MATP
What is MATP? (Motor Activity Training Programme)
MATP® was developed by Special Olympics and is a movement-based sports programme that provides meaningful sport and physical activity for young people with severe/profound, multiple impairments (PMLD) and Complex Support Needs. It is made up if FOUR core sport specific MATP® skill areas. These include: 1. Mobility (gross motor skills) 2. Dexterity (fine motor skills) 3. Kicking (lower body skills) 4. Striking (upper body skills)
Mobility: Any activities that involves an individual moving themselves. • Assisted walk (can be slalom or obstacles too) • Self-propelling in a wheelchair (can be slalom too) • Moving across a mat (log roll)
Dexterity: Activities around fine manipulation and throwing. • Throwing activities • Grasp and release activities • Knocking down skittles using a variety of balls/ramps • Bean bag lift and drop
Kicking: Moving anything with their lower body. • Pushing a ball/skittles/cones with legs or feet • Walking through skittles
Striking: Moving anything with the upper body. • Hitting balls with any racket to a target • Sliding an item off a table • Knocking a ball down a ramp with the hand/arm/shoulder/head • Hitting items suspended at eye-level or shoulder height
All pupils who are wheelchair users (except college) take part in an MATP session each week and the skill they are working on is decided by the class teacher. The skill they are working on is linked with their EHCP and IEP targets. MATP also works hand in hand with MOVE and pupils will work on their MOVE targets during MATP sessions.
All MATP sessions follow this same structure:
- Whole class warm up - this can be stretching exercises or parachute games.
- Organisation - this involves changing equipment as necessary, e.g. getting into a walking harness or stander.
- Event - pupils work on their target skill with others in a group.
- Organisation - transferring from equipment back into school chairs and helping to tidy up.
- Whole class cool down - nice relaxing music with gentle parachute games or swaying scarves/ribbons.
