Aard van neuro-motoriese inperkings by 7- en 8-jarige leerders met leerhindernisse

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the extent of neuro-motor impairments in 7 to 8 year-old children with barriers to learning and the possible relationship of such impairment to specific learning areas. Sixty-eight learners with a mean age of 7.5 years (SD=0.43) (45 boys; 23 girls) were selected to represent a group (n=31) experiencing learning barriers (BL-group) and a group without barriers to learning (n=37). The BL-group (21 boys; 10 girls) received learning support in Grade 1 and was in Grade 2 during the data collection. The Quick Neurological Screening Test II (QNST-II) and the Sensory Input Systems Screening Test were used as assessment instruments. The independent t-test was used to analyse differences between the groups (p<0.05), while a correspondence analysis was used for the two-way analysis of variance to establish a multi-dimensional representation of barriers to learning in specific learning areas. Statistical (p≤0.05) and practical (d≥0.8) significant neuro-motor group differences were found, especially in visual, auditory and tactile perception and gross motor skills. Writing skills was the learning area that was mostly influenced by the different items of the QNST-II, while the QNST-II total score showed relationships with moderate difficulties in reading and writing and with severe difficulties in mathematics.

Key words: Learning barriers; Perceptual-motor skills; Gross motor; Fine motor; Reading; Writing; Mathematics.

Full Article is Afrikaans