Motor Skills Competence in Preschool Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyse competence in fundamental motor skills of Galician preschoolers. A descriptive ex-post facto design was used. The sample was composed of 80 participants (68.2±4.0 months) from three Galician state schools. Motor skills were evaluated with the Test of Gross Motor Development, 2nd edition (TGMD-2). The scores achieved were 93.3±13.1 (percentile 37.3±25.9) in gross motor coefficient, 9.2±2.3 (percentile 41.7±23.5) in the locomotor skills subtest and 8.6±2.5 (percentile 36.1±24.7) in the object control skills subtest. In the comparisons by gender, differences were found in striking (male = 6.3±2.0; female = 4.9±2.2; p = .004) and dribbling (male = 4.3±1.8; female = 2.9±2.3; p = .003). The qualitative analysis was used to identify the performance criteria which the preschoolers in the sample found most difficult to master. In locomotor skills, the worst performance was in bending the non-support leg in running. In object control skills it was the position of the hands when gripping the bat. In conclusion, preschoolers’ competence in fundamental motor skills needs to be improved by optimising teaching-learning processes.