Motor Learning Lab FAQ
“Before he can learn that ‘p’ is down and ‘b’ is up, he must learn when he is down and when he is up. Directionality must become part of the body scheme before any child can have a real appreciation of the directionality of letters, numbers and words." (Capon)
What is a Motor Learning Lab?
a progression of stations using movement activities to enhance cognitive skills (also referred to as
perceptual motor activities)
How are students identified for the Motor Learning Lab?
• PE Metrics Motor Skills assessment
• Observational Checklist (teacher input)
What prompted me to start a Motor Learning Lab?
• literature stressing the strong connection between movement and learning
• research confirming this connection
• students!
What types of activities are part of a Motor Learning Lab?
• gross motor activities (roll, crawl, walk, run, jump, hop, skip, gallop)
• vestibular activities (roll, spin, balance, jump)
• visual motor activities (strike, catch, kick, throw)
• auditory motor activities (identify and say letters, numbers, shapes and colors while moving)
• tactile activities (tracing letters, shapes and numbers)
• lateralization activities (directional awareness)
• body awareness
• space awareness
How will these activities impact student learning?***
• placing words on a page
• reading words from left to right
• writing
• sequencing patterns in math and reading
• sorting and organizing information
• discriminating sounds, letters and words on a page
• writing letters and numbers
• improved memory retrieval
*** information from Madigan and Hess, “Action Based Learning Lab Manual”
What is a Motor Learning Lab?
a progression of stations using movement activities to enhance cognitive skills (also referred to as
perceptual motor activities)
How are students identified for the Motor Learning Lab?
• PE Metrics Motor Skills assessment
• Observational Checklist (teacher input)
What prompted me to start a Motor Learning Lab?
• literature stressing the strong connection between movement and learning
• research confirming this connection
• students!
What types of activities are part of a Motor Learning Lab?
• gross motor activities (roll, crawl, walk, run, jump, hop, skip, gallop)
• vestibular activities (roll, spin, balance, jump)
• visual motor activities (strike, catch, kick, throw)
• auditory motor activities (identify and say letters, numbers, shapes and colors while moving)
• tactile activities (tracing letters, shapes and numbers)
• lateralization activities (directional awareness)
• body awareness
• space awareness
How will these activities impact student learning?***
• placing words on a page
• reading words from left to right
• writing
• sequencing patterns in math and reading
• sorting and organizing information
• discriminating sounds, letters and words on a page
• writing letters and numbers
• improved memory retrieval
*** information from Madigan and Hess, “Action Based Learning Lab Manual”