MTSD209
Motor Activities for Students with Disabilities
This module will help professionals in resource centres to identify motor coordination difficulties in both fine and gross motor skills in learners. Educators will be able to implement fine and gross motor skills activities within the curriculum. It will also highlight the value and importance of everyday life activities, play and leisure. The module will primarily focus on how motor skills are developed in sequence from a young age, which factors contribute to motor skills and how this affects motor learners’ occupational performance. Educators will be able to implement activities focusing on motor skills in the functional curriculum.
By the end of this programme, participants should be able to:
a. Reflect on the development of motor activities in the early years.
b. Examine the general principles of gross motor skills.
c. Examine the general principles of fine motor skills with a critique overview of handwriting.
d. Reflect on the importance of play.
e. Discuss various conditions related to coordination.
f. Outline the benefits of physical and leisure activities.
g. Evaluate the Halliwick approach.
h. Discuss sensory and coordination difficulties.
a. Identify the sequence of motor developmental milestones.
b. Define the development of gross motor skills.
c. Define the development of fine motor skills.
d. Describe the sequence of development of pre-writing skills and handwriting skills.
e. Acquire how play affects motor skills.
f. Assist in finding activities to assist in the development of motor skills.
g. Identify motor coordination difficulties.
a. Plan class and outdoor activities appropriate for learners’ needs in consideration of fine and gross motor skills.
b. Create a functional curriculum which will target fine and gross motor skills.
c. Design play and leisure activities with consideration to fine and gross motor skills.
d. Use appropriate medium (alternative means of writing) for the learner when a writing task is given.
This programme adopts continuous and summative methods of assessment including assignments, online tasks, reflective journals, projects and video presentations. For further details, kindly refer to the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy and Procedures.
1. Kurtz, E. A. (2010). ‘Interventions in School: Primary or Elementary School Understanding’ Motor Skills in Children with Dyspraxia, ADHD, Autism, and Other Learning Disabilities: A Guide to Improving Coordination.
2. Kurtz, E. A. (2010). ‘Interventions in School: Secondary, Middle or High School and Further Education’ Motor Skills in Children with Dyspraxia, ADHD, Autism, and Other Learning Disabilities: A Guide to Improving Coordination.
3. Kurtz, E. A. (2010). ‘Therapeutic Intervention’ Motor Skills in Children with Dyspraxia, ADHD, Autism, and Other Learning Disabilities: A Guide to Improving Coordination.
4. Kurtz, E. A. (2003). ‘Addressing Problems with Classroom skills’ How to Help a Clumsy Child: Strategies for Young Children with Developmental Motor Concerns.
5. Kurtz, E. A. (2003). ’Teaching Strategies and Activities for Home and School’ How to Help a Clumsy Child: Strategies for Young Children with Developmental Motor Concerns.
6. Woodfield, L. (2004). ‘Motor Skill Development’ Physical Development in the Early Years.
7. Woodfield, L. (2004). ‘How Children Learn in Physical Domain’ Physical Development in the Early Years.
1. Bruni, M. (2006). Fine Motor Skills in Children with Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. Woodbine House.
2. Fitzhenry, T. & Murphy, K. (2017). Early Years Assessment Physical Development, Moving and Handling.
3. Ludlow, R. (2012). The Little Book of Gross Motor Skills.
4. Newman, S. (2003). ‘Physical Development’ Stepping Out: Using Games and Activities to Help your Child with Special Needs.
5. Staisiunas Hurley, D. (2000). Developing Fine and Gross Motor Skills Birth to Three.
6. Winders. C. P. (2014). Gross Motor Skills for Children with Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. Pediatric Physical Therapy: Winter.
7. Woodfield, L. (2004). ‘Good Practice, Safe Practice: Supporting and Facilitating Physical Learning’ Physical Development in the Early Years.
The Institute for Education is a Further and Higher Education Institution with Licence number 2016-006
Popular Links
© 2023 Institute for Education | Accessibility Statement
Web Design and Development in Malta:
Web Design and Development in Malta:
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
