Describe the major physical characteristics of primary grade children that are mentioned in Chapter 3 and note the implications of these characteristics for primary grade teachers

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Primary grade children tend to be quite active and may become fidgety when required to engage in relatively lengthy tasks that require them to be quiet and contemplative. Because of their high activity level, they are likely to become fatigued. Fine muscle control is still in the process of developing, particularly among boys. Finally, because primary grade children are confident of their motor skills, they often underestimate the risk involved in physical activities and are prone to injury.
Given these characteristics, primary grade teachers should allow a higher level of activity than teachers of older students would permit, allow a couple of recess breaks each day, design seatwork activities that can be completed in a relatively short period of time, schedule periods of quiet and relaxing activities after strenuous ones, minimize tasks that require extensive use of small muscle control (such as writing), keep reading activities short to reduce stress on visual focusing, and formulate playground rules that either forbid or discourage activities that are likely to lead to injuries.