Abstract:

This study is a part of my PhD research. For my thesis I am examining the connection between learning skills and persistent baby reflexes, and how movement exercises can improve children’s cognitive skills.

Many children suffer from various problems. Some underperform in multiple school subjects, below the level expected of them at their level of intelligence. Some are “clumsy”, bite their nails, experience anxiety, keep rocking on their chairs, or occasionally still wet their beds around the age of 6. There are of course other symptoms besides those mentioned above that occur in children participating in state education, making not just school but also their everyday life more difficult.

In 2002 in Hungary 944244 pupils were in the primary school. From them 58748 had some problems with their studies, behaviour or socializing. By 2017 although the numbers of pupils had decreased to 741427, the numbers of children with a problem had increased to 88314.

My thesis study examines the sensorimotor state of 4- to 8-year-old children. The study includes 803 children aged between 4 and 8 years who attend kindergarten or primary school. They are from all over Hungary including the capital city. The children were divided into two groups, research and control, containing 703 and 63 persons respectively.

The input tests used in the study checked seven primitive reflexes, the state of vestibular system, seriality, multichannel attention and short-term memory.

The output test was the same, but we additionally measured visual and auditive learning skills.
The output measurements were taken following 7.5 months of sensorimotor training performed 3-5 times a week.
When examining the output measurements, we used the Willcoxon and Mann-Whitney- tests.

In the Willcoxon test we compared the sensorimotor development in the Research Group and the Control Group. In the Research Group the difference between the input and output measurements were significant, with p<0.05 (p=0.000). In the Control Group the development was not significant, with p>0 (p=0.175).

Visual and auditive learning skills were measured using the Mann-Whitney test. The result of visual learning skills was significantly better in the Research Group than in the Control Group, with p<0.05 (p=0.000). The result of auditive learning skills was also significantly better in the Research Group than in the Control Group, with p<0 (p=0.017).

We can conclude that sensorimotor training over 7.5 months, 3-5 times a week, has a significant effect not only for sensorimotor development but also for visual and auditive learning skills.

Keywords:

Sensorimotor, development, learning disabilities, auditive learning skills, visual learning skills.