Why is good physical health necessary for good
learners?
Course: Introduction to Growth and Development
Course code 8610
Level: B.Ed Solved Assignment
ANSWER
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LEARNERS
It is essential to consider the
physical characteristics of learners since their physical needs influence the nature of instruction and the learning environment. Although children who form an educational group at a
school usually share similar physical attributes due to the same age and rather
similar socio-economic backgrounds, growth patterns, and physical
characteristics may vary about gender and prior experiences. This section
highlights the physical characteristics of pre and elementary school
children.
Children need to move
Children at the pre- and elementary school levels have an inherent need to move their bodies. It is,
thus, difficult for them to remain static with little or no body movement while
working on sedentary activities.
Improved eye-hand coordination
Eye-hand coordination also
referred to as visual motor integration skills, begins to develop during
infancy. It controls the hand movement of a child guided by his/her vision.
Although this coordination is not sophisticated during infancy, it reaches the point of near independence during the preschool years and continues to improve through middle childhood.
Improved body coordination
Balance and coordination are
critical physical attributes that help the child maintain a controlled body
position while performing a task. While pre and elementary school children
show increased body coordination in high-energy activities such as running, climbing, etc, they can still fall easily. It is, thus, important to remain vigilant and
ensure safety and injury prevention measures.
Improved perceptual abilities
Although the five basic senses
are well-developed at birth, the child continues to develop perceptual
abilities during pre-and elementary school years. These improved abilities help
the child to interact with the physical and social world effectively.
Improved gross and fine motor skills
Motor skill development follows
the 'general to specific' growth pattern among children. Children tend to
develop gross motor well in advance before they start to develop fine motor
skills. Pre and elementary school children develop better upper body mobility
and coordination. They continue to develop improved gross motor skills through age
7 and beyond. This results in refined fine motor skills for children which help
them to manipulate sharp objects etc with greater precision. The development of
fine motor skills is crucial for other activities which require increased
physical controls and skills such as writing, painting, etc.
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