What is MoveScreener?

• An indicator of developmental readiness for school.
• For children aged 4.5 – 5.5 years (Preschool & Primary).
• Children in day clothes – no need for gym kit.
• Can be carried out indoors or outdoors – weather permitting!
• 5 minutes screening per child if team of two members of staff.
• 12 minutes screening per child if one member of staff alone.
• Fully scripted Motor Assessments.
• Explanatory ‘Further Information’ for each assessment.
• Printable/copyable worksheet and recording sheets.
• Includes ‘General Overview’ of auditory and visual skills.
• Suggested follow-up actions for individual, group or class learning plans.
• Can be used as a Pre and Post Screener.
• Integrates with Literacy & Numeracy Baseline assessments.
• A staff training and CPD resource for all Early Years staff.
• Before starting to use MoveScreener staff involved need to:-
  • Thoroughly understand the whole MoveScreener so that they can follow the procedure and full script accurately to ensure each child has the same screening opportunity.
  • Check each other to ensure they can model (demonstrate) the Assessments correctly to the children.
     

How did MoveScreener come about?

In 2006 a Scottish Education Authority asked Ladder of Learning to find or develop a motor skills assessment to sit alongside their existing Literacy & Numeracy Baseline Assessments for children entering, or about to enter, the first year of Primary. The criteria specified were that it had to be:-

• a quick developmental indicator able to be administered without specialist training;
• able to identify any children not developmentally ready and not picked up at an earlier stage;
• capable of being applied consistently across the Authority by the staff in each school.

No readily available package could be found to match these criteria so the task became to develop one. Over the following five years there was collaboration with Early Years Specialists, Tutors, Teachers and other Pre-school / Reception, Primary and Year 1 staff, drafting, reviewing and testing. Trials were then carried out in Nurseries, Pre-schools or Schools in Scotland, England, Australia and New Zealand.

During this process the clear message was that inadequately developed motor skills could detrimentally influence a child’s literacy and numeracy learning ability. This did not appear to be limited to the actual motor skill itself – but also seemed to influence the necessary understanding and mental processing ability.

The question then became one of how to raise general awareness of this in the Early Years sector. Fortuitously at that time, Robyn Cox from New Zealand contacted Ladder of Learning about distributing her Get Ready for School DVD in the UK. This DVD was designed to raise awareness and inspire staff. Working closely with Robyn, the DVD was re-edited to suit the UK’s needs and MoveScreener was modified to incorporate the Foundation Skills as presented in the DVD.

The DVD has proven to be an excellent resource for staff training and CPD. To enhance the understanding and learning potential from the MoveScreener package there is included a “Further Information” section with some explanation as to why each activity is used and the possible effects the Teacher will see in the classroom if the child has not yet developed that skill.

The MoveScreener is not intended as a full assessment of motor skills as would be carried out by a qualified professional. It does give the teaching and support staff in a school a quick overview of skills necessary for the child to have the chance to enjoy getting started at school. It also suggests guidance on the kind of movement activities that could be used to help the child reach the appropriate level of development. Where appropriate the results from MoveScreener will recommend a fuller assessment by a suitably qualified professional.

Does MoveScreener produce a reliable screening process and result for your situation? Please try it out – it remains a work (play) in progress.

Everyone’s feedback is valuable. Please Email all comments to info@ladderoflearning.co.uk
An annual review of feedback is planned – and MoveScreener will be updated as appropriate.
 

How to access MoveScreener

A copy of MoveScreener is made available as a FREE download to all purchasers of the Get Ready for School DVD.

Find out more about the Get Ready for School DVD.
Order a copy of the Get Ready for School DVD.

The link to the MoveScreener download area is detailed in the Information Booklet accompanying the DVD.
The Download consists of four PDFs:-

• The main MoveScreener package, plus
• three other files each containing a working document needed for every screening.