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STUDY ON THE MEANS USED IN TEACHING CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME, THE CROWL FEET MOVEMENT

Valeria Balan

Abstract

Background The mean is the instrument used to act for reaching the targeted goal. In the field of physical education and sport, it is defined as a motor action of instrumental value, designed and programmed to reach the goals specific for different motor activities. The physical exercise is the main mean for the physical education and sport. The means used in teaching swimming are of special nature due to the horizontal position designated to practicing, the special aquatic breathing, the pressure always exercised by the water to the rib cage, as well as low corporal weight. In case of children with Down syndrome, the means of teaching them the swimming must also take into consideration their ability to learn, the time required for reaching at success, as well as the effective disabilities of the subject taught. Also, the coach must take into consideration the mental age of the subject and the over 80 clinical characteristics associated to Down syndrome, affecting the subject at bio-psychic-social level. Methods The study was carried out on three children with Down syndrome, who practice swimming as motor activity during their leisure and who did not know swimming at the beginning of the study. The swum means were individually scored for each child. They were analyzed in statistical-mathematics terms, the results were put into a table and then, they were charted. Results The study was carried out at the pool of Miramar Club, in Bucharest. Starting from the moment of this research start until the moment of carrying out this study, children have attended 36 swimming classes with the length of 1 hour each. To learn the movement, crawl feet exercises were practiced on wall and in movement. For this study, we took into consideration only the exercises practiced in movement because such exercises could be accurately quantified. The results obtained are part of a research which is achieved and published under the aegis of the National University of Physical Education and Sports of Bucharest, as a partner of the programme co-funded by the European Social Fund within the Operational Sectorial Programme for Human Resources Development 2007-2013 through the project Multi- and interdisciplinary in doctoral and post-doctoral programmes Project Code: POSDRU/159/1.5/S/141086, its main beneficiary being the Research Institute for Quality of Life, Romanian Academy. Conclusions During the teaching process, the weight of feet movement is higher. The means used to teach swimming were executed with or without specific or unspecific supporting devices, able to facilitate the learning process

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