ACTA UNIVERSITATIS PALACKIANAE OLOMUCENSIS GYMNICA ...

68 Acta Univ. Palacki. Olomuc., Gymn. 2004, vol. 34, no. 2TABLE 1General characteristics of the research subjectsSex N Age [years] AgeLevel of mental retardation[x] mild moderate severe10 11 12 13 14 15 16 N % N % N %Girls 21 0 1 4 8 2 4 2 13.47 1 4.76 15 71.42 5 21.80Boys 28 1 4 6 3 7 3 4 13.46 1 3.57 23 82.14 4 14.2821 girls and 28 boys. This group was subdivided intothree subgroups. The 1 st subgroup comprised thosewith a mild level of mental retardation; the 2 nd subgroup– those with a moderate level; the 3 rd subgroup – thosewith a severe level of mental retardation (TABLE 1).Some of the children also have various dysfunctions intheir motor organs (scoliosis, paraplegia, hemiplegia,torticollis, club-foot), but in most cases (85.7%) mentalretardation was the only observed dysfunction (TABLE 2).TABLE 2Dysfunctions in motor organsSexMental retardationWith dysfunctions Without dysfunctionsN % N %Girls 5 23.8 16 76.2Boys 2 7.1 26 92.9The Special School and Upbringing Centre inMrowla near Rzeszów can ensure good conditions forhelping children to achieve suitable motor skills comparableto those of others. There are two halls: one gymand one for correction exercise, and two fields: one forsport and one for recreation where physical educationtraining is held 3–4 times a week and corrective gymtraining is also held (4 hours per week). Children alsohave the opportunity to participate in training in theswimming pool 2 hours per week. All examined childrenattend sporting exercises that improve their motor skills(Momola & Marszałek, 1997).The examinations were carried out in the correctionexercise gym, separately for each individual child. Theexamination was interrupted in case of the physical ormental tiredness of a given child.Tests of motor ability were prepared according tothe Ozierecki method with a Barański modification. Theexercise set for a given calendar age, from 4–16 years ofage, included 6 groups of different motor tasks:– static co-ordination,– dynamic co-ordination,– hand co-ordination,– movement speed,– simultaneous movement performance,– movement precision.The set of tests was held separately in each group.The number of tasks is large and their level of difficultiesincreases with age and that makes the comparisonbetween age groups difficult and the examination timeconsuming.The evaluation is based on pointing out the agegroup in which the child completes all tasks and thosein which the child doesn’t complete any of them. Thusthe range of “motor ability” can be estimated and lateron–according to special rules – the “motor ability age”can be estimated. Based on the Barański classificationone can say whether the child is at a normal level ofdevelopment, backwardness or precociousness in comparisonwith the whole population.The basis for starting the test is estimation of a registeredcalendar age – that is the difference between thedate of research and the date of birth. The next step is– knowing the motor ability age and basis for conductedtasks – an estimation of the difference between the registeredand motor ability age that lets us classify the childinto one of the following categories:– precociousness [+D, +C, +B, +A],– backwardness [–A, –B, –C, –D],– the norm [0].The norm of motor skills is the difference betweenthe registered calendar age and the motor ability ageand varies from 0 to +18 months. In case the differenceis greater than +18 months, motor skills are classifiedat the precocious development level. In case the differenceis below 0 one can say that this is backwardness ofmotor skills (Barański, 1963; Olszowski, 1973; Szopa,Mleczko, & Żak, 1996).RESEARCH RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONOn the basis of the examinations conducted, themotor skills index in the 1 st subgroup was determinedto amount to –24 months in a girl, and –60 months ina boy. It must be mentioned that the boy’s result mayhave been influenced by his excessive obesity (his bodyweight was 96 kg at the body height of 145 cm).The 2 nd subgroup, in which 71% of the girls werecharacterised by a moderate degree of mental retardation,showed the average motor skills index of –57months. The participation of boys in this group was