The Effect of Fundamental Movement Skills Training Implemented with the Differential Learning Approach on the Attention Skills of Elementary School Students

Abstract

Physical activity is essential for the healthy growth and development of children, supporting motor skills as well as cognitive and psychosocial abilities. Research has demonstrated that children who engage in regular physical activity show improvements in executive functions, memory, and attention. The Differential Learning approach promotes variability in movement experiences, minimizing explicit instructions and corrections, which encourages adaptability and cognitive-motor interactions crucial for attention development. This study aims to examine the impact of a fundamental movement skills training program based on the Differential Learning approach on the attention skills of elementary school students. The sample consisted of 24 students (13 male, 11 female, aged 8-9 years) from the 3rd grade of a school in Beykoz, Istanbul. The program, lasting 13 weeks with two hours of weekly sessions, utilized Yellow Cards from Physical Activity Cards and focused on fundamental movement skills. Attention was assessed using the D2 Test of Attention as both a pre-test and post-test. Descriptive statistics and a Paired Sample T-test were used to analyze the data, revealing significant differences in psychomotor speed, quality of work, and attention balance speed (p<0.05). The mean scores for psychomotor speed increased from 2.50 to 4.54, work quality from 2.17 to 3.33, and speed-attention balance from 2.04 to 4.54, indicating a statistically significant improvement in these subdimensions. These results suggest that the Differential Learning approach effectively contributes to the development of attention skills in 3rd grade students.