Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Movement Programs for Young Children Ages 3-5
Steve Sanders, Assistant Professor, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
This article includes excerpts from a position statement of the Council on Physical Education for Children (COPEC)entitled "Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Movement Programs for Young Children 3-5." Dr. Sanders is a member of the committee which developed the document and is the author of the book,"Designing Preschool Movement Programs."
Within the past 10 years, the education of young children has become a major focus of public attention. The proliferation of preschools, child development centers, and other child care programs (including Head Start) for 3- to 5-year-old children has resulted in increased interest in the education of this age group.
In the mid-1980's, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) published a series of position statements which described developmentally appropriate practice for children from birth through age 8. In 1994, the Council on Physical Education for Children (COPEC) developed a document containing developmentally appropriate guidelines in movement programs for young children, which was modeled after the NAEYC guidelines.
"Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Movement Programs for Young Children" was written for teachers, parents, school administrators, policymakers, and other individuals who provide educational programs for 3- to 5-year-olds. It is intended to provide specific guidelines to assist in recognizing practices in movement programs that are in the best interests of children (appropriate) and those that are counterproductive, or even harmful (inappropriate).
It is COPEC's belief that a general "activity" oriented program consisting primarily of traditional games and dancing is not an appropriate process for maximizing children's physical development. A more appropriate approach for this age group would be to focus on basic motor skills and movement concepts and use these activities to assist in a child's total development.
In providing movement programs for young children, there are five basic premises that need to be understood:
- Children 3-, 4- and 5-years-old are different from elementary school-aged children;
- Young children learn through interaction with their environment;
- Teachers of young children are guides or facilitators;
- Young children learn and develop in an integrated fashion; and
- Planned movement experiences enhance play experiences.
The 25 components of the COPEC document are written so that teachers can use them to assist in designing appropriate programs. For example, one component suggests that appropriate curriculum practice would be to focus on providing children with a balance of skills and concept-related experiences to enhance cognitive, motor, affective, and physical development of individuals while staying away from activities that require all students to participate in large group games. Another component de-emphasizes fitness activities such as running laps or calisthenics, and instead suggests that for young children fitness be considered a by-product of participation in regular physical activity. Another component suggests that it is inappropriate practice for young children to be in situations where they are waiting in lines for a turn in a relay race, to be chosen for a team, or are asked to play mostly sedentary games, such as "Duck, Duck, Goose." Appropriate practice would be to encourage all children to be involved in activities which allow them to remain active throughout participation.
Other components deal with appropriate and inappropriate practices involved with teaching strategies, assessment, games, dance, gymnastics, competition, class size, success rate, equipment, repetition, and safe environments. All components are written so as to point out both the appropriate and inappropriate practices.
A developmentally appropriate movement program provides young children with an important first step towards becoming physically educated. (A physically educated person is defined as an individual who has learned the skills necessary to perform a variety of physical activities, participates regularly in physical activity, is physically fit, knows the implications of and the benefits from involvement in physical activities, and values physical activity and its contribution to a healthful lifestyle.)
These guidelines were written specifically to assist educators in developing appropriate movement programs for young children. Those interested in obtaining a complete copy of the developmentally appropriate guide lines can contact the: National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), 1900 Association Drive, Reston VA 22091. (703)476-3410.