Brain Gym®

Article Review: Brain Gym®

By Tom Maguire
(Published in “New Learning”, Spring 2001, U.K.)
“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.)
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For approximatly 30 years researchers have been looking into the connection between the mind and body. Preleminary observations noted tha many of the LD students also had coordination problems, a connection seemed obvios to Dr. Paul and Gail Dennison. In 1969 they noted that many of the students had the intelligence to succeed at the tasks. What many of the students had in common were a deficiet in their physical/perceptual abilities, that had often plagued the child's development, uncorrected, since infancy. This led to difficulties in spatial awareness, a concept of wholeness and closure. The ability to focus attention and perceive an organization or a structure, are requisite learning skills, seemingly easy to teach yet often not available to the children who need them.
The idea then became to look at seemingly easier task of improving their coordination as that is something readily visable. “Brain Gym consists of simple movements similar to the movements that are natural in the first three years of life to accomplish important developmental steps for coordination of eyes, ears, hands and the whole body.” These are used to reinforce 3 diminsions of brain function. These are:
- Laterality is the ability to coordinate one side of the brain
with the other, especially in the visual, auditory, and
kinesthetic midfield, the area where the two sides
overlap. This skill is fundamental to the ability to read, write
and communicate. It is also essential for fluid whole-body
movement, and for the ability to move and think at the same
time.
- Focus is the ability to coordinate the back and front areas of
the brain. It is related to comprehension, the ability to find
meaning, and to the ability to experience details within their
context. People without this basic skill are said to have
attention disorders and difficulty in comprehending. At a
deeper level, focus allows us to interpret a particular moment
or experience in the greater context of our lives or to see
ourselves as unique individuals within the larger framework of
our society.
- Centring is the ability to coordinate the top and bottom
areas of the brain. This skill is related to organization,
grounding, feeling and expressing one's emotions, a sense of
personal space, and responding rationally rather than reacting
from emotional overlay.
A recent study (Dr. Robert Eyestone, 1990) found that more than 95 percent of individuals in groups labeled as "at risk" (teen mothers, juvenile detention, ADD/ADHD, in learning disabilities classes, drug rehabilitation, alcohol support groups) were operating in a homolateral state, as compared to 8 to 13 percent in random groupings.
I feel this article should be required reading for all teachers and trainers for children and adults. Many top organizations are now useing themselves to train employees.