The purpose of this study was to verify the development of fundamental motor skills in elementary school children with different scholar environment. Fifteen children from a public school (CPub) and 15 children from a private school (CPri) were randomly chosen, from all enrolled in the 5th grade. Children from the CPri were enrolled, along the first four grades of elementary school, in physical activities developed by a Physical Education teacher whereas the activities for the CPub were ministered by the teacher without specific major degree. All the children were videotaped performing the Locomotor and object control subtests of the Test of Gross Motor Development, obtaining the raw score and the age equivalent. MANOVAs indicated that lower raw scores for the CPub group. Age equivalent of the object control subtest also was lower for the CPub group. Finally, t tests indicated no difference between age equivalent and chronological age for the CPri group, however, indicated lower age equivalent than chronological age in the control object subtest. These results indicate that school context influences children’s motor development.
Physical Education; Education Primary and Secondary; Human Development
