Effect of a Modified Educational Sports Program on Improving Motor Skills in Students with Motor Difficulties
This study examined the effectiveness of a modified educational sports program in improving selected motor skills, specifically dynamic balance and reaction time, among primary school students with motor difficulties. A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test/post-test control group was adopted. The sample consisted of fourteen male students aged 7–8 years, purposively selected from a primary school in Djelfa (Algeria) and randomly assigned into two equal groups: an experimental group (n = 7) that participated in a structured modified physical education program over seven weeks (two sessions per week; 14 sessions in total), and a control group (n = 7) that continued with traditional physical education activities. Dynamic balance was assessed with a 6-m beam-walking test and reaction time with the Nelson hand reaction test. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent and paired samples t-tests (p < .05). The results revealed statistically significant improvements in both balance and reaction time in favor of the experimental group, whereas no significant changes were observed in the control group. These findings are consistent with contemporary meta-analytic evidence showing that structured, task-oriented motor interventions produce meaningful gains in children with motor coordination difficulties, and they underline the importance of individualized, progressively designed adapted physical education in inclusive school settings.
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