Cognitive and Academic Outcomes of Fundamental Motor Skill and Physical Activity Interventions Designed for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to investigate the methodological quality and the effects of fundamental motor skills and physical activity interventions on cognitive and academic skills in 3- to 7-year-old children with special educational needs. The review was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) statement. A literature search was carried out in April 2020 (updated in January 2022) using seven electronic databases, including ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed with Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool. Cohen’s d effect sizes and post-hoc power analyses were conducted for the included studies. Altogether 22 studies (1883 children) met the inclusion criteria, representing children at-risk for learning difficulties, due to family background (nstudies = 8), children with learning difficulties (nstudies = 7), learning disabilities (nstudies = 5), and physical disabilities (nstudies = 2). Two of the included 22 studies displayed strong, one moderate, and 19 studies weak methodological quality. The intervention effects appeared to be somewhat dependent on the severity of the learning difficulty; in cognitive and language skills, the effects were largest in children at-risk due to family background, whereas in executive functions the effects were largest in children with learning disabilities. However, due to the vast heterogeneity of the included studies, and a rather low methodological quality, it is challenging to summarize the findings in a generalizable manner. Thus, additional high-quality research is required to determine the effectiveness of the interventions.

Determining the Impact of Adapted Yoga Training on Physical Functioning in Students with Mild Intellectual Disability

“…Several studies have highlighted balance as a crucial aspect of motor fitness and have documented the positive benefits of exercise treatments on people with ID's ability to walk and stand balanced (Azar et al, 2023). Notably, a recent meta-analysis revealed a significant beneficial impact after yogic intervention meant to improve balance in children and adolescents with ID (Jylänki et al, 2022). Furthermore, a growing body of research indicates that yoga improves component of motor fitness in people with ID (Reina et al, 2020).…”

Structured Program for Developing the Psychomotor Skills of Institutionalized Children with Special Educational Needs

“…Children with special educational needs (SEN) encompass a diverse spectrum of learning difficulties that can range from mild to severe. These difficulties often manifest as challenges in acquiring academic skills, such as reading, writing, comprehension, and mathematical abilities [1][2][3] (Jylänki et al, 2022;Coates, 2011;Yılmaz & Soyer, 2018). Additionally, they might encounter obstacles in processing and retaining information, which can affect their learning pace and their depth of understanding across various subjects [4].…”

Structured Program for Developing Psychomotor Skills of Institutionalized Children with SEN

“…Systems of action through psychomotor means for educating coordination, movement speed, rhythm, and laterality Implementation Period: 2 weeks x 3 (Weeks 9-10, [21][22][33][34] Practice Duration: 30 minutes -Execute a sequence of 6 steps marked with circles on the ground, simultaneously catching the ball passed from the side and pushing it from the chest to a marked area at 10m in a "dart" system; -Perform motor actions with progressively increased complexity by catching and throwing balls while moving; -Execute 8 passes while catching the minibasketball/soccer/volleyball/handball/sponge ball, while running through systematically arranged circles in a zigzag pattern interspersed with "skipping" exercises.…”