Move to AchieveLearnercise Helps Prepare Children for School Readiness

We must ensure that ALL children enter school ready to learn. Learning math concepts and the ability to read, write, and problem solve are critical for success in school and throughout life. In the early childhood days, children should be given experiences that will get them “ready” to learn academic concepts.

Learnercise, utilizing movement-based, multisensory integration, can help build the foundation to prepare children to learn. We recognize learning begins long before a child enters school. From the moment a baby is born, every experience taken in by the five senses helps build the learning connections in the brain that guide development. That is why multi-sensory learning and utilizing more senses is so powerful.

No two brains are alike! Each child develops individual pathways to deal with his or her experiences. The kind of care a child receives plays a big role in how the brain chooses to wire itself. Family members, caregivers, and educators must build a foundation by providing rich, developmentally appropriate daily experiences for young children.

Importance of Physical Activity and Movement

According to Dr. John Ratey, to improve our brains, we have to move our bodies. Exercise generates a greater number of connections between neurons. These connections make it easier for children of all ages to learn. It takes 15-20 years for a child’s brain to grow to its full size, but most of the connections are make in the early years.

Exercise benefits the brain even before it benefits the body. The brain relies on the body to get its needed fuel – oxygen and glucose – to the brain. The healthier and more physically fit the body is, the more efficiently the brain functions. The brain and body’s movement and learning systems are interdependent and interactive.

Exercise changes the brain at a molecular level by: growing new brain cells, a process called neurogenesis producing BDNF (brain-derived neuro-tropic factor), nicknamed the fertilizer for the brain strengthening secondary dendritic branching that increases memory retrieval improving mood by balancing the neurotransmitters endorphins, dopamine, cortisol, and

serotoninTrends Among Children

A study published recently in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, shows that nearly 20% (one in five) of U.S. four-year-olds are obese.

The number of obese children ages six to 17 has doubled in the past 30 years. An overweight adolescent has 70% chance of becoming an overweight adult. NBC Nightly NEWS estimates the rate of overweight and obese children in this country could

reach 50% by 2015. For the first time, Type 2 (adult onset) diabetes is being diagnosed in kids, and it now accounts

for 1 of every 3 newly diagnosed juvenile diabetics. More overweight children are going into hospitals for diabetes (including Type 2), sleep apnea,

asthma, hypertension and high blood pressure. Obesity shortens the lifespan by 9 years.

Children must move

Research: “Rule #1 – Exercise boosts brain power. It also boots problem-solving, planning and attention.”

(Dr. John Medina, Brain Rules) “Movement wires the brain. Educators must understand and value the learner’s sensory (brain)

and motor (body) integration. Underdeveloped sensory motor integration can be the root of many learning problems. The learner’s sensory motor areas should be engaged in a variety of exercises to strengthen the integration of brain and body skills.” (Dr. James Fadigan).

Cross-lateral movements (crossing over a right arm or leg to your left side and vice versa) activate contra-lateral blood flow in both hemispheres.

o Marching with children provides cross lateral movement (for reading readiness and efficient brain functioning) as well as beats in sets of four for math patterning.

o The ability to perform cross-lateral movement is necessary to be able to read. If you want to get your child reading, music and movement will do it.

Balance combines different areas of the brain to enable them to work together for coordination of the systems. Use movement that encourage movement in ALL directions and utilize bean bags, scarves and other manipulatives.

o The need for balance, gravity is more compelling than our need for food, touch or even mother-child bond. (Fjordbo, 1995). Perhaps, if we have no sense of balance, we cannot focus on anything else.

o Speech and language skills improve along with balance, movement and motor planning skills. (Goddard)

Provide lots of sensory experiences – tasting, touching, seeing, hearing, and smelling. These experiences build the connections that build the child’s brain.

Talk, sing, play music and games, read, tell stories, and play with the child every day. By adult, ½ synapses formed in early childhood are discarded; if used repeatedly, they stay—

Important content needs to be constant. Clapping activates the motor cortex. First graders who clapped with reading improved their

reading levels. Movement and music is processed in several regions of the brain, thus involving the whole brain

in the learning process. The brain is electrical and runs on water and oxygen. Moving and singing helps put oxygen in

the brain. “The exercise itself doesn’t make you smarter, but it puts the brain of the learners in the optimal

position for them to learn.” (Dr. John Ratey) “Sitting for more than 10 minutes at a stretch “reduces our awareness of physical and emotional

sensations and increases fatigue.” (Dr. Eric Jensen)

Physical activities and dancing teach proper touch. What an easy way to teach something that so many have issues with. Human beings can live without 4 of the 5 senses but will perish without touch.

Movement and dance patterns and sequences wire the brain for math. These patterns help develop spatial-temporal reasoning skills which are necessary to understand body in time and space, a skill important for math.

It is best to move in a clockwise direction when children are non-readers. This is the direction in which we read and helps prepare the brain. After the children are comfortable moving that way, you can switch.

Movement involves the motor cortex which is seated in the Cerebellum. This part of the brain is for higher level learning therefore its activation results in easier comprehension and longer retention.

85% of people are kinesthetic learners. Most of the brain is activated during physical activity – much more so than when doing seatwork

Literacy

Concrete concepts are learned in the rear associative areas of the brain. Learning at this stage is more frontal cortex, which is why many experts feel that concrete concepts (such as reading) should not be taught too early.

Early literacy skills have a clear and consistently strong relationship with later conventional literacy skills, such as decoding, oral reading, fluency, reading comprehension, writing, and spelling. Even before children start school, they can become aware of systematic patterns of sounds in spoken language, manipulate sounds in words, recognize words and break them apart into smaller units, learn the relationship between sounds and letters, and build their oral language and vocabulary skills. These are all skills that the National Early Literacy Panel found to be precursors to children’s later growth in the ability to decode and comprehend text, to write, and to spell.

The strongest and most consistent predictors of later literacy development are alphabet knowledge; phonological awareness and memory, rapid automatized naming of letters and objects, and writing letters.

Strong and Consistent Predictors (National Early Literacy Panel): Knowing the names of printed letters

o able to label letters correctly, e.g., that ‘F’ is the letter called “eff ” Knowing the sounds associated with printed letters

o that the sound /f/ goes with the letter ‘F’

o knowing that the letters ‘at’ at the end of words are pronounced “aah-tuh” Being able to manipulate the sounds of spoken language—breaking words apart into smaller

sound units such as syllables or phonemes, adding or deleting sound units o that the word bulldozer is made up of 3 syllables, ‘bull’, ‘doz’, and ‘er’ o knowing that If you take away the /j/ sound from the word change, you get the word chain

Being able to rapidly name a sequence of letters, numbers, objects, or colors ■When shown a ✓set of numbers, being able to name numbers in order, quickly and easily

o being able to recognize patterns of objects or colors Being able to write one’s own name or even isolated letters

o able to put one’s own name on a drawingo being able to correctly write letters that are shown on a set of word cards

Being able to remember the content of spoken language for a short time o able to remember simple, multi-step instructions from the teacher about getting ready for

outdoor time (e.g., clean-up table, put materials on shelf, stand in line at the door) o being able to remember earlier parts of a story read aloud to make sense of later parts of

the story Being able to see similarities and differences between visual symbols,i.e.,visual processing

o that capital letters are different from small letters o being able to pick out a picture of a stop sign from among a set of pictures including other

road signs with other shapes

Here are just a few suggestions for early literacy activities. You can use this list as a starting point for helping teachers plan classroom instruction that reflects current knowledge about early literacy teaching and learning. Activities that help children learn the names of the letter-shapes in the alphabet and the sounds

the letters make o games like alphabet bingo to teach letter names and shapes.o a set of letters and ask the child to name them in order as quickly as they can. o a mix of upper- and lower-case letters on chart paper and ask the child to circle the capital

letters. o the sounds each letter can make as well as the name of the letter.

Sing songs and recite rhymes that include the sounds associated with letters (‘D’ is for dog-/d/. /d/, /d/... dog).

o from identification to writing letters and forming simple words, especially words with high meaning for children, such as their own names.

o Activities that help make children aware of sounds in language and provide opportunities to practice manipulating sounds

o rhymes, songs, and poems to help children hear repetitive sounds at the beginning and end of words.

o from simpler activities with sounds to practice with more complex operations. Start with combining sounds to make words(‘tooth’plus‘brush’ makes toothbrush), to

manipulating sound units that make up words (such as syllables, onset-rime, and phonemes), to breaking apart words.

Emphasize vocabularyWords are the building blocks of literacy. Using developmentally appropriate methods and varied experiences help students expand their knowledge of vocabulary. Most words are abstract and not concrete until children experience them. GeoMotion utilizes a chart of movement terms to include in daily activities to enrich their literacy exposure. Example: Children must stand on top, stand beside, move around and object to understand what is meant by top, beside, and around.

A MOVEMENT CHART IS A VALUABLE TOOL TO HELP THE TEACHER PLAN DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE MOVEMENT EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN

SPATIAL AWARENESSDirections Space Pathways Levels Distances Dimensions

ForwardBackward

Left / Right

Up / DownDiagonalWeave

DiagonalVertical

HorizontalClockwise

/Counter-clockwise

GeneralPersonalShared

StraightCurvedZigzag

HighMedium

Low

NearFar

AwayToward

HughLarge

MediumSmallTiny

BODY AWARENESSBody Parts Body Shapes Body

PositionsBody

SurfacesHeadEyesChinNeckBackChest

Rib CageAbdomenTummy

Stomach

HipsBottomTorso

ShouldersElbowsHandsWristsFingersThighs

LegsHamstrings

KneesShins

AnklesFeetHeelsToes

SmallLargeWide

NarrowTall

ShortStraightRound

Twisted

StandingSittingLyingProneSupine

KneelingInverted

FrontBackSideTop

Bottom

MOVEMENT QUALITY - EFFORTFlow Time Force Dynamics

Even / UnevenFree / BoundControlled / Changeable

Smooth / RoughFlowing / Irregular

Fast / SlowSteady / Irregular

Accelerating / Decelerating

Sudden / Sustained

Firm / FineStrong / WeakHeavy / Light

Sharp / Forceful / Explosive

Slash/ PressThrust / Punch

Glide / FloatWring / Flick

Tap / Dab

BODY AWARENESS (WHAT THE BODY CAN DO)Nonlocomotor Locomotor Manipulative What Body

Can DoBalance

Shake / BopPoint

Touch / Stomp / Tap / Clap

Rock / SwayTwist / Turn / Rotate /

CircleRound / Curve / Curl

Relax / Stretch / ElongatePush / Pull / Lift

Bend (Flex) / ArchCollapse /Straighten

(Extend)Tighten (Tense)Lunge / Squat

Support (on 1, 2, 3, 4, or more body parts)

Other: Pretend to Swim

Alternating FeetWalk, Run, March

SkipSlide

GallopLanding on 2 Feet

JumpingLanding on 1 Foot

HopLeapOther

Chasing, Fleeing, Dodging

Move on 3 or 4 parts

Crawl

Other: Fly, Tip Toe

StrikeShake

Lift / CarryKickPunt

DribbleVolley

Throw / Catch / Toss

Push / PullRoll / Bounce

Pick UpPush / PullLift / Carry

Drop / Release

Balance / SupportLead / Mirror / Follow / Echo

Transfer WeightApply or Receive

ForceResist / Receive

Collapse / ExpandClimb / Hang

TravelRise / Fall Explore

Be AirborneStop / Go

Turn / Pivot

Move DynamicallyBe Static (Still) /

Freeze

RELATIONSHIPSTo Body Parts, Other People, Apparatus, & Equipment

Top / BottomOver / Under

On / OffAround / Over

On top of / Beneath Toward / Away from

Together / ApartNear / Far

Into / Out ofHigh / Low

Meeting / Parting

Inside / Between / Outside

In front of / Behind

Beside / Across Surrounding

Above / BelowTouching / Spread

apart

PRETEND / CREATIVITY / DRAMA IDEASWays to Move

AnimalsWays to Move

ThingsPeople Feelings

Like a:Bird, Fish, Horse,

Cow, Pig, Cat, Dog, Snake, Giraffe,

Mouse, Monkey

Like a:Car, Train, Truck, Helicopter, Boat,

Airplane, Bus, Tractor,

Police OfficerFire Fighter

DoctorTeacher

Happy, Sad, Curious, Mad, Love, Glad,

Proud, Silly

Have fun with language! If children are able to move and act words out, more brain connections will be made. Example:

Go the S and shake. Go to the B and bounce like a ball. Change the words to songs and stories they know to enrich their experiences (Old McDonald

Had a Color Farm, I know a Smart Woman, Hickory, Dickory Dock around the Clock). Utilize rhyming words (Cat sounds like bat, and so do mat and hat). Say as many words that start with the same sound as you can think of (bat, broom, bounce,

buzz, blue).

Utilize MusicThe use of music is great for teach rhyming words and basic literacy skills. Music with a beat can be used to strengthen vocabulary, knowledge of basic facts, skill in producing speech sounds, listening comprehension, and other basic skills.

There has been much research to indicate that children who are able to feel and keep a steady beat are more successful with reading, writing, and speech. Give children many opportunities to clap, march, pat, and move to a steady beat in music.

Research: Music is processed on both sides of the brain, which is the reason why you remember things

better with music. Music and movement activities provide a vehicle to teach steady beat.

o Being able to keep a steady beat for 1 to 2 minutes is directly related to reading proficiency.

o The ability to keep a steady beat is linked to adequate linguistic development. This should be in place before entering Kindergarten. Less than 50% of adults can keep a steady beat and 10% of Kindergartners.

o English is the only unmetered language making it all the more important to ground English with a steady beat. (Weikart, 1998). Children should begin practicing steady beat right from infancy so that by the age of two, they are able to find it and clap along. This aids in language development as well as phonological awareness.

o Steady beat helps organize breathing, walking, dancing patterns, and assists us to make patterns of our incoming sensory information and learn easily. (Rodriguez, 1999). March, rhythm sticks, dance, walk and let's not forget the baby bounce.

When we sing, our tongue movement helps to stimulate the semi-circular canals. These connect to our inner ear thus affecting balance and other systems of the whole body.

The corpus callosum (area in center of brain that allows left and right hemisphere to communicate) is larger in females than males, which is why females multi-task more and males

stay focused on one task. Music / movement helps to enlarge corpus callosum by as much as 15%.

The average teenager’s vocabulary has gone from 25K to 10K words! Much attributed to TV and Music. Songs with good lyrics can have a powerful influence in many ways.

Ninety-nine percent of learning is unconscious. When songs are playing, they are taking in the lyrics. Make sure it's something you want children to know.

Music helps children explore emotions. The more emotions we expose them to (including uncomfortable ones ie fear, sadness), the more capable they are of dealing with them when they happen. Peter Alsop calls this "putting tools in their toolbox".

When classical music was played in hallways of a CA high school, aggression was reduced by 90%. Different styles of music stimulate different regions of the brain. ALL styles are good; too much of anything isn't.

Number one common denominator between success and any other ability is between success and language ability; the better your language skills, the more successful you will be. Music is an easy way for children to expand vocabulary and hear how to use words.

Drama not only helps verbal skills for texts enacted, but also when applied to new, non-enacted text. This would involve use of finger plays, puppets and acting out a song.

Evidence based on 45 reports shows that spatial-temporal reasoning improves when children learn to music.

In a school setting, you should not play music more than 22 minutes an hour. It becomes too familiar. This is called habituation and is why teenagers can have ear buds in while doing homework.

One song can appeal to all 8 of the multiple intelligences identified by Howard Gardner. For example, a song about metamorphosis – the content (naturalist), lyrics (linguist), relationship of frogs (inter / intra personal), moving like a frog (kinesthetic / spatial), the song (musical) and figuring out the puppet that changes (logical/mathematical).

During the first year of life, rhythm is the element of music that has the greatest effect. Dr. John Ortiz.

Learning and recall can be enhanced by setting a positive mood with music. (de l’Etoile, 2002) Moving to irregular rhythms improves brain plasticity. (Ratey) Children learn more quickly and accurately when teachers use music to teach. (Dowling, 1993) Music creates a positive state for learning because it helps to reduce stress levels, heighten

attention, enhance concentration, reinforce memory and stimulate motivation. (Campbell, 1997; Jensen, 2000)

While using music as background while learning, matching the mood of the music to the content of the reading material has shown enhanced memory of the material. (Taniguchi 1991).

Music may be so successful with enhancing language arts because both use symbol systems, which in turn use many similar processing elements. (Thaut, 2007).

Math Counting forwards wires the brain for addition; Counting backwards wires the brain for

subtraction. Pilot study in math showed children improved 30% on a multiplication test with 6 weeks of

moving on the Learnercise Phone Mats to perform their …..

Problem-Solving DevelopmentGive children simple problems to try and solve. Example: “On the Learnercise Clock Mat, show me a shape that has 4 sides. Is there more than one shape with 4 sides? Show me how you would trace them with you elbow. Can you trace them with your toes?” Problems can increase in complexity as the child develps. “On the Learnercise Phone Mat, show me how you would balance on two different numbers and body parts that equal 5.”

Play a “what if” game. For example, ask the child, “what would happen if ...” You can fill in the blank with anything: “What if you turned over and tried to balance on the 4 body parts with you stomach facing the ceiling?” Give your child lots of time to answer. These types of activities will help them build the thinking skills they will need to express their ideas in school.

Children need lots of chances to practice. Be patient. You may need to answer the same questions, read the same books, play the same songs, and the same games over and over again. Children learn through repetition.

Developing the Whole ChildEducation in the arts is essential to students’ intellectual, social, physical, and emotional growth. Through the study of music, visual arts, drama, physical activity and dance, students not only develop the ability to think creatively and critically, but also develop physical coordination and the ability to work both independently and with others. In addition, the creative and practical work encourages students to express themselves in both verbal and non-verbal ways, and can enable them to discover and develop essential skills.[ http://www.educationboard.ca/en/uploads/helptips/DevelopLiteracySkillsThroughArts-Junior_Middle.pdf ]

Brain Research Findings

Too Much Television http://www.ehow.com/about_5268629_early-childhood-literacy-development.html“Television viewing will prevent some children from reaping the benefits of early childhood literacy development efforts. In fact, children between the ages of 2 and 4 spend up to three hours a day in front of a television screen. Those three hours being wasted in countless households everyday could be better spent by the child in reading a book or having one read to her, drawing or painting pictures, or writing.”

The flicker of a computer screen increases levels of adrenaline and cortisol and decreases dopamine. (DeAenlle, 1999). This means, computers (and TVs), cause stress to the 'pre-operational' brain.

Memory and Retention - You will remember: 10% - Read 20% - Hear 30% - See

Learning improves dramatically when multiple senses are engaged –– individuals typically retain about

50% - See & Hear 70% - Discuss 80% - EXPERIENCE 95% - TEACH SOMEONE ELSE

William Glasser