EFFECTS OF TWO PSYCHOMOTOR PROGRAMMES BASED ON DIFFERENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyse the effect of two motor intervention programmes, based on two different learning environments, on relevant dimensions in early childhood education: motor development, language development, mathematical thinking, motivation, and character. The research was conducted as a pilot study with children aged 4-5 years, based on a quasi-experimental group comparison design with pretest and post-test. The learning environment of the first group (n = 26) was based on Colombian legends, while the learning environment of the second group (n = 18) was based on the teacher’s playful pedagogical project. For data collection a sociodemographic data record sheet, the Utrecht and TEPSI tests, and the EMAPI were used. The results showed improvements in both groups in the explored dimensions, with the most significant changes occurring in the group whose learning environment was based on the teacher’s playful pedagogical project. These results confirm that motor intervention programmes in Physical Education have a positive impact on child development in early childhood education.

Keywords: Physical Education, language development, mathematical thinking development, motivation, early childhood education