Enhancing Cup Stacking Skills and Reaction Time in Children Through Instructional Self-talk: A Virtual Learning Approach

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Motor skill development is fundamental to children’s physical and cognitive growth. This study examined the effect of instructional self-talk on cup stacking performance and reaction time in children, exploring its potential as a tool for motor learning within a virtual environment. Methods: Thirty children aged 8 - 10 years from a local school participated in a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study. Participants were randomly assigned to either a self-talk group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). Reaction time and cup stacking time were measured before and after a four-week virtual cup stacking program delivered via the Shad educational platform. The program consisted of two 60-minute sessions per week. Both groups watched wordless instructional videos demonstrating cup stacking techniques. The self-talk group was instructed to use the verbal cue “with the right hand to the right, with the left hand to the left” while practicing, whereas the control group practiced without verbal cues. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with a significance level of α = 0.05. Results: The self-talk group showed significantly greater improvements in cup stacking performance and reaction time than the control group (P < 0.001), with large effect sizes (η2 = 0.55 - 0.69). Conclusions: Instructional self-talk effectively enhances children’s motor skill learning and reaction time. Integrating self-talk strategies into virtual learning environments offers a promising approach to fostering motor development in educational contexts.