Intervention programme: Gross motor development

This intervention programme includes movement activities with resources and movement activities without resources. For optimal results, it is advised that a parent or teacher follows the sequence in which the programme is offered.

The Mind Moves Institute’s approach is to follow nature’s lead and develop GROSS MOTOR muscles before we develop the FINE MOTOR muscles of the hands, feet and eyes. This approach is not a quick fix, but an approach that will enable the learner to benefit from it for many years. If you work with us, success is guaranteed. Perfection is not.

Sequence of Gross Motor development

Before you support a learner with their writing and reading, you need to develop the learner’s posture. A stable posture is a natural consequence of proprioception, a mature vestibular system and gross motor skills. A stable posture is the perfect springboard to launch advanced fine motor skills such as writing and reading.

Motor skills develop from top to bottom (cephalo-caudal) which means the neck muscles develop before the core muscles.

When the muscles of the neck and core are developed:

• the muscles of the neck hold the head upright and
• the core muscles hold the trunk upright.

Gross motor movement naturally develops neck and core muscles when a pre-school learner walks, runs, hops, hangs, lifts, pulls, pushes and rolls while playing. Boisterous playing is impossible without using the muscles of their shoulders, arms and hands, legs, hips and feet and therefore physical play develops all the gross motor muscles from top to bottom and from inside out. If learners are given lots of opportunities to move in pre-school, they should be able to sit still and upright for an age-appropriate period of time in Grade 1, ready to learn how to write and read. If they do not move enough pre-grade 1, learners may battle to sit still, straight and concentrate for an age-appropriate time.

The Mind Moves Institute has developed a Reading READINESS Programme that focuses on the development of groups of Grade R learners to playfully and systematically develop proprioception and the vestibular system through gross motor activities. This programme also focuses on auditory perception, language and fine motor development so Grade R learners will be ready to learn to read in Grade 1.

Readingreadinessprogramme

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