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Fundamental Motor Skills, Executive Function Skills, and Reading

Fundamental Motor Skills, Executive Function Skills, and ReadingFundamental Motor Skills, Executive Function Skills, and Reading

Learning and Individual Differences published research on the association between fundamental motor skills, executive function skills, and reading.  The study included 145 socioeconomically disadvantaged kindergarteners of diverse ethnicity.  Each participant was assessed with the following:  The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function–Preschool Version to measure executive function skills, PE Metrics™ was used to measure children’s fundamental motor skills (object control and locomotor skills) and the Early Literacy Inventory to measure reading proficiency.

Data analysis revealed:

  • statistically significant relationships between global executive function skills, fundamental motor skills, and reading proficiency.
  • the strongest correlation was observed between global executive function skills and reading proficiency.
  • reading proficiency was significantly predicted by both working memory and inhibition.
  • fundamental motor skills were a significant predictor of global executive function skills.
  • the relationship was not significant between fundamental motor skills and reading proficiency directly but the relationship
    was fully mediated by global executive function skills.

The researchers concluded that a physical activity program may be important for improving fundamental motor skills and executive function skills in children to encourage reading proficiency.

Reference:  Chang, M., & Gu, X. (2018). The role of executive function in linking fundamental motor skills and reading proficiency in socioeconomically disadvantaged kindergarteners. Learning and Individual Differences61, 250-255.

Read more about:

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Link Between Reading, Visual Perception, and Visual–Motor Integration

Executive Functions, Motor Abilities and Daily Functioning in Children.

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Superhero Action Verb Packet

It’s a bird…It’s a plane… It’s a Superhero Action Verb! – This download includes sensory motor activities about action verbs such as roll, crawl, kneel, walk, run, hop, throw, kick, etc.  Practice fine motor, gross motor, handwriting and literacy skills with this collection.  FIND OUT MORE.

Fundamental Motor Skills, Executive Function Skills, and Reading