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Abstract

Brain Gym is a series of exercises designed to help learners coordinate their

brains and their bodies better. This holistic approach to learning also

enables students to find an equilibrium between both sides of the brain and

body. When well learned it is a tool for life-long learning.

(Published in New Learning, Spring 2001, U.K.)

Brain Gym

T! "aguire

#$hildren %an learn al!s& an'&hing i &he' are dan%ing, &as&ing,

&u%hing, hearing, seeing, and eeling inr!a&in.

*n 1++0 -asha Lindse' se& up a rain /'! prgra!!e in $a!p

/n-ales, a 'ung enders de&en&in %en&re in $alirnia. She was in

%harge 2 'ung !en wh! &he %en&re des%ribed as unable & s&a' u&

sli&ar' %nine!en&. 3er a perid wee4s she wr4ed wi&h &he grup

&ea%hing &he! a rain /'! %lass. l&hugh &he %lass was nl' n%e a wee4,

&he' shwed re!ar4able i!pr3e!en& in &heir a%ade!i% learning. 5ha& !s&

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i!pressed &he learners &he!sel3es was &heir grwing sel7%n&rl, espe%iall'

in%reasing %!!and 3er &e!pera!en&al u&burs&s. ' &he &i!e -asha had

inished her %urse wi&h &he! nne were in sli&ar' %nine!en& and all bu&

&w &he! were h!e.

8r. $arla 9annard is a neurph'silgis& and edu%a&r wi&h !re

&han 2: 'ears &ea%hing e;perien%e. *n her bes& selling b4 S!ar&

"3es, 8r. 9annard belie3es &ha& learning is n& an isla&ed brain

un%&in bu& 3er' !u%h par& ur whle bd'.

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&hrugh & &he se!i7inals and !ade i& & &he inal. Tensin !un&ed during

&his las& ga!e sin%e &he %ha!pinship was s near, 'e& s ar. Te!pers began

& ra' during &he !a&%h and &he pla'ers were lsing %n&rl 3er &heir

pa&ien%e. & hal7&i!e &he b's gruped &ge&her and la' dwn n &he ield &

d h47ups while &he %a%h, paren&s and e3er'ne else l4ed n in

a!a-e!en&. Binall' &he' s&d up and wn &he s&a&e %ha!pinship.

n' gal !us& ha3e &he bd' and !ind wr4ing &ge&her. Tha&@s wha&

rain /'! all abu&. rea4dwn in perr!an%e is reAuen&l' a brea4dwn

be&ween &he !ind and bd'. rain g'! helps bridge &ha& gap.

This hlis&i% appra%h has pr3ed su%%essul in edu%a&in &,

a%%rding & &he s&ud' dne b' $e%ilia Bree!an and C'%e Sherwd n &he

ee%& rain /'! n reading s%res.

The resear%hers wr4ed wi&h &ea%hers and s&uden&s a& Sa&i%'

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!s& apprpria&e r 3arius a%ade!i% si&ua&ins, and hw & guide &he

s&uden&s in ding &he!.

The &ea%hers &hen &augh& &he %hildren in &heir %lasses hw & de%ide r

&he!sel3es whi%h rain /'! !3e!en&s &he' needed & i!ple!en& a& an'

gi3en &i!e.

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The resul&s &he s&ud' were i!pressi3e. 8uring &ha& 'ear, &he reading

s%res &he rain /'! grup had g& be&&er, rising r! EEF & :+F,

while &he s%res &he %n&rl grup &ha& re%ei3ed n rain /'! suppr&

i!pr3ed 0 & 1> pin&s.

9we3er a !re sub&le and perhaps !re i!pr&an& %hange n&ed b'

all &he par&i%ipan&s wh in%luded &ea%hers, paren&s and s%hl ad!inis&ra&rs,

was &he shi& in sel7es&ee! and a&&i&ude &ward s%hl &ha& %a!e alng wi&h

&he %hildren@s de3elping abili&ies. $e%ilia %!!en&s &ha& re%en&l' when she

3isi&ed &he s%hl, al!s& a 'ear a&er her las& s&uden& %n&a%&s &here, she saw

%hildren here and &here ding rain /'! !3e!en&s as a spn&aneus and

na&ural suppr& r &heir learning pr%ess. She is %niden& &ha& as %hildren

in&egra&e rain /'! &hrughu& &heir da's, &he' will &a4e n &he e;perien%e

persnal whleness and sel7es&ee! &ha& will suppr& &he! &hrughu&

&heir li3es. ($e%ilia Bree!an %an be rea%hed b' e7!ail a& %e%iliaHIe&lin4.ne&.

9er websi&e is www.ia!&he%hild.%!)

rain /'!Jis a regis&ered &rade!ar4 &he

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/'! Si!ple %&i3i&ies r 5hle rain Learning, Paul 8ennisn and his

wie /ail e;plain &ha& rain /'! pr!&es ei%ien& %!!uni%a&in a!ng

&he !an' ner3e %ells and un%&inal %en&res l%a&ed &hrughu& &he brain and

bd'. l%4s %%ur, &he' sa', when inr!a&in %ann& lw reel' a!ng

&hese %en&res.

8ennisn gradua&ed r! s&n Uni3ersi&' and !3ed & $alirnia

& &ea%h ele!en&ar' s&uden&s in &he Ls ngeles publi% s%hls. There he

assis&ed in &he i!ple!en&a&in 8r. $ns&an%e !sden@s "alabar eading

Prgra!!!e, an inn3a&i3e appra%h & &ea%hing reading.

*n 1+>+ 8r. 8ennisn hi!sel es&ablished his irs& %lini% & &rea&

peple wi&h learning prble!s. &er ha3ing &es&ed and pres%ribed re!edial

prgra!s r hundreds learning disabled s&uden&s a& his learning

%en&res, 8r. 8ennisn %a!e & &he %n%lusin &ha& !s& s&uden&s

e;perien%ing dii%ul&' in s%hl were sui%ien&l' in&elligen& r &he &as4s

reAuired &he!. The dei%i&s he und were in &heir ph'si%alper%ep&ual

abili&ies, &ha& had &en plagued &he %hild@s de3elp!en&, un%rre%&ed, sin%e

inan%'. Spa&ial awareness, a %n%ep& whleness and %lsure, &he abili&' &

%us a&&en&in and per%ei3e an rgani-a&in r a s&ru%&ure, are reAuisi&e

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learning s4ills, easil' &augh& 'e& &en n& a3ailable & &he %hildren wh need

&he!. 9e dis%3ered &ha& &hese s4ills depend upn an inna&e unders&anding

ur bdies and hw &he' !3e in spa%e. $hildren nl' repea& &hse

!3e!en&s whi%h are %!r&able r a!iliar. *& is as i &he persn

%nsidered learning disabled la%4s per!issin & !3e in an in&egra&ed and

%rdina&ed ashin. 8r. 8ennisn@s rain /'!J and La&erali&'

epa&&erning pr%edures were de3elped as he e;plred pr%esses &

en%urage his s&uden&s & dis%3er new wa's & !3e &ha& were !re

un%&inal and %rdina&ed. 9is edu%a&inal &herap' builds &he s&uden&@s sel7

es&ee!, &rus&ing &he learner & wr4 &hrugh !en&al aspe%&s as ph'si%al

bl%4s are released. The &ea%her@s rle be%!es &ha& a%ili&a&r &he

pr%ess learning. The &ea%her !dels hw & learn and presen&s &he

%urri%ulu!. She helps &he s&uden& & n&i%e wha& !a4es learning easier r

wha& in&ereres wi&h learning. The %hild has %n&rl &he pr%ess b' whi%h

he in&ernalises inr!a&in.

rain /'! %nsis&s si!ple !3e!en&s si!ilar & &he !3e!en&s

&ha& are na&ural in &he irs& &hree 'ears lie & a%%!plish i!pr&an&

de3elp!en&al s&eps r %rdina&in e'es, ears, hands and &he whle

bd'. The rain /'! !3e!en&s ha3e been shwn 3er 'ears %lini%al

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e;perien%e, in ield s&udies, and in published resear%h repr&s, & prepare

re%ipien&s wi&h &he ph'si%al s4ills needed & i!pr3e reading, wri&ing, and

&her gals. The ul&i!a&e gal &he use rain /'! i&sel is & %rea&e a

ull' un%&ining !indbd' s's&e!, als %alled an in&egra&ed s&a&e.

The 8ennisns rain /'! !del is based n &heir 4nwledge hw

&he brain wr4s. The' des%ribe brain un%&ining in &er!s &hree

di!ensins ? la&erali&', %us, and %en&ring?

7 La&erali&' is &he abili&' & %rdina&e ne side &he brain

wi&h &he &her, espe%iall' in &he 3isual, audi&r', and

4ines&he&i% !idield, &he area where &he &w sides

3erlap. This s4ill is unda!en&al & &he abili&' & read, wri&e

and %!!uni%a&e. *& is als essen&ial r luid whle7bd'

!3e!en&, and r &he abili&' & !3e and &hin4 a& &he sa!e

&i!e.

7 B%us is &he abili&' & %rdina&e &he ba%4 and rn& areas

&he brain. *& is rela&ed & %!prehensin, &he abili&' & ind

!eaning, and & &he abili&' & e;perien%e de&ails wi&hin &heir

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%n&e;&. Peple wi&hu& &his basi% s4ill are said & ha3e

a&&en&in disrders and dii%ul&' in %!prehending. & a

deeper le3el, %us allws us & in&erpre& a par&i%ular !!en&

r e;perien%e in &he grea&er %n&e;& ur li3es r & see

ursel3es as uniAue indi3iduals wi&hin &he larger ra!ewr4

ur s%ie&'.

7 $en&ring is &he abili&' & %rdina&e &he &p and b&&!

areas &he brain. This s4ill is rela&ed & rgani-a&in,

grunding, eeling and e;pressing ne@s e!&ins, a sense

persnal spa%e, and respnding ra&inall' ra&her &han rea%&ing

r! e!&inal 3erla'.

The rain /'! !3e!en&s in&er%nne%& &he brain in &hese

di!ensins, allwing 'u & learn easil' &hrugh all &he senses, & re!e!ber

wha& 'u learn, and & par&i%ipa&e !re ull' in &he e3en&s 'ur lie. Mu

are able & learn wi&h less s&ress, and & e;press 'ur %rea&i3i&' using !re

'ur !en&al and ph'si%al p&en&ial. The !3e!en&s als assis& in %learing

e!&inal s&ress &ha& %an ee%& 'u b&h !en&all' and ph'si%all'. epr&ed

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benei&s in%lude i!pr3e!en&s in su%h areas as 3isin, lis&ening, learning,

!e!r', sel e;pressin, and %rdina&in in %hildren and adul&s. Tea%hers

&'pi%all' repr& i!pr3e!en&s in a&&i&ude, a&&en&in, dis%ipline, beha3iur,

and perr!an%e in &es&s and h!ewr4 r all par&i%ipan&s in &he %lassr!

("re inr!a&in ? The

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a3ailable & ea%h e'e, s&ress in learning &he &as4s %using and

blending r reading !a' %ause 3isual disrien&a&in.

7 ral eading 7

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*n ga&hering &his inr!a&in, &he 8ennisns %rea&ed and reined rain

/'!J !3e!en&s and a%&i3i&ies &ha& s&i!ula&e brain un%&in in general.

The' und &ha& &he bl%4s whi%h peple e;perien%e in reading are due & an

inabili&' & !3e &hrugh &he s&ress and un%er&ain&' a new &as4. *& was

&hrugh dealing wi&h &hese reading bl%4s &ha& &he' als dis%3ered a wa' &

deal wi&h learning bl%4s in general.

The' based &he unbl%4ing pr%ess n ur %n%ep&s?

7 Ph'si%al !3e!en& & s&i!ula&e &he brain. The 2 rain /'!

!3e!en&s are designed & a%&i3a&e su%h un%&ins as %!!uni%a&in,

%!prehensin, !e!r' and rgani-a&in.

7 3idan%e s&ress, whi%h inhibi&s learning. rain /'! !3e!en&s

en%urage &he learner & use &he whle brain, &hereb' rela;ing &he

igh& r ligh& respnse in a3ur 4eeping &he !e!r' and

reasning %en&res &he brain swi&%hed n.

7 %&i3a&in &he whle !ind7bd' s's&e! & release learning bl%4s

&hrugh !3e!en&.

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7 Se&&ing up a persnal eedba%4 lp. The learner &a4es respnsibili&'

and %n&rl his wn learning b' n&i%ing wha& wr4s and wha&

desn@& as a par&i%ular s4ill is being !as&ered. The learner %an enhan%e

bser3a&in &hrugh rain /'! !3e!en&s & i!pr3e perr!an%e,

&hus in%reasing sel7es&ee!.

Paul 8ennisn su!!arises his basis r rain /'! b' sa'ing,

"3e!en& is &he dr & learning.

n a !re pra%&i%al le3el ? hw %an rain /'! be used in &he

%lassr!

rad ber&sns wh is prin%ipal 5es&3ale Publi% S%hl in

5a&erl sa's &ha& Sharn ber&sn, an ele!en&ar' s%hl head!is&ress in

5a&erl egin, uses rain /'! e;er%ises wi&h her s&a and s&uden&s.

Tea%hers in Sharns s%hl are adap&ing rain /'! a%&i3i&ies in& &heir

dail' ru&ine. She ir!l' belie3es &ha& !3e!en& &hrugh rain /'!

a%&i3i&ies enables her s&uden&s & a%%ess par&s &he brain pre3iusl'

ina%%essible & &he!. She has als und &ha& &he %hanges in learning are

&en i!!edia&e.

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The &ea%her !a' s&ar& &he da' b' engaging her s&uden&s in spe%ii%

ph'si%al !3e!en&s li4e %rss %rawls (%rssing &he ar!s & &u%h &he 4nees),

brain bu&&ns (appl'ing pressure n spe%ii% pin&s near &he ne%4 & s&i!ula&e

bld lw & &he brain) and h47ups (%rssing &he ar!s and legs in a wa'

&ha& au&!a&i%all' indu%es %al!). Tea%hers wh use &hese &e%hniAues &en

repr& &ha& &heir %lasses are !re !anageable and read' & learn ea%h da'.

rain /'! is dieren& r! !an' &her learning suppr& prgra!!es

in &ha& i& prepares learners & learn. *& enhan%es, ra&her &han repla%es &her

prgra!s r %urri%ula. Un&il nw s%hling has been based n &he pre!ise

&ha& learning is a !en&al a%&i3i&'. The ph'si%al %!pnen&s learning 7 &he

3isual, audi&r', ine !&r, and ps&ural s4ills 7 ha3e been al!s& en&irel'

ignred b' edu%a&rs. s&uden& wh has dii%ul&' in &he earl' grades rarel'

des be&&er la&er unless &he ph'si%al %ause &he s&ress is s!ehw

addressed. "re3er, sin%e learning is !easured b' resul&s ra&her &han

pr%ess, s&ressul %!pensa&ins are &en a%Auired and %arried &hrughu& a

learner@s lie.

8espi&e all &he gd news, Nr!and Brene&&e, ass%ia&e pressr a&

*S

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9e sa's brain7based learning %an be 3er' sedu%&i3e & &ea%hers, wh !a'

rush & in%rpra&e as !an' s&ra&egies as sn as pssible. Brene&&e sa's

lng7&er! s&udies are needed & au&hen&i%a&e &he 3alue &he e;plsin

resear%h n hw &he brain learns. Ne3er&heless, !an' &ea%hers li4e &he nes

%i&ed are respnding & brain7based edu%a&inal inn3a&ins in &he wa' gd

&ea%hers ha3e alwa's dne O &he're reading, learning, e;peri!en&ing and

using wha&e3er wr4s well r &he! and &heir s&uden&s in &he %lassr!.

(See !re %lassr! a%&i3i&iesusing rain /'!).

ida&a?

T! "aguire has a (