Explain why assessing the young child’s motor skills is important, appropriate assessment, and caution for using motor assessment for school readiness decisions. Explain why assessing the young child’s motor skills is important, appropriate assessment, and caution for using motor assessment for school readiness decisions

Answer 1

ANSWER: Because the preschool period is a critical time for the development of fundamental motor skills, the adult who works with young children should be alert to each child’s developmental progress in order to assess how well each child is doing. It is important for young children to be engaged in informal teacher-planned and teacher-directed motor activities to ensure that all children have the opportunity to develop fundamental skills. Teachers of young children need to be skilled at assessment of children’s motor skill development, using checklist observations of motor activities during play, standardized measures, and considering cultural background when using assessments to inform decisions concerning school readiness.