Physical Activities for Improving Children's Learning and Behavior: A Guide to Sensory Motor Development

by Allison Hammond and Billye Ann Cheatum

Book Overview

Fewer things cause more concern for teachers and parents than to be told that a child has a learning problem or behavior disorder. It is even more difficult when no specific cause or reason for the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0880118741
• ISBN13: 9780880118743
• Release Date: November 1999
• Publisher: Human Kinetics Publishers
• Length: 360 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 8.9"
• Age Range: 5 to 21 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Does this work?

This book has many MANY practical ideas for improving a child's balance and coordination and body awareness and, well, you can "Look Inside!" and read the table of contents. I just got the book from the library and am reading it. It is very accessible for people like me who know nothing about physical therapy. I haven't tried any of the activities on my kids yet. Nor have I tried them on myself, for that matter... Lord knows I could use some balance and coordination therapy. I don't know if this stuff works, but I can assume it does since the authors are experts with years of experience. Their premise seems a little bogus to me: that some kids haven't grown out of infantile reflexes, so they have to get down in infantile stances and start all over. But again, I don't know anything about it. I give the book four stars because it is very accessible and has many practical, inexpensive activities. I give it only four stars because the second chapter came very close to offending me. The author implies (and sometimes overtly states) that poor motor development is the result of parental neglect or a lack of stimulating opportunities. Sometimes, or even often, that is probably true. But I would guess there are plenty of people who are just genetically klutzy. And then there autistic children who are likely to find one repetitive activity that stimulates them and fixate on that--poor motor skills there are not a result of parental neglect, but of the child's disinterest in trying whatever opportunities the parent provides. In short, I didn't find it helpful to be blamed for the problem. But since most of the book focuses on remedying the problem, I think it will be a useful resource.

Optimal Learning Readiness

An absolute must for anyone involved in pre- and foundation phase education. Cheatum gives a concise and clear understanding of how the human mind is formed though movement and how easy to do activities can help the child attain optimal learning readiness.

A great resource...

I really enjoyed this book. The authors know how to explain their material without using a lot of technical jargon. If you have read and enjoyed "The Out of Sync Child", I would recommend this as Part 2. It goes a little more in-depth and has lots of great ideas for activities. Very Smart!