Fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede is die onderbou of basis waarop al die vereiste vaardighede en aktiwiteite in die kurrikulum vir Senior Fase Liggaamlike Opvoeding van die Kurrikulum en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring (KABV), gebou is. Dit word verder in die literatuur beklemtoon dat die kwalitiet waarmee leerders „n fundamentele bewegingsvaardigheid uitvoer, net so belangrik is soos die kwantitatiewe uitkoms van die uitvoering. Liggaamlike Opvoedingonderwysers behoort dus bewus te wees van beide die kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe vlakke van leerders se fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede in die lig van die vereiste ontwikkeling en inoefening van gespesialiseerde bewegings- en sportvaardighede in die Liggaamlike Opvoedingprogram. Fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede speel verder „n integrale rol in „n leerder se algehele motoriese behendigheid. Die Liggaamlike Opvoeding-onderwyser moet voorts bewus wees van geslags- en etniese verskille in fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede en motoriese behendigheid ten einde effektief in die Liggaamlike Opvoedingprogram te differensieer en by verskillende leerders se vermoëns aan te pas. Verder, aangesien dit die primêre doelstelling van Liggaamlike Opvoeding in die KABV is om leerders te bemagtig om fisiek aktief te wees, is die verwantskap tussen fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede, motoriese behendigheid en fisieke aktiwiteitsvlakke nog „n aspek wat van belang is vir die Liggaamlike Opvoeding-onderwyser in die samestelling van die Liggaamlike Opvoedingprogram. Laastens toon navorsing „n verwantskap tussen motoriese behendigheid en akademiese prestasie. Die doel van hierdie studie was eerstens om die kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe stand van fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede by Senior Fase leerders in die Potchefstroom-omgewing te bepaal. Die tweede doelstelling was om die verskille tussen geslagte en etniese groepe ten opsigte van motoriese behendigheid te bepaal. Die derde doelstelling was om die verband tussen motoriese behendigheid en fisieke aktiwiteit te bepaal, en laastens om die verband tussen motoriese behendigheid en akademiese prestasie te bepaal. ʼn Totaal van 239 Senior Fase leerders (98 seuns en 141 dogters), tussen die ouderdomme 13 en 14 jaar het aan die studie deelgeneem. Kwantitatiewe metodologie, met „n eenmalige dwarssnit-ontwerp, is vir die doeleindes van die studie gebruik. Die proefpersone se fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede en motoriese behendigheid is bepaal met behulp van die verkorte weergawe van die Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2 (BOT-2) (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005), „n kwantitatiewe toetsbattery wat bestaan uit vier komponente, naamlik fynmotoriese kontrole, manipulasie koördinasie, liggaamskoördinasie en krag-en-ratsheid. Vir die kwalitatiewe bewegingsanalise is van die Fundamentele Bewegingspatroonassesseringsinstrument (FMPAI) (Gallahue & Donnelly, 2003) gebruik gemaak. Vir die meting van fisieke aktiwiteitsvlakke is gebruik gemaak van die gestandaardiseerde International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) (Sjöström, 2005). Hierdie vraelys vra die deelnemer om fisieke aktiwiteite van die laaste sewe dae, en ook van ‟n normale week oor die algemeen, gemeet in totale METS (metabolic equivalent – intensiteit van oefening), te rapporteer. Die leerders se akademiese prestasie is gemeet deur gebruik te maak van die gemiddelde akademiese punt (gemiddeld van al die vakke – Afrikaans, Engels, Wiskunde, Lewensoriëring, Geskiedenis, Geografie, Natuur-Wetenskap, Tegnologie, Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappe en Skeppende Kunste), op die leerder se rapport aan die einde van die jaar, asook die gemiddelde punte vir die twee vakke Engels en Wiskunde, soos op die rapport aan die einde van die jaar aangedui. Beskrywende statistiek is gebruik om gemiddeldes ( x ), minimum- en maksimumwaardes, en standaardafwykings (sa) met behulp van die Statistica vir Windows rekenaarprogram (StatSoft, 2012) te bereken. Verbande tussen die kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe resultate, tussen die motoriese behendigheidtoetse en die fisieke aktiwiteitsvlakke, asook tussen motoriese behendigheidstoetse en akademiese prestasie is ontleed met behulp van Spearman korrelasiekoëffisiënte. Om die praktiese betekenisvolheid van die verbande te bepaal is die korrelasiekoëffisiënt as effekgrootte (EG) gebruik. Ten einde die betekenisvolheid van geslagsen etniese verskille te bepaal, is die data verder geanaliseer deur gebruik te maak van onafhanklike t-toetse (p<0.05) en vir die doel van die interpretasie van praktiese betekenisvolheid van die verskille is effekgroottes (EG) bereken. Uit die resultate van die studie blyk dit dat daar in die kwantitatiewe evaluasie, veral by die wisselspronge, lynloop en eenbeenstand, agterstande by 20 tot 35% van die leerders was. Met betrekking tot die kwalitatiewe uitvoering van die vaardighede was die eenbeenstand by 22.6 tot 24.5% van die leerders nog nie in die volwasse stadium van bemeestering van fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede nie. Die kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe tellings het verder by die bonsen- vang- en die dribbel-van-die-bal toetse nie gekorreleer nie, wat daarop dui dat leerders soms kwantitatief, maar nie noodwendig kwalitatief, aan die norme voldoen het nie. Met betrekking tot verskille tussen geslagte en etniese groepe, toon die resultate dat die meisies oor die algemeen beter as die seuns gevaar het, en die Wit leerders beter gevaar het as die Swart leerders in die fynmotoriese koördinasietoetse. Met betrekking tot liggaamskoördinasie het die Wit leerders betekenisvol beter as die Swart leerders in die wisselsprongtoets gevaar. Betekenisvolle verskille is verder met betrekking tot die krag- en ratsheidkomponent gevind, waar die Wit leerders beter as die Swart leerders in die eenbeenspring-item gevaar het, terwyl onderskeidelik seuns en Wit groepe beter resultate as die meisies en die Swart groepe in die opsit- en opstoottoetse getoon het, asook met betrekking tot die totale motoriese behendigheidstelling (totale BOT-2 telling). Wat die fisieke aktiwiteitsvlakke van die proefpersone betref, toon die totale groep ʼn gemiddelde waarde van 489.68 METS per week, wat as matig-aktief geklassifiseer kon word, terwyl die seuns as hoog-aktief en die meisies as matig-aktief beskou kan word. Daar is ook statisties betekenisvolle korrelasies tussen die fisieke aktiwiteitsvlakke en verskeie motoriese vaardighede gevind, sowel as die totale BOT-2 telling by die totale groep en die seuns en meisies afsonderlik. Die motoriese sub-item waar die sterkste korrelasie met fisieke aktiwiteitvlakke in die totale groep asook by seuns en meisies afsonderlik gevind is, was die liggaamskoördinasie-item van die wisselspronge. Laastens toon die resultate met betrekking tot die verband tussen motoriese behendigheid en akademiese prestasie, betekenisvolle korrelasies tussen die verskillende groepe (seuns, meisies en totale groep) se Engelse, Wiskunde en jaargemiddeld en verskeie sub-items van al die komponente van die BOT-2, naamlik fyn-motoriese kontrole, manipulasie koördinasie, liggaamskoördinasie, krag en ratsheid, asook die totale motoriese behendigheidtelling, alhoewel hoofsaaklik met klein praktiese effekte. Die sterkste korrelasie is by al die groepe tussen die jaargemiddeld, asook die Engels en Wiskunde in ‟n mindere mate, met krag en ratsheid, gevind. Die totale motoriese behendigheidstelling het verder betekenisvol gekorreleer met die jaargemiddeld by al die groepe, met praktiese betekenisvolheid van medium effek. Die resultate van hierdie studie beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid van die bewustheid van en assessering van die kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe stand van leerders se fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede deur die Liggaamlike Opvoeding-onderwyser. Die ontwikkeling en instandhouding van fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede behoort dus in die kurrikulum vir Senior Fase Liggaamlike Opvoeding ingesluit te word, ook met die oog op optimale motoriese behendigheidsontwikkeling. Die Liggaamlike Opvoeding-onderwyser behoort verder die Liggaamlike Opvoedingprogram aan te pas by die motoriese behendigheidsvlakke van die verskillende geslagte en etniese groepe in die klas, met spesifieke aandag aan die liggaamskoördinasievaardighede van Swart meisies en Swart seuns, asook krag- en ratsheidvaardighede by meisies en Swart leerders. Die verwantskappe wat gevind is tussen fisieke aktiwiteitsvlakke en motoriese behendigheid beklemtoon voorts die waarde van motoriese vaardigheidsontwikkeling in die Liggaamlike Opvoedingklas ten einde die kurrikulum vir Liggaamlike Opvoeding se doelwit om leerders te bemagtig om fisiek aktief te wees, te bereik. Laastens toon die verwantskappe wat gevind is tussen motoriese behendigheid en akademiese prestasie dat die ontwikkeling en instandhouding van motoriese vaardighede in die Liggaamlike Opvoedingprogram in Senior Fase-leerders se kognitiewe ontwikkeling en akademiese prestasie „n rol kan speel. / PhD (Movement Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede is die onderbou of basis waarop al die vereiste vaardighede en aktiwiteite in die kurrikulum vir Senior Fase Liggaamlike Opvoeding van die Kurrikulum en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring (KABV), gebou is. Dit word verder in die literatuur beklemtoon dat die kwalitiet waarmee leerders „n fundamentele bewegingsvaardigheid uitvoer, net so belangrik is soos die kwantitatiewe uitkoms van die uitvoering. Liggaamlike Opvoedingonderwysers behoort dus bewus te wees van beide die kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe vlakke van leerders se fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede in die lig van die vereiste ontwikkeling en inoefening van gespesialiseerde bewegings- en sportvaardighede in die Liggaamlike Opvoedingprogram. Fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede speel verder „n integrale rol in „n leerder se algehele motoriese behendigheid. Die Liggaamlike Opvoeding-onderwyser moet voorts bewus wees van geslags- en etniese verskille in fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede en motoriese behendigheid ten einde effektief in die Liggaamlike Opvoedingprogram te differensieer en by verskillende leerders se vermoëns aan te pas. Verder, aangesien dit die primêre doelstelling van Liggaamlike Opvoeding in die KABV is om leerders te bemagtig om fisiek aktief te wees, is die verwantskap tussen fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede, motoriese behendigheid en fisieke aktiwiteitsvlakke nog „n aspek wat van belang is vir die Liggaamlike Opvoeding-onderwyser in die samestelling van die Liggaamlike Opvoedingprogram. Laastens toon navorsing „n verwantskap tussen motoriese behendigheid en akademiese prestasie. Die doel van hierdie studie was eerstens om die kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe stand van fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede by Senior Fase leerders in die Potchefstroom-omgewing te bepaal. Die tweede doelstelling was om die verskille tussen geslagte en etniese groepe ten opsigte van motoriese behendigheid te bepaal. Die derde doelstelling was om die verband tussen motoriese behendigheid en fisieke aktiwiteit te bepaal, en laastens om die verband tussen motoriese behendigheid en akademiese prestasie te bepaal. ʼn Totaal van 239 Senior Fase leerders (98 seuns en 141 dogters), tussen die ouderdomme 13 en 14 jaar het aan die studie deelgeneem. Kwantitatiewe metodologie, met „n eenmalige dwarssnit-ontwerp, is vir die doeleindes van die studie gebruik. Die proefpersone se fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede en motoriese behendigheid is bepaal met behulp van die verkorte weergawe van die Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2 (BOT-2) (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005), „n kwantitatiewe toetsbattery wat bestaan uit vier komponente, naamlik fynmotoriese kontrole, manipulasie koördinasie, liggaamskoördinasie en krag-en-ratsheid. Vir die kwalitatiewe bewegingsanalise is van die Fundamentele Bewegingspatroonassesseringsinstrument (FMPAI) (Gallahue & Donnelly, 2003) gebruik gemaak. Vir die meting van fisieke aktiwiteitsvlakke is gebruik gemaak van die gestandaardiseerde International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) (Sjöström, 2005). Hierdie vraelys vra die deelnemer om fisieke aktiwiteite van die laaste sewe dae, en ook van ‟n normale week oor die algemeen, gemeet in totale METS (metabolic equivalent – intensiteit van oefening), te rapporteer. Die leerders se akademiese prestasie is gemeet deur gebruik te maak van die gemiddelde akademiese punt (gemiddeld van al die vakke – Afrikaans, Engels, Wiskunde, Lewensoriëring, Geskiedenis, Geografie, Natuur-Wetenskap, Tegnologie, Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappe en Skeppende Kunste), op die leerder se rapport aan die einde van die jaar, asook die gemiddelde punte vir die twee vakke Engels en Wiskunde, soos op die rapport aan die einde van die jaar aangedui. Beskrywende statistiek is gebruik om gemiddeldes ( x ), minimum- en maksimumwaardes, en standaardafwykings (sa) met behulp van die Statistica vir Windows rekenaarprogram (StatSoft, 2012) te bereken. Verbande tussen die kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe resultate, tussen die motoriese behendigheidtoetse en die fisieke aktiwiteitsvlakke, asook tussen motoriese behendigheidstoetse en akademiese prestasie is ontleed met behulp van Spearman korrelasiekoëffisiënte. Om die praktiese betekenisvolheid van die verbande te bepaal is die korrelasiekoëffisiënt as effekgrootte (EG) gebruik. Ten einde die betekenisvolheid van geslagsen etniese verskille te bepaal, is die data verder geanaliseer deur gebruik te maak van onafhanklike t-toetse (p<0.05) en vir die doel van die interpretasie van praktiese betekenisvolheid van die verskille is effekgroottes (EG) bereken. Uit die resultate van die studie blyk dit dat daar in die kwantitatiewe evaluasie, veral by die wisselspronge, lynloop en eenbeenstand, agterstande by 20 tot 35% van die leerders was. Met betrekking tot die kwalitatiewe uitvoering van die vaardighede was die eenbeenstand by 22.6 tot 24.5% van die leerders nog nie in die volwasse stadium van bemeestering van fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede nie. Die kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe tellings het verder by die bonsen- vang- en die dribbel-van-die-bal toetse nie gekorreleer nie, wat daarop dui dat leerders soms kwantitatief, maar nie noodwendig kwalitatief, aan die norme voldoen het nie. Met betrekking tot verskille tussen geslagte en etniese groepe, toon die resultate dat die meisies oor die algemeen beter as die seuns gevaar het, en die Wit leerders beter gevaar het as die Swart leerders in die fynmotoriese koördinasietoetse. Met betrekking tot liggaamskoördinasie het die Wit leerders betekenisvol beter as die Swart leerders in die wisselsprongtoets gevaar. Betekenisvolle verskille is verder met betrekking tot die krag- en ratsheidkomponent gevind, waar die Wit leerders beter as die Swart leerders in die eenbeenspring-item gevaar het, terwyl onderskeidelik seuns en Wit groepe beter resultate as die meisies en die Swart groepe in die opsit- en opstoottoetse getoon het, asook met betrekking tot die totale motoriese behendigheidstelling (totale BOT-2 telling). Wat die fisieke aktiwiteitsvlakke van die proefpersone betref, toon die totale groep ʼn gemiddelde waarde van 489.68 METS per week, wat as matig-aktief geklassifiseer kon word, terwyl die seuns as hoog-aktief en die meisies as matig-aktief beskou kan word. Daar is ook statisties betekenisvolle korrelasies tussen die fisieke aktiwiteitsvlakke en verskeie motoriese vaardighede gevind, sowel as die totale BOT-2 telling by die totale groep en die seuns en meisies afsonderlik. Die motoriese sub-item waar die sterkste korrelasie met fisieke aktiwiteitvlakke in die totale groep asook by seuns en meisies afsonderlik gevind is, was die liggaamskoördinasie-item van die wisselspronge. Laastens toon die resultate met betrekking tot die verband tussen motoriese behendigheid en akademiese prestasie, betekenisvolle korrelasies tussen die verskillende groepe (seuns, meisies en totale groep) se Engelse, Wiskunde en jaargemiddeld en verskeie sub-items van al die komponente van die BOT-2, naamlik fyn-motoriese kontrole, manipulasie koördinasie, liggaamskoördinasie, krag en ratsheid, asook die totale motoriese behendigheidtelling, alhoewel hoofsaaklik met klein praktiese effekte. Die sterkste korrelasie is by al die groepe tussen die jaargemiddeld, asook die Engels en Wiskunde in ‟n mindere mate, met krag en ratsheid, gevind. Die totale motoriese behendigheidstelling het verder betekenisvol gekorreleer met die jaargemiddeld by al die groepe, met praktiese betekenisvolheid van medium effek. Die resultate van hierdie studie beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid van die bewustheid van en assessering van die kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe stand van leerders se fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede deur die Liggaamlike Opvoeding-onderwyser. Die ontwikkeling en instandhouding van fundamentele bewegingsvaardighede behoort dus in die kurrikulum vir Senior Fase Liggaamlike Opvoeding ingesluit te word, ook met die oog op optimale motoriese behendigheidsontwikkeling. Die Liggaamlike Opvoeding-onderwyser behoort verder die Liggaamlike Opvoedingprogram aan te pas by die motoriese behendigheidsvlakke van die verskillende geslagte en etniese groepe in die klas, met spesifieke aandag aan die liggaamskoördinasievaardighede van Swart meisies en Swart seuns, asook krag- en ratsheidvaardighede by meisies en Swart leerders. Die verwantskappe wat gevind is tussen fisieke aktiwiteitsvlakke en motoriese behendigheid beklemtoon voorts die waarde van motoriese vaardigheidsontwikkeling in die Liggaamlike Opvoedingklas ten einde die kurrikulum vir Liggaamlike Opvoeding se doelwit om leerders te bemagtig om fisiek aktief te wees, te bereik. Laastens toon die verwantskappe wat gevind is tussen motoriese behendigheid en akademiese prestasie dat die ontwikkeling en instandhouding van motoriese vaardighede in die Liggaamlike Opvoedingprogram in Senior Fase-leerders se kognitiewe ontwikkeling en akademiese prestasie „n rol kan speel. / PhD (Movement Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Several researchers have reported that the perceptual-motor skills of today’s children are not optimally developed. Furthermore, childhood obesity has increased worldwide and is a cause for concern due to the effect that it has on the present and future public health of children. Childhood obesity has a bearing on a rise in chronic paediatric diseases and an increase in hypertension, as well as on motor and physical deficits. In spite of the inadequate perceptual-motor development that is reported, few studies have been reported that examine the effect of school-based movement development programmes to improve the motor proficiency of school beginners. Firstly, in this thesis, an attempt was made to establish a general profile of the motor proficiency of Grade 1 learners in the North West Province of South Africa, and to determine possible gender and racial differences. Secondly, the relationship between the body composition and blood pressure of Grade 1 learners was examined. Thirdly, the relationship between the body composition and motor, physical and object control skills of these learners was examined. The fourth objective was to determine the effect of school-based movement development programmes on the perceptual-motor proficiency of Grade 1 learners. For objectives one to three, data were collected by means of a stratified randomised sample of 816 Grade 1 learners (419 boys, 397 girls) with a mean age of 6,78 years (+ 0,49) who participated in the NW-CHILD study. The short form of the “Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2” (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005), which consists of eight subcomponents, was used to determine the learners’ motor proficiency and the “Test of Gross Motor Development-2” was used to determine the learners’ object control skills. Stature, body mass, skinfolds (subscapular, triceps and calf) and waist circumference were measured according to standard kinantropometric protocols. International cut-off points for body mass index (BMI) were used to classify learners in normal, overweight or obese categories. Blood pressure was measured by means of an Omron 705CP-II. With regard to objective 1, it appeared from the results, which were analysed with descriptive statistics and ttesting, and by making use of the Statistica computer program, that Grade 1 learners exhibit below average (49,63%) to average (48,16%) motor proficiency. The poorest skills exhibited by the learners were in strength, fine motor integration and fine motor precision. The motor proficiency of the boys was mostly average (63,96%) as opposed to that of the girls, which was largely classified as below average (64,74%), although the girls’ manual dexterity and bilateral co-ordination was significantly better compared to the boys. The motor proficiency of most of the white children was average (69,27%), compared to 58,73% of the black children, whose motor proficiency was below average. White children performed significantly better in fine motor precision, fine motor integration, manual dexterity, bilateral co-ordination, upper limb co-ordination and strength skills, and black children in balancing and running speed and agility skills. Concerning objective 2, it appeared from the results, which were analysed with descriptive statistics, the Spearman correlation coefficients and one-way analysis of variance, that the overall incidence of prehypertension and hypertension was 8,5% and 24,9% respectively. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure exhibited a significant relationship with BMI, body fat percentage and waist circumference. Boys and girls exhibited the same incidence of hypertension. A higher percentage of the black children were hypertensive compared to the white children, although the difference in the blood pressure of the groups was not significant. A high percentage of children of normal weight also exhibited high levels of blood pressure. As far as objective 3 is concerned, it appeared from the results, which were analysed with descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation coefficients and one-way analysis of variance, that 1 out of every 10 learners (11,64%) was overweight (7,84%) or obese (3,80%). Fine motor precision, balance, running speed, agility and strength exhibited a significant relationship with body mass index (p<0.05), while no clear relationship was found between object control skills, upper limb co-ordination and body mass index. For objective 4, two schools were selected from the total sample in one urban area, which consisted of 75 learners (school 1=40 and school 2=35) who had a mean age of 6,66 years (+ 0,24) and who participated in two different perceptual-motor movement development programmes. The perceptual-motor movement development programme of School 1 was based on a process-oriented approach, as opposed to the programme of School 2, which was based on a product-oriented approach. Motor proficiency was measured by making use of the short form of the “Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2”. The results, which were analysed with descriptive statistics, independent t-testing and a covariance of analysis, showed that both movement development programmes contributed to significant improvements in some of the motor proficiency subcomponents. However, the process-oriented movement programme contributed to a greater extent to improvement on an individual level, which was attributed to the improved underlying neurological processes of motor proficiency and bilateral integration that underwent improvement as a result, while the level of motor proficiency mastery of the product-oriented movement development programme remained unchanged. On the grounds of the above results it is advised that educators, such as the Physical Education teachers who work with Grade 1 learners, take note of the possible deficits with regard to motor proficiency, overweight and obesity, and implement suitable intervention programmes, taking into consideration the gender and racial specific differences that were found in this study. The measuring of blood pressure for basic screening purposes is important in the child population and interventions that include physical activity are advised to reduce the potential cardiovascular complications of obesity amongst children. It could also be recommended that school-based movement development programmes, which are presented by specialists, be implemented in order to improve the motor proficiency of Grade 1 learners and to also contribute to the improvement of the skills of learners with perceptual-motor and physical proficiency problems. / Thesis (PhD (Human Movement Sciences))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Several researchers have reported that the perceptual-motor skills of today’s children are not optimally developed. Furthermore, childhood obesity has increased worldwide and is a cause for concern due to the effect that it has on the present and future public health of children. Childhood obesity has a bearing on a rise in chronic paediatric diseases and an increase in hypertension, as well as on motor and physical deficits. In spite of the inadequate perceptual-motor development that is reported, few studies have been reported that examine the effect of school-based movement development programmes to improve the motor proficiency of school beginners. Firstly, in this thesis, an attempt was made to establish a general profile of the motor proficiency of Grade 1 learners in the North West Province of South Africa, and to determine possible gender and racial differences. Secondly, the relationship between the body composition and blood pressure of Grade 1 learners was examined. Thirdly, the relationship between the body composition and motor, physical and object control skills of these learners was examined. The fourth objective was to determine the effect of school-based movement development programmes on the perceptual-motor proficiency of Grade 1 learners. For objectives one to three, data were collected by means of a stratified randomised sample of 816 Grade 1 learners (419 boys, 397 girls) with a mean age of 6,78 years (+ 0,49) who participated in the NW-CHILD study. The short form of the “Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2” (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005), which consists of eight subcomponents, was used to determine the learners’ motor proficiency and the “Test of Gross Motor Development-2” was used to determine the learners’ object control skills. Stature, body mass, skinfolds (subscapular, triceps and calf) and waist circumference were measured according to standard kinantropometric protocols. International cut-off points for body mass index (BMI) were used to classify learners in normal, overweight or obese categories. Blood pressure was measured by means of an Omron 705CP-II. With regard to objective 1, it appeared from the results, which were analysed with descriptive statistics and ttesting, and by making use of the Statistica computer program, that Grade 1 learners exhibit below average (49,63%) to average (48,16%) motor proficiency. The poorest skills exhibited by the learners were in strength, fine motor integration and fine motor precision. The motor proficiency of the boys was mostly average (63,96%) as opposed to that of the girls, which was largely classified as below average (64,74%), although the girls’ manual dexterity and bilateral co-ordination was significantly better compared to the boys. The motor proficiency of most of the white children was average (69,27%), compared to 58,73% of the black children, whose motor proficiency was below average. White children performed significantly better in fine motor precision, fine motor integration, manual dexterity, bilateral co-ordination, upper limb co-ordination and strength skills, and black children in balancing and running speed and agility skills. Concerning objective 2, it appeared from the results, which were analysed with descriptive statistics, the Spearman correlation coefficients and one-way analysis of variance, that the overall incidence of prehypertension and hypertension was 8,5% and 24,9% respectively. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure exhibited a significant relationship with BMI, body fat percentage and waist circumference. Boys and girls exhibited the same incidence of hypertension. A higher percentage of the black children were hypertensive compared to the white children, although the difference in the blood pressure of the groups was not significant. A high percentage of children of normal weight also exhibited high levels of blood pressure. As far as objective 3 is concerned, it appeared from the results, which were analysed with descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation coefficients and one-way analysis of variance, that 1 out of every 10 learners (11,64%) was overweight (7,84%) or obese (3,80%). Fine motor precision, balance, running speed, agility and strength exhibited a significant relationship with body mass index (p<0.05), while no clear relationship was found between object control skills, upper limb co-ordination and body mass index. For objective 4, two schools were selected from the total sample in one urban area, which consisted of 75 learners (school 1=40 and school 2=35) who had a mean age of 6,66 years (+ 0,24) and who participated in two different perceptual-motor movement development programmes. The perceptual-motor movement development programme of School 1 was based on a process-oriented approach, as opposed to the programme of School 2, which was based on a product-oriented approach. Motor proficiency was measured by making use of the short form of the “Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2”. The results, which were analysed with descriptive statistics, independent t-testing and a covariance of analysis, showed that both movement development programmes contributed to significant improvements in some of the motor proficiency subcomponents. However, the process-oriented movement programme contributed to a greater extent to improvement on an individual level, which was attributed to the improved underlying neurological processes of motor proficiency and bilateral integration that underwent improvement as a result, while the level of motor proficiency mastery of the product-oriented movement development programme remained unchanged. On the grounds of the above results it is advised that educators, such as the Physical Education teachers who work with Grade 1 learners, take note of the possible deficits with regard to motor proficiency, overweight and obesity, and implement suitable intervention programmes, taking into consideration the gender and racial specific differences that were found in this study. The measuring of blood pressure for basic screening purposes is important in the child population and interventions that include physical activity are advised to reduce the potential cardiovascular complications of obesity amongst children. It could also be recommended that school-based movement development programmes, which are presented by specialists, be implemented in order to improve the motor proficiency of Grade 1 learners and to also contribute to the improvement of the skills of learners with perceptual-motor and physical proficiency problems. / Thesis (PhD (Human Movement Sciences))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013