Assessing gross motor skills development and age equivalents of children between 4 to 7 years in akyemansa district eastern region, ghana

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess gross motro skills development of identify age groups between 4 t0 7 years. Quasti Expeiemntal design was employed. Sixty participants were randomly selected for this study. They were assessed on locomotor and object control skills that include running, galloping, hoping, leaping, horizontal jumping and sliding, striking, dribbling, kicking, catching, throwing and underhand roll. The participants perform the Test of Gross Motor Skills Development-2, which yielded a reliability coeficient of 0.72 and 0.69 for locomotor and object control respectively for the internal consistency. Two hypotheses was tsted, and Multivariate Analysis of Variance and Analysis of Variance was used to analyzed at 0.05 significant level. The result joinly showed that Wilk's Lambda = .60, (F(6, 150) = 7.29, p<.05) was significant. This revealed that children age 6 years have higher mean of locomotor skills (M =6.35, SD = 2.13) and object control skills (M = 12.60, SD = 3.03) respectively to other age groups. The result on each dependent variable at alpha level of .025 showed significant difference between age groups on locomotor skills (F(3, 76) = 11.32, p=.000) with age 6 years also reported a better mean value (M = 12.60, SD =3.03) to others age groups. It was recommended that teachers should possess required knowledge to help children deficient any of the skills to properly develop adequately.

Acknowledgments: I wish to acknowledged all the teacher who assisted in the data collection.