Catching the last rays of the day.
Better Motor Skills Linked to Higher Academic Scores
Christopher Bergland
Children with poor motor skills score lower on reading
and arithmetic tests.
A new study from Finland has found that children with
poor motor skills also have poorer reading
and arithmetic skills. The study
found that children who performed poorly in agility,
speed and manual dexterity tests also had lower reading
and arithmetic test scores
in first through third grades. Across the board, children
with better performance in motor tests scored higher in reading and arithmetic
tests.
The study was published October 28, 2013 in Medicine
& Science in Sports & Exercise.
The study investigated the relationships of
cardiovascular fitness and motor performance
in the first grade to reading and arithmetic skills in
grades 1–3 among 174 Finnish children
as part of The Physical Activity and Nutrition (PANIC)
Study at the University of Eastern Finland and The First Steps
Study at the University of Jyväskylä. These associations were
stronger in boys than girls. Those children in the lowest third of motor
performance
had dramatically lower reading and arithmetic test scores
than children in the other two thirds.
Interestingly, a recent study from Harvard
University ranked Finland as the number one country
in the world
for childhood education.
As American children become less active and spend more
hours each day in front of a screen,
it appears that their cerebral and cerebellar function is
declining.
There is growing evidence of the link between improved
motor skills, dexterity, and cognition.
I have written extensively in The Athlete's
Way about the link between stimulating neural growth
in all hemispheres of the brain—which includes the left
and right hemispheres of both the cerebrum and the cerebellum. One backlash of
the “No Child Left Behind” approach to over-emphasizing
the importance of test scores are the consequences of
literally causing a child’s cerebellum and its related motor skills to atrophy,
which reduces cognitive abilites and lowers academic performance.
5 Finnish
Guidelines for Childhood Well-Being and Education
The objective of the Finnish PANIC Study is to
provide new scientific evidence on physical activity, sedentary behavior, diet, eating behavior, cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular fitness,
excess body fat, and metabolism. In addition the study
looks at cardiovascular function,
bone mineral density, cognition, reading and arithmetic
skills, sleep, pain and other aspects of life quality. These include oral health and
healthcare expenses.
The main focus of the study is on the effects of
increased physical activity, improved diet
d genetic factors on health and well-being among children
and adolescents.
The Finnish researchers recommend the following 5
guidelines:
1) Increase total
physical activity to at least two hours per day
by increasing different types of physical activity, such
as unstructured physical activity,
physical activity during recess, organized sports,
structured exercise time,
and commuting to and from school on foot, bicycle,
scooter...
2) Increase the
versatility of physical activity
to develop physical, emotional, cognitive and social
skills and brain functions.
3) Provide a
variety of positive physical activity experiences
to help each child find a suitable type of physical
activity and to be able to enjoy exercise
in the long-term.
4) Decrease
sedentary behaviors,
such as watching television and playing on computer, to
an absolute maximum of two hours per day.
5) Increase energy
expenditure
to maintain energy balance and to prevent becoming
overweight.
Conclusion:
Cerebellar Dexterity Linked to Cerebral Smarts
What are the Finns doing that we could emulate in the
United States to improve our education
and global competitiveness? The findings of this study
emphasize the importance
of motor performance and movement skills as key to a
child’s academic success during the first years of school, and most likely
throughout a lifespan.
The academic development of children with poor motor
performance should be closely monitored. Teachers and parents should
strive to include daily activities and take steps to support
not only the development of reading, arithmetic etc. but
make sure to include time each day
focused on movement skills and physical activity.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201310/better-motor-skills-linked-higher-academic-scores
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