Process skills refers to a person's ability to utilize a variety of skills required for problem solving and understanding the world around him. These skills help people process the information taken in during the course of their days. An example of a process skill is prediction. If you have a well-developed ability to predict, you can use past experience to anticipate the outcome of a decision. You can also research the results other people have experienced and use this information to predict what will happen if you engage in similar behavior.
Gross motor skills require the use of multiple parts of the body, even the entire body, to complete properly. They include running, walking, jumping and throwing. Skills such as balance and coordination are required for successful execution of gross motor skills. Sports use gross motor skills. Strengthening of the body through physical therapy helps people who have weak gross motor skills. Weak gross motor skills are sometimes the result of injury or neurological problems.
As the name implies, fine motor skills require more finely tuned use of muscles. Rather than being whole body processes, fine motor skills use more concentrated areas of the body. Activities such as writing, hand sewing, fastening clothing and cutting with scissors are fine motor skills. Occupational therapy is often employed for those who struggle with fine motor skills. Fine motor skill deficiency may be the result of injury or a neurological problem and can be indicative of a developmental delay in young children.
The Assessment of Motor and Process Skills is a way for professionals to evaluate a person's ability with regard to motor and process skills. This is an observational test, in which a person is asked to complete a task that is part of his everyday life and the professional watches and takes note of different aspects of his ability to perform the task. The task is broken down into the many cognitive and physical aspects that make it up, and the individual is evaluated based on his ability to complete each part of the task.