Psicomotricidade e desenvolvimento motor: um projeto de intervenção com crianças de ensino multisseriado da zona rural de São João dos Patos-MA

Abstract

Psychomotricity is an approach that integrates motor, cognitive, and affective aspects, playing a significant role in child development and the teaching-learning process. In rural school settings, particularly in multigrade classrooms, structural and pedagogical limitations may restrict opportunities for motor experiences, highlighting the need for strategies that promote children's holistic development. In this context, the present study aimed to develop and implement a psychomotor intervention program with students from multigrade classes in rural schools in São João dos Patos, Maranhão, Brazil, seeking to promote motor development, autonomy, social interaction, and cognitive-related skills through playful and body movement activities. This was a quasi-experimental intervention study with a pre- and post-intervention design, conducted with students from two public rural schools. Motor coordination was assessed using the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK), administered before and after six psychomotor intervention sessions. The intervention included motor circuits, obstacle races, adapted hopscotch activities, jumping tasks, lateral displacement exercises, and activities focused on balance and motor coordination. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficients, adopting a significance level of 5%. The results showed a predominance of insufficient motor coordination among the participants, with no significant association between sex and motor coordination classification. An increase in the mean Motor Quotient scores was observed after the intervention, indicating a trend toward improved motor performance; however, the statistical analyses performed did not allow confirmation of statistically significant differences between the pre- and post-intervention assessments. No significant association was found between age and motor performance. It is concluded that the psychomotor activities implemented represent a promising pedagogical strategy for expanding opportunities for motor experiences among students in rural multigrade classrooms and may contribute to the development of motor skills. Nevertheless, studies with more rigorous experimental designs are needed to confirm these findings