to use for another task. The standing long jump or horizontal jump test was administered by having the child stand behind a line and jump forward as far as they can. Child #1 included a preparatory movement that included flexion of both knees with the arms extended behind the body. Child #2 did not. While Child #1 had correct preparatory movement he did not extend his arms forcefully forward and upward reaching full extension above his head whereas Child #2 did. While Child #2 was able to use proper arm motion, he did not take off and land on both feet while simultaneously bringing arms downward during landing. Child #1 did. When asked to throw a ball hard to assess the children’s overarm throwing ability Child #1 performed each task perfectly while Child #2 had some trouble. Child #2 did not use a downward arc of the arm to initiate the windup. He did rotate his hip and shoulder to a point where the non-dominant side was facing an imaginary target, but his weight was not transferred by stepping with the foot opposite to the throwing hand as the throwing hand followed-through across the body. To assess kicking, Breona placed a ball at least five feet in front of the subject and told him to kick it hard. Both children showed a preparatory windup however neither child rotated their trunk back. Child #2 swung his left arm forward while kicking through a full range of motion with his right leg, but Child #1 did not. A ball was tossed softly to about waist level and hit hard with a bat by the student to test side-arm striking ability. Both children grasped the bat with their dominant hand above their non-dominant hand. Child #1 faced the pitcher with his non-dominant side while Child #2 did not. If Child #2 did not face the pitcher with his non-dominant side, it is not possible for the child to perform hip and spine rotation with weight transfer by stepping forward with the front foot since there is no front foot. Child #1 did not step forward and rotate with weight transfer either.
Catching is difficult to test since there are so many variables. Breona marked off two lines fifteen feet apart. A pitcher stood on one line while the child stood on the other. The pitcher would underhand toss the ball to the child saying, “Catch it with your hands.” Only tosses that were between the shoulders and waist were counted. Child #1 had a preparatory phase where the elbows were flexed and the hands were in front of the body. Child #2 did not. Child #2 was able to move his arms and body in preparation for ball contact and catch and control the ball with his hands. Child #1 was not able to do either.
Constraints When looking at Newell’s model of constraints he explains why we move differently in different situations with his triangle of constraints and their relationship to the change in motor ability. Newell suggested, “Movements arise from the interaction of the organism (the individual), the environment in which the movement occurs, and the task to be undertaken” (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 6). Using this theory one can see why people at different stages in their life and in different environments are forced to move differently. When watching a toddler take their first steps in the living room of their baby safe home many actions are observed. One may see the toddler wobble from side to side, attempting to hold on to whatever they can reach for balance. Maybe on carpet the toddler struggles to slide one foot out in front of the other, but on hard wood floors it glides easily; the toddler is just short on grip, leaving an unstable post for the young child’s weight as his body shifts from one side to the other. Newell’s model shows that these variations in environment are part of what causes us to develop differently as we grow and mature. The toddler who had to overcome the carpeting may grow up with a more forceful stride due to having to be more forceful to achieve movement when he/she was younger, whereas the toddler who learned to walk on a hardwood floor might have developed a more cautious and graceful way of walking due to needing the stability when younger. As we look at our two examples we have Christian a three-year-old little boy, and Jaylan, Christian’s 12-year-old brother, who enjoys playing with basketballs and footballs with his dad and Christian.
As you can imagine Christian had larger individual constraints to overcome while doing this testing as he is only a toddler his motor skills are not nearly as developed as Jaylan; every task was slightly harder for Christian to complete than Jaylan. Both of these children have their own individual constraints that affect their performance in the testing. Christian’s most prevalent structural and functional individual constraints were his lower body muscle mass and his fear. The structural constraint of muscle mass is something that would affect him in almost the entire assessment. Christian was still able to perform all of the tasks, but in some of them, such as hopping, he was unable to be ambidextrous with his feet due to the lack of lower body muscle mass, which effects balance. The functional constraint of fear was one that he slowly overcame as he received positive reinforcement from the student conducting the assessment on him. As for Jaylan his most apparent constraints were his height and his experience. The structural constraint of height was somewhat a problem as when galloping and skipping as he covered more space in one gallop or skip, forcing him to do fewer of the movements. Jaylan’s experience with sports made it easier for him to perform the tasks because he …show more content…
had less fear of getting hit and these skills were not new to him; it was something he had done before. The environmental constraints were equal for the two children as they were both assessed in the same exact location at the same time. The most important thing to look at in this situation with environmental constraints is that neither of the boys could perform tasks such as the overarm throw, kicking, sliding, and running to their best ability for fear of damaging anything in the house or harming themselves. This leads to the next part of Newell’s model to show some more constraints that the boys had to overcome with the tasks they were performing. Task constraints could be the size of the equipment, and the weight of the equipment. Newell’s model emphasizes, “The influence of where the individual move (environment) and what the individual does (task) on individual movements” (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 7). The boys used a basketball, football, and a plastic baseball bat when performing the assessment. Some task constraints the boys faced was that the basketball was somewhat difficult to use, as it is somewhat large so it was difficult for them to catch the ball and hold onto it. Another task constraint would be that the bat used was plastic so it does not deliver as much force to the ball when striking and so the boys were forced to swing harder in order to make the ball travel more distance. All of these factors go into Newell’s model and they create a cycle that helps to evaluate why the results of the assessment came out as they did, helps to determine how the children can evolve, and how their motor development may be similar and different.
Reflection The assessment was completed by two younger boys who are also brothers. One of the boys, Christian, was three years old and the other, Jaylan, was twelve years old. If one environmental constraint could be changed, it would be to conduct the assessment outdoors instead of indoors. Due to the weather, the assessment had to be executed inside of the two boys’ home. Although a sizeable amount of space was made in the house, it would have been preferred if the assessment was done outdoors. All of the equipment used was definitely age appropriate; the equipment used was actually items that already belonged to the two boys. A basketball, a football, and a plastic baseball bat were all used during the assessment. The twelve year old’s attitude towards the assessment was very positive and he seemed to enjoy himself during the activities. As for the three year old, he was excited to participate once he saw his older brother involved: he likes to do everything the older one does. One thing observed during the assessment was that the three year old’s attitude changed from copying his brother to just doing it by his self once praise was given for him performing a skill correctly the previous time. One of the constraints that had an impact on the results would, of course, have to be the environment. Certain parts of the assessment, like the overarm throwing, had to be modified so that no damage was done to anything inside the house. Therefore, the force that was applied during skills such as overarm throwing had to be lighter than it would have been outside.
Compare/Contrast Jaylan, being 12, had an advantage in most all of the tasks being performed as he is taller, stronger, and more experienced. These advantages made Jaylan less fearful, more motivated, and more excited to do the tasks. Jaylan plays with basketballs and footballs on a regular basis with his father, which makes his hand eye coordination far more developed than his younger brother’s. Jaylan also has longer and stronger arms and legs, helping him to run and throw more fluidly, which was observed when evaluating the tasks. Overall his maturity made it easier for him to understand and perform the tasks that were asked of him. Christian, being only three years old and having very little experience with sports, has apprehension and less muscle development for these tasks. The basic events such as running, skipping, and jumping seemed to be easier for him to perform because most healthy toddlers do these things on a regular basis. The tasks, which require more skill and muscle development, were slightly harder for Christian as he is shorter and not as strong; he wasn’t able to throw the ball as far or jump as high or far as his older brother Jaylan. The boys were both very excited to try these tasks and to do the experiment, but Jaylan, being older, was able to understand and perform the tasks more easily than his younger brother Christian, who had to watch his brother do it a couple of times before trying the tasks for himself. These differences are to be expected as Christian is only three and doesn’t get the opportunity to play sports and interact with other people as often as Jaylan who is in middle school. Overall Jaylan was more mentally and physically developed than his younger brother Christian.
Prescription Child #2 needs more development with the side arm striking skill. When asked to strike a ball with a bat, Child #2 stood facing Breona, the test administrator, with his feet planted firmly on the ground holding the bat over his shoulder with his dominant hand gripping the bat over the non-dominant hand. As the ball approached him through the air, he would chop at the ball with no weight transfer or hip or spine rotation. In order to improve his side arm striking skill, the first step would be to teach him the appropriate grip. Child #2 understands that the dominant hand grips the bat over the non-dominant hand, but further improvement on this grip could be accomplished by transitioning him from a “power” grip to a “shake-hands” grip in order to allow full extension of the elbows before contact enabling maximum power output. To teach the “shake-hands” grip the instructor should hold the bat at the striking end and keep the bat parallel to the ground and instruct Child #2 to shake hands with the bats handle. The resulting grip is the preferred “shake-hands” grip. After teaching the student the proper grip, proper standing form should be addressed. Child #2 would be instructed to stand with his non-dominant side facing the pitcher, and to keep his weight on his dominant foot. It is important for him to keep his eye on the ball as it travels through the air and to step forward with his non-dominant foot as he swings the bat to make contact. Beginning first with a tee for the ball to allow him to first learn to properly step into his hit may be preferred. Training on a baseball tee with the proper grip, forward step, and swing would allow him to become a proficient hitter with time and practice. No journal articles exist that offer strategies to improve sidearm striking. This was a very surprising find because of the popularity of baseball today. The only journal articles that were found research the age and sex differences associated with proficient sidearm striking, and even then there were only a few. This prescription is very solid and will help improve proper hitting mechanics. This prescription is based off of the characteristics of sidearm striking found in the fifth edition of Life Span Motor Development (Haywood & Getchell, 2009).
References
Haywood, K. M., & Getchell, N. (2009). Life Span Motor Development (5th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Appendix
HSS 320 Biographical Data Sheet:
Child #1
Name(First Only)
Gender
Christian
Male
Child 's Age and Birth date (MM/DD/YYYY)
Hand and Foot Dominance
3 years old 9/19/2010
H
Right
F
Right
Name of School Attending
Grade
N/A
N/A
Description of Family Unit and Birth Order of Child
Mom, Dad, older brother and older sister; he is the youngest out of three.
Favorite Games and Activities
Playing with his Thomas the Train truck.
Describe physical activity of the child. (Organized sport/club or free play.)
Throwing, catching, shooting the basketball and throwing the football.
Describe parental and sibling involvement in regards to physical activity.
His dad and older brother play with him by throwing and catching the ball.
Local resources available to aid in their physical development (parks, pools, YMCA, etc.)
Park.
Does the child optimize these resources? Explain.
Not yet due to weather.
Discuss a typical weekday for the child.
Watches morning TV shows, plays with toys, eats, and naps.
Discuss a typical weekend for the child.
Same as the week day, but may visit his grandma.
Comment on overall attitude, mood, and effort of the child during the testing experience.
He was excited because his older brother was also doing it.
HSS 320 Biographical Data Sheet:
Child 2
Name(First Only)
Gender
Jaylan
Male
Child 's Age and Birth date (MM/DD/YYYY)
Hand and Foot Dominance
12 years old 8/21/2001
H
Right
F
Right
Name of School Attending
Grade
Meyzeek Middle School
7th
Description of Family Unit and Birth Order of Child
Mom, Dad, Younger Brother and older sister; Jaylan is the 2nd oldest.
Favorite Games and Activities
Wrestling and Watching Movies
Describe physical activity of the child. (Organized sport/club or free play.)
Playing with his basketball and football.
Describe parental and sibling involvement in regards to physical activity.
Playing with dad and younger brother.
Local resources available to aid in their physical development (parks, pools, YMCA, etc.)
Park.
Does the child optimize these resources? Explain.
Not yet, they just moved and it has been cold out.
Discuss a typical weekday for the child.
He goes to school, comes home and does his homework. Then he eats and plays.
Also likes computer games and watching movies.
Discuss a typical weekend for the child.
Same as his weekday, minus going to school.
Comment on overall attitude, mood, and effort of the child during the testing experience.
He was happy to help and participate.
HSS 320 Skill Assessment Evaluation Form
Instruction for the HSS 320 Student: You are required to administer the assessments, three
attempts per skill. Read the directions for each of the skills that
have been provided for you to the child. If the child is unclear after
reading the directions, you may provide a demonstration of the
skill.
DO NOT teach the child how to perform the skill before administering the test.
How to Score the Test: A "Yes" should be placed in the appropriate box
when 2 or 3 attempts match the performance criteria. A "No" should
be placed in the appropriate box when 0 or 1 attempts match the performance
criteria.
Walking
Directions: Mark off two lines 30 feet apart. Instruct the student to "walk" from one
line to the other.
Child #1
Child #2
Performance Criteria
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
1. Extended stride
1
YES
NO
2. Arms move in opposition of the legs
2
NO
YES
3. Heel then forefoot pattern
3
YES
YES
Running
Directions: Mark off two lines 50 feet apart. Instruct the student to "run fast" from one line
to the other.
Child #1
Child #2
Performance Criteria
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
1. Brief period where both feet are off the ground
1
NO
NO
2. Arms move in opposition to legs, elbows bent
2
YES
YES
3. Nonsupport leg bent approximately 90 degrees
3
YES
YES
Galloping
Directions: Mark off two lines 30 feet apart. Tell the student to gallop from one line to the
other three times. Tell the student to gallop by leading with one foot and then
the other.
Child #1
Child #2
Performance Criteria
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
1. A step forward with the lead foot followed by a step
1
NO
NO
with the trailing foot to a position adjacent to or behind
2
NO
NO
the lead foot
3
YES
YES
2. Arms are free to engage in other activity (catching, clapping, etc)
3. Able to lead with right or left foot
Hopping
Directions: Ask the student to hop three times, first on one foot and then on the other
Performance Criteria
Child #1
Child #2
1. Foot of nonsupport leg is bent and carried in back, and swings
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
in pedulare fashion to produce force
1
NO
NO
2. Arms bent at elbows and swing forward on take off
2
YES
YES
3. Able to hop on the right and left foot
3
YES
NO
Skipping
Directions: Mark off two lines 30 feet apart. Tell the student to skip from one line to the
other, three times.
Child #1
Child #2
Performance Criteria
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
1. A rhythmical repetition of the step-hop on alternate feet
1
NO
YES
2. Foot and knee of nonsupport leg stays low to the surface
2
YES
YES
3. Arms alternately moving in opposition to legs at about
3
NO
NO
the waste level
Sliding
Directions: Mark off two lines 30 feet apart. Tell the student to slide from one line to the
other three times facing the same direction
Performance Criteria
1. Body turned sideways to desired direction of travel
Child #1
Child #2
2. A step sideways followed by a slide of the trailing foot to a
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
point next to the lead foot, going to right and left
1
YES
YES
3. Arms relaxed and free to be used for another task or
2
YES
YES
activity (catching, clapping, etc)
3
YES
YES
Standing Long Jump/Horizontal Jump
Directions: Mark off a starting line on the floor, mat, or carpet.
Have the student start behind the line. Tell the student to "jump far".
Performance Criteria
1. Preparatory movement includes flexion of both knees with
Child #1
Child #2
arms extended behind the body.
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
2. Arms extend forcefully forward and upward, reaching
1
YES
NO
full extension above head
2
NO
YES
3. Take off and land on both feet simultaneously bringing
3
YES
NO
arms downward during landing
Overarm Throw
Directions: Tell the student to throw the ball "hard".
Performance Criteria
Child #1
Child #2
1. A downward arc of the throwing arm initiates the windup
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
2. Rotation of hip and shoulder to a point where the
1
YES
NO
non-dominant side faces an imaginary target.
2
YES
YES
3. Weight is transferred by stepping with the foot
3
YES
NO
opposite the throwing hand as the throwing hand
follows-through across the body
Kicking
Directions: Place a ball at least 5 feet in front of student.
Tell the student to kick the ball "hard".
Performance Criteria
Child #1
Child #2
1. Preparatory windup
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
2. The trunk is rotated back
1
YES
YES
3. Kicking leg is full range of motion with forward swing
2
NO
NO
of the arm opposite kicking leg
3
NO
YES
Side Arm Striking
Directions: Toss the ball softly to the student at about waist level. Tell the student to hit
the ball hard. Count only those tosses that are between the student 's waist
and shoulders.
Performance Criteria
Child #1
Child #2
1. Dominant hand grips bat above non-dominant hand.
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
2. Non-dominant side of body faces the tosser
1
YES
YES
(feet parallel).
2
YES
NO
3. Hip and spine rotation with weight transfer by stepping
3
NO
YES
with front foot.
Catching
Directions: Mark off two lines 15 feet apart. Student stands on one line and the tosser
on the other. Toss the ball underhand directly to student with a slight arc, saying
"catch it with your hands". Only count those tosses that are between student 's
shoulders and waist.
Performance Criteria
Child #1
Child #2
1. Preparation phase where elbows are flexed and hands
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
are in front of body.
1
YES
NO
2. Arms and body moves in preparation for ball contact.
2
NO
YES
3. Ball is caught and controlled by hands not trapping
3
NO
YES
against chest, and elbows bend to absorb force.
Rubric/Sample Outline
Name(s) ______________________________________________________________________
Total Score: _____/100
1. Cover Page/ Spelling/ Grammar ___/5pts 2. Introduction ___/5pts
a. Include a discussion of the significance of the study of growth and motor development
3. Locomotor Skills ___/10pts
a. Description of locomotor skills
b. Include a discussion of the significance of locomotor skills
c. Equipment used for each skill assessment and testing location
d. General overview of locomotor skills
i. Discussion of the distinguishing characteristics of the various stages in skill development for each of the locomotor skills assessed. ii. Clearly define the differences between …show more content…
an individual at an early stage and a proficient level for each of the locomotor skills listed below.
1. Walking
2. Running
3. Galloping
4. Hopping
5. Skipping
6. Sliding
7. Standing long jump/horizontal jump
4. Ballistic Skills ___/10pts
a. Description of ballistic skills
b. Include a discussion of the significance of ballistic skills
c. Equipment used for each skill assessment and testing location
d. General overview of ballistic skills
i. Discussion of the distinguishing characteristics of the various stages in skill development for each of the ballistic skills assessed. ii. Clearly define the differences between an individual at an early stage and a proficient level for each of the ballistic skills listed below.
1. Overarm throw
2. Kicking
3. Two-hand striking (swinging a bat)
5. Manipulative Skills ___/10pts
a. Description of manipulative skills
b. Include a discussion of the significance of manipulative skills
c. Equipment used for each skill assessment and testing location
d. General overview of manipulative skills
i. Discussion of the distinguishing characteristics of the various stages in skill development for the manipulative skill assessed. ii. Clearly define the differences between an individual at an early stage and a proficient level for the manipulative skill listed below.
1. Catching
6. Description of Data ___/15pts
a. Describe, in detail, the findings of each of the skill assessments of both children
7. Constraints ___/10pts
Refer to #13 on the Project Guideline
a. Discuss Newell’s Model of Constraints
i. Provide examples
b. Identify and discuss constraints witnessed in the testing experience
c. Discussion of rate limiters/rate controllers
8. Reflection – Refer to #14 on the Project Guideline ___/5pts
9. Compare/Contrast – ___/5pts
Refer to #15 on the Project Guideline
a. Discuss similarities and differences amongst the two children and age appropriate stages
b. Use the biographical data to help support the reason why there would be similarities and differences.
10. Prescription ___/15pts
Refer to #16 on the Project Guideline
11. Reference Page (APA format) ___/5pts
Appendix – These forms must be attached to your Hallmark ___/5pts Biographical Data Sheet Skill Assessment Evaluation Form
Rebecca Maddock, Jessica Page, Sharity Staser, Breona Trice, Nicholas Tsueda
HSS 320-50: Growth and Motor Development across the Lifespan
Jaylan, age twelve years, and Christian, age three years
March 30, 2014
Introduction As all human beings grow and develop their movements tend to change with time. These changes in motor skills occur in stages: we see infants and children learning new motor skills early in life, growth and expansion on these skills learned throughout adolescence, and, unfortunately, many times loss of certain motor skills later on in life as people age. It is important to study these changes in growth and motor development so that people may know what the “norms” are and whether or not they should be alarmed by certain changes in motion. The study of growth and motor development also focuses on the three types of constraints (individual, environmental, and task) that are responsible for the changes that occur over the lifetime. For this assessment, two children ages three and twelve have been studied. Many parents worry whether or not their children are developing “normally” and want to know what they can do to help their child develop new skills. Thanks to the study of growth and motor development, parents can compare their children’s own personal growth and attained skills to charts such as the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Charts such as these allow parents and guardians to know whether or not they should be concerned about their child’s development in certain skills, such as walking, for example. The study of growth and motor development pertains to all people, as movement is a fundamental science that affects us all.
Locomotor Skills According to Haywood & Getchell, locomotion is “the act of moving, or the capability to move, from place to place” (2009, p. 112). Although a simple definition, the development of locomotor skills is not as easy as it may seem. For one to develop locomotor skills, a person must start at the very beginning with the ability to lift one’s head in the prone (upright) position, the strength to perform each set of skills, and the ability to segregate the movement in their extremities (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p.112-113). According to the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, an infant should be able to hold their head “erect and steady” somewhere between 0.7 and 4.0 months old (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 103). From that point, the development of locomotor skills is ongoing. Locomotor skills are used all throughout one’s lifetime and can be altered due to certain constraints such as environmental, individual, and task. There are many different locomotor movements that people can perform, but for this assessment only seven were chosen: the types of locomotor skills used in the assessment of brothers twelve year old Jaylan and three year old Christian were walking, running, galloping, hopping, skipping, sliding, and standing long jump. All of these skills were assessed inside of the boys’ home. The only equipment the boys used for these skills were the lines that marked where to begin and/or end a skill. For the walking portion of the assessment two lines, 30 feet apart were marked. Jaylan and Christian were instructed to walk from one line to the other. Walking is defined as “a 50% phasing relationship between the legs, as well as a period of double support (when both feet are on the ground), followed by single support” (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 114). In the early stages of walking, short steps with little hip extension are taken and no trunk rotation is present. When an infant first begins to walk their arms are held in “high guard”, which means their arms are held high and slightly bent (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 114). Eventually, the infant will lower their arms and may swing their arms some, but not in an oppositional swinging motion. When proficient walking patterns emerge, many motions are taking place. There is a longer stride length, increased range of motion, and reduced out-toeing. According to Haywood & Getchell, “The skilled walker adopts the double knee-lock pattern to assist the full range of leg motion” (2009, p. 116). A proficient walker also rotates their pelvis, has improved balance, and can coordinate the oppositional arm swing mentioned before. Two lines, 50 feet apart were marked for the running portion of the assessment. The brothers were told to run fast from one line to the next. According to Haywood & Getchell, “Running, like walking, has a 50% phasing relationship between the legs. Unlike walking, there is a period of flight, when neither foot is in contact with the ground” (2009, p. 118). When an infant first begins to run the most noticeable characteristic is the change in speed. The infant still has limited range in motion and, according to Haywood & Getchell, “The rear leg does not extend fully as the child pushes off the ground” (2009, p. 119). There is some slight arm swinging and the infant’s extremities tend to rotate to the side rather than forward and back. Once the child reaches the proficient level of running, stride length is increased and the side-rotation seen in the earlier stages in eliminated. Oppositional arm swinging improves to a forward and back motion, trunk rotation increases, and the runner eliminates out-toeing. After a line was marked on the floor, each boy was told to start at the line. Once behind the line, the boys were told to jump far. “Jumping occurs when individuals propel themselves off the ground with one or both feet, then land on both feet” (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 122). When discussing development in jumping, certain norms have been set for jumping achievements; children are expected to be able to perform certain types of jumps by certain ages. According to Haywood & Getchell, “Most young jumpers begin by executing a vertical jump, even if they intend to jump horizontally” (2009, p. 126). Early jumpers have only a slight crouch before attempting to leave the ground and the legs are usually bent at take off rather than extended. As a proficient jumper the crouching before liftoff is improved and both feet leave the ground at the same time. When jumping for distance a proficient jumper will fully extend their legs at liftoff, extend their arms overhead, flex their trunk, knees and hips, and land on both feet. For the hopping assessment, Jaylan and Christian were asked to hop three times, first on one foot and then on the other. According to Haywood & Getchell, “Hopping occurs when individuals propel themselves with one foot, then land on the same foot” (2009, p. 122). Early characteristics of hopping vary, but may include slight arm movement, inactive swinging leg, the support leg being pulled from the floor, and minimal extension at takeoff (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 131). A proficient hopper lets the swing leg lead the hip, extends the support leg fully, moves their arms in opposition to the legs, and flexes the support leg to absorb shock and continue the skill, if desired. After two lines, 30 feet apart were marked Jaylan and Christian were asked to gallop, leading with one foot and then the other, from one line to the other three times. Galloping is an asymmetric gait consisting of a step on one foot, then a leap step on the other foot in a forward motion (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 136). For a beginning galloper, the arms may be stiff and held in the high-guard position, the stride length is short, and vertical movement is exaggerated. According to Haywood & Getchell, “In early galloping attempts, a child’s trailing leg may land ahead of the lead leg” (2009, p. 137). Once a child is proficient at galloping, the arms are no longer necessary for balance and may even be used to do other activities, the knees are flexed on landing and extended at takeoff, and the child can use either the dominant or non-dominant leg to lead on. Two lines, 30 feet apart were marked. Jaylan and Christian were then asked to slide from one line to the other three times while facing the same direction. Sliding consists of the same motions as galloping, but the movement is sideways instead of forward (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 136). Characteristics for early sliding are similar to those of galloping: the arms are stiff and stride length is short. The knees are also stiff in early attempts at sliding. A proficient slider can relax both their arms and knees and can also slide to both sides. For the skipping portion of the assessment two lines, 30 feet apart were marked. The brothers were then asked to skip from one line to the other three times. “Skipping is a step and a hop in the same foot, with alternating feet” (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 136). According to Haywood & Getchell, “Skipping is usually the last of the locomotor patterns to emerge, usually between 4 and 7 years of age” (2009, p. 138). Early skippers generally have difficulty skipping with both legs and instead perform a sort of skip-hop movement. The arms are not used in rhythm with the legs, the skipper lifts their knees up high, and the overall skipping motion is not smooth. Once a child becomes proficient at skipping a smoother rhythm is established, the knee lift is lowered, and the arms become more relaxed and swing in opposition to the legs.
Ballistic Skills As explained in the textbook, Life Span Motor Development, ballistic skills are skills in which a person applies force to an object in order to project it (Haywood & Getchell, 2009). The skills that are a part of the ballistic category include over arm throwing, kicking, and side arm striking. Hand eye coordination is developed through the development and maturation of the ballistic skills. Hand eye coordination becomes very important in excelling in sports, as well as everyday tasks, so ballistic skills become very important throughout one’s life. When conducting ballistic skills, equipment must be used. During the observations different types of equipment to conduct the skills were used. For the over arm throw a baseball was used. During the kicking ballistic skill a size five soccer ball was used. And for the two-hand striking a wiffle ball and a bat were used. These assessments were also performed inside the boys’ home. During the early characteristics of an over arm throw most of the movement comes from the arm: the rest of the body and trunk are not used as much. For example, during the throw there in generally no step forward or hip extension in the action, most of the skill is done through the persons elbow extension (Haywood & Getchell, 2009). Contrary to the early stages of an over arm throw, the proficient over arm thrower uses movement throughout the entire body. The weight of the subject shifts to the back foot; the trunk rotates back and the arm makes a circular downward backswing for a windup. Next the back foot will come forward to allow full trunk rotation. The upper spine rotates, which is followed by the upper arm swing. There is then an upper arm inward rotation and elbow extension, once the elbow is extended the ball is released (Haywood & Getchell, 2009). Kicking is the projection of an object by using the foot. Early characteristics of kicking are mostly done with the kicker standing still when kicking the ball with little to no wind up or run up. The kicker’s knee may be bent during the contact with the ball. Also, the kicker may quickly pull their leg away once contact is made between ball and foot. During this stage there is no trunk rotation and the arms are usually held to the side. During the early learning stages of kicking, the kicker will have difficultly directing where the ball goes. A proficient kicker has a preparatory windup; the trunk is rotated back and the kicking leg is in a cocked position by running to the ball. After the initial push off the kicking leg becomes flexed so the maximal force is to be applied over greater distance. The run up in the proficient kicker allows there to be momentum into the kick. Right before the foot makes contact with the ball the thigh will first rotate and the then lower leg will extend. The straight leg continues forward after contact because of the force that the kick produced. There is also full range of motion in the hip of the kicking leg. The proficient kicker also uses trunk rotation, as well as the opposite arm. Mechanical principles are similar for all striking tasks. The task of the side arm strike requires the use of various body parts. Equipment such as baseball bats, tennis rackets, or golf clubs can be used. During the action of the side arm swing, the arm remains at or below the shoulder level. Early characteristics of sidearm striking give more the motion of a chop rather than a smooth, swinging motion. Sometimes it can also look like an unskilled attempt to throw a ball over hand. A proficient side arm striker has differentiated trunk rotation. The subject will be standing sideways and will step with their leg into the hit. They will also swing through in a full range of motion in order to apply the most force possible on the particular object. During the horizontal swing, the arm is extended before contact is made.
Manipulative Skills The manipulative portion of skills is any skills where an object is handled with the hands, feet, and/or any other body part. They are the basic components of all sports. Catching is the most common manipulative skills. The textbook Life Span Motor Development explains that catching is gaining possession or control of an object by reaching to intercept a moving object or stopping it with an implement (Haywood & Getchell, 2009). To be considered proficient in catching, the catcher or receiver must learn to catch with their hands, and “give” with the ball. They also must be able to move to the left or move to the right under the ball, point their fingers in an upward position when catching a highball, and lower position when catching a low ball.
Description of Data The children were tested in the following activities for proficiency: walking, running, galloping, hopping, skipping, sliding, the standing long jump or horizontal jump, overarm throwing, kicking, sidearm striking, and catching. The walking assessment had the children walk a distance of thirty feet. Neither child walked with perfect form. Child #1 had an extended stride however Child #2 did not. Child #1’s arms did not move in opposition to their legs however Child #2’s arms did. Both children walked with a “heel then forefoot” pattern. For the running assessment the children were asked to “run fast” for a distance of fifty feet. The arm and leg action was perfect except neither child had a brief period where both feet were off the ground amid stride. The children were asked to gallop a distance of 180 feet between two lines marked thirty feet apart. First they were instructed to gallop with their preferred lead foot from one line to the other three times for a total of ninety feet. Then the children switched lead feet and repeated for another ninety feet. Neither child stepped forward with their lead foot followed by a step with the trailing foot to a position adjacent to or behind the lead foot, nor was their arms free to engage in other activities during the gallop. Both children were able to lead with either their left or right foot. When asked to hop neither child bent, carried back, and swung the foot of the non-supporting leg in a pedulare fashion to produce force. Both children bent their arms and swung them forward on takeoff. Only Child #1 was able to hop on the right and left foot. For the skipping assessment, two lines were marked off thirty feet apart. They skipped from one line to the other three times. Child #1 did not have a rhythmical repetition of the step-hop on alternate feet whereas Child #2 did. Both children kept the foot and knee of the non-supporting leg low to the surface of the ground. Neither child alternated arm movement in opposition to leg movement. The test administrator, Breona, marked off two lines thirty feet apart and asked the children to slide from one line to the other three times facing the same direction. Both children were proficient at turning their bodies sideways to the desired direction of travel, stepping sideways with a lead foot followed by a sliding trailing foot ending next to the lead foot, and had relaxed arms free to use for another task. The standing long jump or horizontal jump test was administered by having the child stand behind a line and jump forward as far as they can. Child #1 included a preparatory movement that included flexion of both knees with the arms extended behind the body. Child #2 did not. While Child #1 had correct preparatory movement he did not extend his arms forcefully forward and upward reaching full extension above his head whereas Child #2 did. While Child #2 was able to use proper arm motion, he did not take off and land on both feet while simultaneously bringing arms downward during landing. Child #1 did. When asked to throw a ball hard to assess the children’s overarm throwing ability Child #1 performed each task perfectly while Child #2 had some trouble. Child #2 did not use a downward arc of the arm to initiate the windup. He did rotate his hip and shoulder to a point where the non-dominant side was facing an imaginary target, but his weight was not transferred by stepping with the foot opposite to the throwing hand as the throwing hand followed-through across the body. To assess kicking, Breona placed a ball at least five feet in front of the subject and told him to kick it hard. Both children showed a preparatory windup however neither child rotated their trunk back. Child #2 swung his left arm forward while kicking through a full range of motion with his right leg, but Child #1 did not. A ball was tossed softly to about waist level and hit hard with a bat by the student to test side-arm striking ability. Both children grasped the bat with their dominant hand above their non-dominant hand. Child #1 faced the pitcher with his non-dominant side while Child #2 did not. If Child #2 did not face the pitcher with his non-dominant side, it is not possible for the child to perform hip and spine rotation with weight transfer by stepping forward with the front foot since there is no front foot. Child #1 did not step forward and rotate with weight transfer either.
Catching is difficult to test since there are so many variables. Breona marked off two lines fifteen feet apart. A pitcher stood on one line while the child stood on the other. The pitcher would underhand toss the ball to the child saying, “Catch it with your hands.” Only tosses that were between the shoulders and waist were counted. Child #1 had a preparatory phase where the elbows were flexed and the hands were in front of the body. Child #2 did not. Child #2 was able to move his arms and body in preparation for ball contact and catch and control the ball with his hands. Child #1 was not able to do either.
Constraints When looking at Newell’s model of constraints he explains why we move differently in different situations with his triangle of constraints and their relationship to the change in motor ability. Newell suggested, “Movements arise from the interaction of the organism (the individual), the environment in which the movement occurs, and the task to be undertaken” (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 6). Using this theory one can see why people at different stages in their life and in different environments are forced to move differently. When watching a toddler take their first steps in the living room of their baby safe home many actions are observed. One may see the toddler wobble from side to side, attempting to hold on to whatever they can reach for balance. Maybe on carpet the toddler struggles to slide one foot out in front of the other, but on hard wood floors it glides easily; the toddler is just short on grip, leaving an unstable post for the young child’s weight as his body shifts from one side to the other. Newell’s model shows that these variations in environment are part of what causes us to develop differently as we grow and mature. The toddler who had to overcome the carpeting may grow up with a more forceful stride due to having to be more forceful to achieve movement when he/she was younger, whereas the toddler who learned to walk on a hardwood floor might have developed a more cautious and graceful way of walking due to needing the stability when younger. As we look at our two examples we have Christian a three-year-old little boy, and Jaylan, Christian’s 12-year-old brother, who enjoys playing with basketballs and footballs with his dad and Christian.
As you can imagine Christian had larger individual constraints to overcome while doing this testing as he is only a toddler his motor skills are not nearly as developed as Jaylan; every task was slightly harder for Christian to complete than Jaylan. Both of these children have their own individual constraints that affect their performance in the testing. Christian’s most prevalent structural and functional individual constraints were his lower body muscle mass and his fear. The structural constraint of muscle mass is something that would affect him in almost the entire assessment. Christian was still able to perform all of the tasks, but in some of them, such as hopping, he was unable to be ambidextrous with his feet due to the lack of lower body muscle mass, which effects balance. The functional constraint of fear was one that he slowly overcame as he received positive reinforcement from the student conducting the assessment on him. As for Jaylan his most apparent constraints were his height and his experience. The structural constraint of height was somewhat a problem as when galloping and skipping as he covered more space in one gallop or skip, forcing him to do fewer of the movements. Jaylan’s experience with sports made it easier for him to perform the tasks because he …show more content…
had less fear of getting hit and these skills were not new to him; it was something he had done before. The environmental constraints were equal for the two children as they were both assessed in the same exact location at the same time. The most important thing to look at in this situation with environmental constraints is that neither of the boys could perform tasks such as the overarm throw, kicking, sliding, and running to their best ability for fear of damaging anything in the house or harming themselves. This leads to the next part of Newell’s model to show some more constraints that the boys had to overcome with the tasks they were performing. Task constraints could be the size of the equipment, and the weight of the equipment. Newell’s model emphasizes, “The influence of where the individual move (environment) and what the individual does (task) on individual movements” (Haywood & Getchell, 2009, p. 7). The boys used a basketball, football, and a plastic baseball bat when performing the assessment. Some task constraints the boys faced was that the basketball was somewhat difficult to use, as it is somewhat large so it was difficult for them to catch the ball and hold onto it. Another task constraint would be that the bat used was plastic so it does not deliver as much force to the ball when striking and so the boys were forced to swing harder in order to make the ball travel more distance. All of these factors go into Newell’s model and they create a cycle that helps to evaluate why the results of the assessment came out as they did, helps to determine how the children can evolve, and how their motor development may be similar and different.
Reflection The assessment was completed by two younger boys who are also brothers. One of the boys, Christian, was three years old and the other, Jaylan, was twelve years old. If one environmental constraint could be changed, it would be to conduct the assessment outdoors instead of indoors. Due to the weather, the assessment had to be executed inside of the two boys’ home. Although a sizeable amount of space was made in the house, it would have been preferred if the assessment was done outdoors. All of the equipment used was definitely age appropriate; the equipment used was actually items that already belonged to the two boys. A basketball, a football, and a plastic baseball bat were all used during the assessment. The twelve year old’s attitude towards the assessment was very positive and he seemed to enjoy himself during the activities. As for the three year old, he was excited to participate once he saw his older brother involved: he likes to do everything the older one does. One thing observed during the assessment was that the three year old’s attitude changed from copying his brother to just doing it by his self once praise was given for him performing a skill correctly the previous time. One of the constraints that had an impact on the results would, of course, have to be the environment. Certain parts of the assessment, like the overarm throwing, had to be modified so that no damage was done to anything inside the house. Therefore, the force that was applied during skills such as overarm throwing had to be lighter than it would have been outside.
Compare/Contrast Jaylan, being 12, had an advantage in most all of the tasks being performed as he is taller, stronger, and more experienced. These advantages made Jaylan less fearful, more motivated, and more excited to do the tasks. Jaylan plays with basketballs and footballs on a regular basis with his father, which makes his hand eye coordination far more developed than his younger brother’s. Jaylan also has longer and stronger arms and legs, helping him to run and throw more fluidly, which was observed when evaluating the tasks. Overall his maturity made it easier for him to understand and perform the tasks that were asked of him. Christian, being only three years old and having very little experience with sports, has apprehension and less muscle development for these tasks. The basic events such as running, skipping, and jumping seemed to be easier for him to perform because most healthy toddlers do these things on a regular basis. The tasks, which require more skill and muscle development, were slightly harder for Christian as he is shorter and not as strong; he wasn’t able to throw the ball as far or jump as high or far as his older brother Jaylan. The boys were both very excited to try these tasks and to do the experiment, but Jaylan, being older, was able to understand and perform the tasks more easily than his younger brother Christian, who had to watch his brother do it a couple of times before trying the tasks for himself. These differences are to be expected as Christian is only three and doesn’t get the opportunity to play sports and interact with other people as often as Jaylan who is in middle school. Overall Jaylan was more mentally and physically developed than his younger brother Christian.
Prescription Child #2 needs more development with the side arm striking skill. When asked to strike a ball with a bat, Child #2 stood facing Breona, the test administrator, with his feet planted firmly on the ground holding the bat over his shoulder with his dominant hand gripping the bat over the non-dominant hand. As the ball approached him through the air, he would chop at the ball with no weight transfer or hip or spine rotation. In order to improve his side arm striking skill, the first step would be to teach him the appropriate grip. Child #2 understands that the dominant hand grips the bat over the non-dominant hand, but further improvement on this grip could be accomplished by transitioning him from a “power” grip to a “shake-hands” grip in order to allow full extension of the elbows before contact enabling maximum power output. To teach the “shake-hands” grip the instructor should hold the bat at the striking end and keep the bat parallel to the ground and instruct Child #2 to shake hands with the bats handle. The resulting grip is the preferred “shake-hands” grip. After teaching the student the proper grip, proper standing form should be addressed. Child #2 would be instructed to stand with his non-dominant side facing the pitcher, and to keep his weight on his dominant foot. It is important for him to keep his eye on the ball as it travels through the air and to step forward with his non-dominant foot as he swings the bat to make contact. Beginning first with a tee for the ball to allow him to first learn to properly step into his hit may be preferred. Training on a baseball tee with the proper grip, forward step, and swing would allow him to become a proficient hitter with time and practice. No journal articles exist that offer strategies to improve sidearm striking. This was a very surprising find because of the popularity of baseball today. The only journal articles that were found research the age and sex differences associated with proficient sidearm striking, and even then there were only a few. This prescription is very solid and will help improve proper hitting mechanics. This prescription is based off of the characteristics of sidearm striking found in the fifth edition of Life Span Motor Development (Haywood & Getchell, 2009).
References
Haywood, K. M., & Getchell, N. (2009). Life Span Motor Development (5th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Appendix
HSS 320 Biographical Data Sheet:
Child #1
Name(First Only)
Gender
Christian
Male
Child 's Age and Birth date (MM/DD/YYYY)
Hand and Foot Dominance
3 years old 9/19/2010
H
Right
F
Right
Name of School Attending
Grade
N/A
N/A
Description of Family Unit and Birth Order of Child
Mom, Dad, older brother and older sister; he is the youngest out of three.
Favorite Games and Activities
Playing with his Thomas the Train truck.
Describe physical activity of the child. (Organized sport/club or free play.)
Throwing, catching, shooting the basketball and throwing the football.
Describe parental and sibling involvement in regards to physical activity.
His dad and older brother play with him by throwing and catching the ball.
Local resources available to aid in their physical development (parks, pools, YMCA, etc.)
Park.
Does the child optimize these resources? Explain.
Not yet due to weather.
Discuss a typical weekday for the child.
Watches morning TV shows, plays with toys, eats, and naps.
Discuss a typical weekend for the child.
Same as the week day, but may visit his grandma.
Comment on overall attitude, mood, and effort of the child during the testing experience.
He was excited because his older brother was also doing it.
HSS 320 Biographical Data Sheet:
Child 2
Name(First Only)
Gender
Jaylan
Male
Child 's Age and Birth date (MM/DD/YYYY)
Hand and Foot Dominance
12 years old 8/21/2001
H
Right
F
Right
Name of School Attending
Grade
Meyzeek Middle School
7th
Description of Family Unit and Birth Order of Child
Mom, Dad, Younger Brother and older sister; Jaylan is the 2nd oldest.
Favorite Games and Activities
Wrestling and Watching Movies
Describe physical activity of the child. (Organized sport/club or free play.)
Playing with his basketball and football.
Describe parental and sibling involvement in regards to physical activity.
Playing with dad and younger brother.
Local resources available to aid in their physical development (parks, pools, YMCA, etc.)
Park.
Does the child optimize these resources? Explain.
Not yet, they just moved and it has been cold out.
Discuss a typical weekday for the child.
He goes to school, comes home and does his homework. Then he eats and plays.
Also likes computer games and watching movies.
Discuss a typical weekend for the child.
Same as his weekday, minus going to school.
Comment on overall attitude, mood, and effort of the child during the testing experience.
He was happy to help and participate.
HSS 320 Skill Assessment Evaluation Form
Instruction for the HSS 320 Student: You are required to administer the assessments, three
attempts per skill. Read the directions for each of the skills that
have been provided for you to the child. If the child is unclear after
reading the directions, you may provide a demonstration of the
skill.
DO NOT teach the child how to perform the skill before administering the test.
How to Score the Test: A "Yes" should be placed in the appropriate box
when 2 or 3 attempts match the performance criteria. A "No" should
be placed in the appropriate box when 0 or 1 attempts match the performance
criteria.
Walking
Directions: Mark off two lines 30 feet apart. Instruct the student to "walk" from one
line to the other.
Child #1
Child #2
Performance Criteria
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
1. Extended stride
1
YES
NO
2. Arms move in opposition of the legs
2
NO
YES
3. Heel then forefoot pattern
3
YES
YES
Running
Directions: Mark off two lines 50 feet apart. Instruct the student to "run fast" from one line
to the other.
Child #1
Child #2
Performance Criteria
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
1. Brief period where both feet are off the ground
1
NO
NO
2. Arms move in opposition to legs, elbows bent
2
YES
YES
3. Nonsupport leg bent approximately 90 degrees
3
YES
YES
Galloping
Directions: Mark off two lines 30 feet apart. Tell the student to gallop from one line to the
other three times. Tell the student to gallop by leading with one foot and then
the other.
Child #1
Child #2
Performance Criteria
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
1. A step forward with the lead foot followed by a step
1
NO
NO
with the trailing foot to a position adjacent to or behind
2
NO
NO
the lead foot
3
YES
YES
2. Arms are free to engage in other activity (catching, clapping, etc)
3. Able to lead with right or left foot
Hopping
Directions: Ask the student to hop three times, first on one foot and then on the other
Performance Criteria
Child #1
Child #2
1. Foot of nonsupport leg is bent and carried in back, and swings
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
in pedulare fashion to produce force
1
NO
NO
2. Arms bent at elbows and swing forward on take off
2
YES
YES
3. Able to hop on the right and left foot
3
YES
NO
Skipping
Directions: Mark off two lines 30 feet apart. Tell the student to skip from one line to the
other, three times.
Child #1
Child #2
Performance Criteria
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
1. A rhythmical repetition of the step-hop on alternate feet
1
NO
YES
2. Foot and knee of nonsupport leg stays low to the surface
2
YES
YES
3. Arms alternately moving in opposition to legs at about
3
NO
NO
the waste level
Sliding
Directions: Mark off two lines 30 feet apart. Tell the student to slide from one line to the
other three times facing the same direction
Performance Criteria
1. Body turned sideways to desired direction of travel
Child #1
Child #2
2. A step sideways followed by a slide of the trailing foot to a
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
point next to the lead foot, going to right and left
1
YES
YES
3. Arms relaxed and free to be used for another task or
2
YES
YES
activity (catching, clapping, etc)
3
YES
YES
Standing Long Jump/Horizontal Jump
Directions: Mark off a starting line on the floor, mat, or carpet.
Have the student start behind the line. Tell the student to "jump far".
Performance Criteria
1. Preparatory movement includes flexion of both knees with
Child #1
Child #2
arms extended behind the body.
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
2. Arms extend forcefully forward and upward, reaching
1
YES
NO
full extension above head
2
NO
YES
3. Take off and land on both feet simultaneously bringing
3
YES
NO
arms downward during landing
Overarm Throw
Directions: Tell the student to throw the ball "hard".
Performance Criteria
Child #1
Child #2
1. A downward arc of the throwing arm initiates the windup
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
2. Rotation of hip and shoulder to a point where the
1
YES
NO
non-dominant side faces an imaginary target.
2
YES
YES
3. Weight is transferred by stepping with the foot
3
YES
NO
opposite the throwing hand as the throwing hand
follows-through across the body
Kicking
Directions: Place a ball at least 5 feet in front of student.
Tell the student to kick the ball "hard".
Performance Criteria
Child #1
Child #2
1. Preparatory windup
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
2. The trunk is rotated back
1
YES
YES
3. Kicking leg is full range of motion with forward swing
2
NO
NO
of the arm opposite kicking leg
3
NO
YES
Side Arm Striking
Directions: Toss the ball softly to the student at about waist level. Tell the student to hit
the ball hard. Count only those tosses that are between the student 's waist
and shoulders.
Performance Criteria
Child #1
Child #2
1. Dominant hand grips bat above non-dominant hand.
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
2. Non-dominant side of body faces the tosser
1
YES
YES
(feet parallel).
2
YES
NO
3. Hip and spine rotation with weight transfer by stepping
3
NO
YES
with front foot.
Catching
Directions: Mark off two lines 15 feet apart. Student stands on one line and the tosser
on the other. Toss the ball underhand directly to student with a slight arc, saying
"catch it with your hands". Only count those tosses that are between student 's
shoulders and waist.
Performance Criteria
Child #1
Child #2
1. Preparation phase where elbows are flexed and hands
(Y/N)
(Y/N)
are in front of body.
1
YES
NO
2. Arms and body moves in preparation for ball contact.
2
NO
YES
3. Ball is caught and controlled by hands not trapping
3
NO
YES
against chest, and elbows bend to absorb force.