Kinesthetic Learning

Process-Based Measures

Process-based measures look at how a performer engages in a movement. They typically involve a qualitative decision that is then quantified to express whether critical elements or components of a movement pattern are present when performed. For example, a process measure of the skill of throwing may include critical elements such as stepping with opposition, rotating the hips and shoulder with the forearm lagging, snapping the ball with the wrist, projecting the ball toward a target, and following through to the opposite hip. Using a process-based approach, an evaluator would score a 0 if a critical element was not present and a 1 if it was present. There are a number of valid and reliable process-oriented assessments in the kinesthetic domain that are often used in the research and diagnosis of kinesthetic/motor delays. These instruments include the Test of Gross Motor Development–3 and the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales–2.

Another type of process-based assessment incorporates a more developmental perspective. Developmental sequences of movement, which begin with inefficient movement patterns and progress to more proficient ones, have been identified for many fundamental motor skills. For example, there are five stages to learning how to throw a ball, each reflecting qualitatively different patterns of movement that progressively become more efficient in their performance. Throwing starts with a Stage 1 “dart throw” and ends with a Stage 5 throwing pattern similar to a baseball pitch. Overall, there are total body stages for 10 skills, [Page 926]including locomotor skills such as jumping, hopping, running, galloping, and skipping, as well as manipulative skills such as catching, kicking, punting, two-hand striking (e.g., hitting a ball with a bat or racquet), and throwing. For each skill, three to five developmental stages have been identified, and age-related norms from 0 to 120 months have been defined. Assessing the total body stage of a psychomotor skill and plotting it against an age-related norm can provide an instructor with a snapshot of a child’s performance from a kinesthetic learning standpoint. Identification of a child’s developmental stage for a skill also allows the teacher to determine whether an activity is appropriate, and it assists in aligning kinesthetic movement conditions to the child’s developmental level. Finally, understanding total body stages can help an instructor modify task and environmental constraints, such as types of equipment, methods of feedback, and other visual and physical prompts, to a child’s current level of performance to elicit a more proficient movement pattern.

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