SKIP-Cymru: evaluating the long-term impact of SKIP teacher professional development on children’s motor competence

Wainwright, Nalda and Goodway, Jacqueline D. and John, Amanda and Stevenson, Anna and Thomas, Kirsty (2025) SKIP-Cymru: evaluating the long-term impact of SKIP teacher professional development on children’s motor competence. Journal of Motor Learning and Development. pp. 1-20. ISSN 2325-3215

Text Wainwright, Nalda (2025) SKIP Cymru_evaluating the long term impact.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License CC-BY-NC-ND Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (528kB)

Abstract

Motor skill interventions addressing global developmental delays have shown to be effective, but there is limited ecological validity and evidence of long-term effects in these studies. This naturalistic, cross-sectional study compared the MC of children (n = 87) in classes of teachers previously trained in the Successful Kinesthetic Instruction for Preschoolers (SKIP)-Cymru early years motor skill program with children (n = 61) whose teachers had no training in motor skill instruction. A secondary aim assessed teachers’ ability to deliver SKIP-Cymru with fidelity 6–31 months after training. MC was assessed using the ball skills subscale of the Test of Gross Motor Development third edition (TGMD-3) and Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition. Fidelity was assessed through a fidelity of implementation evaluation completed during a lesson observation for teachers trained with SKIP-Cymru in the same week. Two, 2-Condition (SKIP-Cymru, non-SKIP) × 2-Sex (girls, boys) analyses of variances revealed a significant main effect for Condition (p < .001; TGMD-3, Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition). The TGMD-3 showed a main effect for sex. Children taught by teachers trained in SKIP-Cymru had significantly better MC than those in the non-SKIP schools, and boys outperformed girls in the TGMD-3. Teachers delivered SKIP-Cymru with fidelity of implementation (between 68% and 87%). This study provides initial evidence to support more robust training of teachers to embed principles of SKIP-Cymru in practice and impact child outcomes.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	** From Crossref journal articles via Jisc Publications Router
Uncontrolled Keywords:	fundamental motor skills, early childhood, fidelity of implementation
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1501 Primary Education
Divisions:	Institutes and Academies > Institute of Management and Health > Sport Health and Outdoor Education
SWORD Depositor:	JISC Publications Router
Depositing User:	JISC Publications Router
Date Deposited:	11 Aug 2025 11:47
Last Modified:	21 Aug 2025 09:11
URI:	https://repository.uwtsd.ac.uk/id/eprint/3869

Administrator Actions (login required)

Edit Item - Repository Staff Only