Brain Gym® - movement is the door to learning
by Moira Dempsey and Julia Morgan
What is Brain Gym?
Brain Gym® is the registered trademark for an educational, sensorimotor program developed by Dr Paul E. Dennison, Ph.D., an expert in child motor-development. It is based upon years of research by educational therapists, developmental optometrists, and other specialists in the fields of movement, education, and child development. It is part of a transformational process called Educational Kinesiology, which draws out learning (in all its forms) through movement.
Brain Gym® is a movement based programme that promotes whole-brain learning. The movements are based on developmental movements that a child naturally does as part of their growth when there is no stress, injury or interruption. These movements support learning by stimulating the various sensory systems so that feedback between the brain and body will be more effective. As the child is more able to relate to their own internal structure so they can learn more effectively.
Brain Gym concepts
Physical Movement Stimulates Brain Function
Specific body movements stimulate particular aspects of brain function and achieve integration between the vestibular (balance system), the cerebellum, which controls gross-motor movements and the left and right hemispheres, especially the areas which process sensory integration and the frontal lobes which is where we process information. The twenty six Brain Gym® techniques are designed to activate different cognitive functions, including communication, comprehension (reptilian brain and frontal lobes) and organisation (limbic system and frontal lobes).
Stress inhibits learning
Under stress, activity in the mind/body system is centred in the sympathetic nervous system, which prepares the body for fight/flight (aggression/fear) reaction. As a result activity in the limbic system, where memory occurs and in the neocortex of the cerebrum, where abstract thinking and reasoning take place, are minimised. In addition, the learner who is stressed in a learning situation can go into a homolateral learning state where they can be stuck in either too much thinking or not being able to think. This is one-sided learning and effects performance.
Learning blocks can be released by Brain Gym
Learning blocks can be general or can be specific to particular subjects, or aspects of subjects. The Brain Gym movements consciously and intentionally activate the whole mind body system, stimulating nervous-system activity equally in all parts of the brain and lessening the flight/fight reaction of survival learning. When learning is easy and stress-free the learner regains his innate interest and curiosity in learning and is again motivated to achieve and be successful.
Brain Gym ® is a registered trademark of Brain Gym ® International / Educational Kinesiology Foundation USA www.braingym.org