Jump into movement (JiM) is a movement based health and wellbeing programme designed to boost confidence, self-esteem, movement skills, fine and gross motor skills, co-ordination and sequencing within a gym hall environment.
JiM focuses on gross motor skills and learners will participate in group based activities designed to develop the needs of each individual taking part.
Indicators
Children with co-ordination difficulties will not exhibit all of the following characteristics and many of them can be indicative of other difficulties.
Young children may:
- be late to reach milestones, for example, rolling, crawling, walking, talking
- have difficulty walking up/down stairs, bump into things easily or trip
- be unable to hop, skip or jump
- have difficulties with dressing
- have delayed hand dominance and difficulties with jigsaws, puzzles and shape sorting
- have low muscle tone - seem unstable around joints
- be unable to follow simple instructions
- have sleeping and/or eating difficulties
Children in early-mid primary may:
- show general coordination difficulties becoming very evident
- experience difficulties in PE, for example, throwing, catching, running
- have a limited concentration span and/or be easily distracted
- experience hand/eye coordination issues- poor visual tracking; poor handwriting and pencil control
- experience difficulty following more complex instructions
- find aspects of maths challenging - sequencing, number bonds, tables and abstract problems
- have poor spatial and body awareness
- experience low self-esteem/frustration/difficulty forming relationships
- become restless and distracted
- have physical symptoms, for example, sore head, sick
In addition to some of the characteristics detailed above children in upper primary and secondary may:
- have poor organisational skills
- find handwriting becoming increasingly problematic - slow and inaccurate
- tire more easily
- find practical subjects cause frustration
- become socially isolated
- have a poor sense of rhythm
- forget complex instructions
- exhibit more extreme behavioural difficulties
Strategies
Teachers and classroom assistants can help by:
- giving clear and simple instructions
- positioning child with clear view of board and teacher and with minimal distractions
- ensuring child is sitting comfortably with feet on floor, desk at elbow height and at end of group
- limiting the amount of handwriting/copying - offer alternatives to presenting work
- allow extra time to change for PE
- teaching organisational strategies, and providing visual timetables/maths aids/laptops/homework diary
- praising effort rather than end product
- allowing child to rest against wall/cupboard while sitting on floor
- encouraging partnerships with peers
- be sensitive to child’s limitations - never compare/ridicule
- give extra time and visits to toilet
Benefits of attending JiM
The development of gross motor skills is the main focus of JiM but confidence building and self-esteem are of a high importance. Constant repetition of activities allows the body and brain to develop and allow movements to become more automatic, fluent and allow the child to carry them out without the need to overthink it. When this happens the child grows in confidence and seems to develop a more 'can do' attitude within gym.
JiM is an East Ayrshire Support Team (EAST) programme. Through coaching and modelling sessions a classroom assistant from your child’s school will be trained to deliver this programme on a weekly basis. Each pupil will participate in two 30-45 minute sessions per week within a group environment. Each group will consist of up to ten pupils per session. Each session will have a different focus but will be centred round the needs of each group member.
Within JiM we try to involve outside agencies to work with the children on various different sports and also involve families to attend and participate in sessions with the pupils.
Useful links
Useful resources
- Get Physical! An inclusive, therapeutic PE programme to develop motor skills - L Addy, LDA
- Speed up! A kinaesthetic programme to develop fluent handwriting - L Addy & R Lawrie , LDA
- Take Ten: Advice, games and activities to develop fine motor skills - S Drew, LDA