Macdonald K1, Milne N1, Orr R1, Pope R1,2
1Bond University, Physiotherapy Program, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Gold Coast, Australia, 2Charles Sturt University, School of Community Health, Thurgoona, Australia
Background: Decreasing levels of physical activity (PA) in children have recently led to an increased focus on the effects of classroom-based PA programs on school children's PA and academic outcomes. Findings from the few studies investigating this topic have been inconsistent, with variability in methodological quality and study designs.
Purpose: To investigate whether Year 1 school children participating in a 12-week classroom-based gross motor program, involving the integration of gross motor activities into either mathematics or reading lessons, would demonstrate greater improvements in motor proficiency, mathematics and reading performance than students undertaking a regular school program.
Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted with a sample of Australian Year 1 primary school children (n=55, age=6.77±0.40 years). Participants were divided into one of three groups where they were exposed to either (i) their regular school program (CG) (n=17) or (ii) a Physiotherapist-led 12-week program comprised of gross motor circuits (4x15 min/week) and activities integrated into: (a) mathematics lessons (MG) (3x15 min/week) or (b) reading lessons (RG) (4x10 min/week). Motor proficiency and academic performance in mathematics and reading were assessed using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (2nd Edition) and the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test II (Australian Standardised Edition), respectively. To determine whether there were significant differences in mean change scores between the three groups for each outcome from baseline to 12 weeks later, one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni post hoc analyses (using an alpha of .05) were performed.
Results: No significant differences were identified between groups in mean academic scores at baseline. A one-way ANOVA revealed significant differences between groups in mean change scores in mathematics, F(2, 46)=8.48, p=.001. Post hoc comparisons indicated mean change scores in mathematics were significantly greater in the MG (7.57±5.79, p=.019) and RG (9.61±5.62, p=.001) compared to CG (0.76±8.00). Significant differences between groups for mean change scores in motor proficiency were also found, F(2, 49)=4.06, p=.023. Post hoc comparisons indicated mean change scores in motor proficiency were significantly greater in the MG (6.12±5.07, p=.034) than the CG (0.82±4.38). Finally, significant differences were found between groups for mean change scores in reading, F(2, 45)=5.71, p=.006. Post hoc comparisons indicated mean change scores in reading were significantly greater in the MG (11.54±7.51, p=.005) than the CG (3.88±6.02).
Conclusion(s): Year 1 children exposed to a 12-week program involving gross motor activities integrated into either mathematics or reading lessons had significantly greater improvements in mathematics performance than students undertaking their regular school program. Year 1 children who had gross motor activities integrated into their mathematics lessons also demonstrated significantly greater improvements in motor proficiency and reading performance than students in a regular school program. These findings may inform future experimental studies to investigate further the effect of classroom-based gross motor interventions on motor proficiency and academic outcomes of early year primary school students.
Implications: A role exists for physiotherapists to collaborate with education professionals in developing appropriate gross motor programs in the school setting that aim to optimise both the physical development and learning outcomes of children in the early years of primary school.
Keywords: Motor proficiency, academic performance, school children
Funding acknowledgements: North Coast Interdisciplinary Training Network; Health Education and Training Institute; Health Workforce Australia; Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.
Purpose: To investigate whether Year 1 school children participating in a 12-week classroom-based gross motor program, involving the integration of gross motor activities into either mathematics or reading lessons, would demonstrate greater improvements in motor proficiency, mathematics and reading performance than students undertaking a regular school program.
Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted with a sample of Australian Year 1 primary school children (n=55, age=6.77±0.40 years). Participants were divided into one of three groups where they were exposed to either (i) their regular school program (CG) (n=17) or (ii) a Physiotherapist-led 12-week program comprised of gross motor circuits (4x15 min/week) and activities integrated into: (a) mathematics lessons (MG) (3x15 min/week) or (b) reading lessons (RG) (4x10 min/week). Motor proficiency and academic performance in mathematics and reading were assessed using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (2nd Edition) and the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test II (Australian Standardised Edition), respectively. To determine whether there were significant differences in mean change scores between the three groups for each outcome from baseline to 12 weeks later, one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni post hoc analyses (using an alpha of .05) were performed.
Results: No significant differences were identified between groups in mean academic scores at baseline. A one-way ANOVA revealed significant differences between groups in mean change scores in mathematics, F(2, 46)=8.48, p=.001. Post hoc comparisons indicated mean change scores in mathematics were significantly greater in the MG (7.57±5.79, p=.019) and RG (9.61±5.62, p=.001) compared to CG (0.76±8.00). Significant differences between groups for mean change scores in motor proficiency were also found, F(2, 49)=4.06, p=.023. Post hoc comparisons indicated mean change scores in motor proficiency were significantly greater in the MG (6.12±5.07, p=.034) than the CG (0.82±4.38). Finally, significant differences were found between groups for mean change scores in reading, F(2, 45)=5.71, p=.006. Post hoc comparisons indicated mean change scores in reading were significantly greater in the MG (11.54±7.51, p=.005) than the CG (3.88±6.02).
Conclusion(s): Year 1 children exposed to a 12-week program involving gross motor activities integrated into either mathematics or reading lessons had significantly greater improvements in mathematics performance than students undertaking their regular school program. Year 1 children who had gross motor activities integrated into their mathematics lessons also demonstrated significantly greater improvements in motor proficiency and reading performance than students in a regular school program. These findings may inform future experimental studies to investigate further the effect of classroom-based gross motor interventions on motor proficiency and academic outcomes of early year primary school students.
Implications: A role exists for physiotherapists to collaborate with education professionals in developing appropriate gross motor programs in the school setting that aim to optimise both the physical development and learning outcomes of children in the early years of primary school.
Keywords: Motor proficiency, academic performance, school children
Funding acknowledgements: North Coast Interdisciplinary Training Network; Health Education and Training Institute; Health Workforce Australia; Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.
Topic: Paediatrics; Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing; Service delivery/emerging roles
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Bond University
Ethics committee: Bond University Human Research Ethics Committee
Ethics number: RO1836
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
