‘It is the full activation and balance of all parts of our mind-body system that allows us to become effective, productive thinkers
– Carla Hannaford – (SMART MOVES – Why Learning is not all in your head)
- Is your child struggling at school?
- Are you awaiting a professional assessment for your child?
Perhaps you are already some way down that path of acquiring a ‘professional diagnosis.’ … and after that diagnosis comes the question of what programs can be put in place to effect progress.
Are you aware that there is something you can be doing with your child, yourself in the meantime that will really make a difference? Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, Autistic Spectrum Disorders and non-specific learning difficulties, can all be helped by performing 2 simple exercises daily for a short period of time.
This article is not overly concerned with diagnosis and labelling, but more with the practical application of the effective intervention. While complex and costly programs tend to command more interest and respect, simple solutions often have the most substantial results.
Think back to a time when you marvelled at the simplicity of a wonderful new invention and questioned why no-one had ever thought of it before. Brain Gym Exercises are not new and are used broadly throughout UK schools and across the world. The main barrier to their use is the notification that they are too simple to work.
These simple exercises are based on the copyrighted work of Paul E. Dennison, Ph.D., and Gail E. Dennison. Brain Gym is a registered trademark of Brain Gym® International. Brain Gym Exercises are taken from an alternative therapy called Applied Kinesiology.
According to Wikipedia, Applied Kinesiology, along with many other alternative therapies including homoeopathy and acupuncture does not stand up to scientific scrutiny. There is much controversy currently regarding the neuro-scientific basis of Applied Kinesiology. To its opponents, its success has been attributed to a
- Placebo effect. (The place effect is the measurable, observable, or felt improvement in health or behaviour not attributable to a remedy or treatment that has been administrated.
- Hawthorn effect. – a term which has been broadened to mean that people’s behaviour and performance change follows any new or increased attention.
You know, for me these exercises are a skill-set, that most children have achieved comfortably by a certain age. We have received many children into school who have not achieved their developmental ‘dilemmas’ at the appropriate age and who have not received any intervention at all. My experiences have demonstrated considerable improvement for hundreds of children in: –
- attention
- hand-eye coordination
- non-verbal learning skills
- organizational skills
- written work
- self-esteem.
Even if this success were attributable to ‘new or increased attention’ that would be so bad. These children’s self-esteem and their parent’s anxiety is considerable. How does science quantify and prove the value and effect of personal interaction I wonder?
I urge you to leave behind your limiting beliefs and give the ‘re-patterning’ Brain Gym Exercises a try.
- Minimum effort – maximum gain
Research and evidence over 30 years show it to have an impact across a range of learning difficulties. - Use just 2 daily movement exercises.
There are many exercises, but using just 2 daily, you will see progress. - Requires no specialist equipment or specialist knowledge
Details are given on my website for Cross-Crawl and Lazy Eights. - Takes just a few minutes daily It can easily be fitted into your daily routine.
One mother and her son did it while his toast was cooking each morning. - Can be done with children of all ages
Parents can do it with babies and toddlers - Can be done individually or in groups
Teachers and teaching assistants can use it prior to any group-work sessions.
I believe consistently in the minimum effort – maximum gain. Simple solutions are under-rated. Where is the harm? There is nothing to lose and everything to gain. Time spent wisely together that produces recent results!