The Early Diagnosis of Boys and Girls in Academic Risk Using the Perceptual-Motor Diagnostic System: A Longitudinal Retrospective Study of Evidences of its Effectiveness

Abstract

The main objective in this study is to evidence the efficiency of the Peques System as a useful tool to diagnose, at an early stage, possible difficulties which will affect the academic performance. In a 3-year longitudinal study, the Perceptual-Motor Diagnostic System (Peques) was applied to a sample of 149 participants (77 boys and 72 girls), who were beginning preschool education. Peques classified 38 children with a high risk to lose a year at primary school level. After a three-year follow-up (first primary school level), it was determined that 23 of the 127 who remained in the study (18%), had failed the first, second or third school year. From the high-risk group diagnosed by the Peques System, an 83% indeed lost a school year. These boys and girls had difficulties in different aspects, such as their information processing capacity, motor development, corporal image, Gestalt development and corporal coordination. We concluded that Peques System was able to predict the academic failure in the primary school level, based on the perceptual-motor development reached at preschool level. Further, based on this experience it is recommended to pay special attention to perceptual-motor development, since it plays a basic role in the academic success of boys and girls.

Keywords

• Desarrollo perceptual-motor
• diagnóstico
• fracaso escolar
• niños
• niñas
• Peques.