Learning through Movement

by | Mar 23, 2021 | For Teachers

Why can’t children just sit still and listen? ….it’s nearly impossible for them! After a number of years working with children within school PE lesson times I’ve concluded they shouldn’t! (Time and situation appropriate) Children learn through movement

The human body and more especially a child’s body is wired to learn through movement. When kids crawl, walk, run, scoot, climb, wiggle, swing, rock, hang upside down, spin around, and yes, inevitably, fidget, they’re doing what nature requires them to do… MOVING THEIR BODIES TO PREPARE THEIR BRAINS FOR LEARNING.

As I am writing this my 10month old son is grabbling up my leg! And in the last 10mins as I’ve written this first part I have watched him experience weight transfer, how to negotiate a turnaround in a small space under the table and how, that not all objects will take his weight. With each experience I can see the wirings’ of his brain, fire up the learnt movement sequence pattern. As he approaches the collapsed travel cot, this time he tests the sides of the cot for stability, by a bounce, push sequence.


Learning through movement is a relay of body teaching the brain, and then the brain processing the movement pattern movement is the essential – and often overlooked — starting point for children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development As a Dance and Fitness Teacher it’s my job to capture every opportunity to support, enhance and encourage all that wiggling,-fidgety squirming development while having fun along the way!

A moving brain is a learning brain.

 

So here’s a thought! I have been incorporating these and experimenting with them myself It doesn’t work for all groups of children .But for some children and especially challenging groups of learners this is a completely different spin to how I would teach a class with wiggly, squirming participants
Traditionally  the  class enter the learning space and find a space or sit down

Instead

  1. Keep the class moving around mingle in and out of the students so they are not sure to where they have to look to find you and to follow your instructions.
  2. Change your traditional teaching position use a semi circle of circle teaching formation
  3. Ask the class to enter the learning space hoping or walking on hands and feet.
  4. Don’t speak to them! I often use this technique, it always amazes me how well this works I use non verbal cues to gain their attention. I believe that as adults sometimes we speak too much to children, it’s like sensory overload! by not speaking the child can concentrate visually.
  5. Use the same piece of warm up music every week. After a couple of sessions the children will automatically start the required actions to the music.
  6. Speak quietly, almost whispering. This requires more attention from the children, so the wriggling stops.
  7. Engage your troublesome children straight away, by making then leaders. If you engage those children and give them a job, this stops the infectious behaviour they have from spreading around the class!
  8. Pre exhaust! Drain some of that energy immediately then the brain can focus exercise, discipline, and praise.
  9. Wear funky t shirts! What? I hear you cry! I have two favourite teaching t-shirts for young children classes; one has Elmo on it the other Sponge Bob! The child friendly T –shirts seem to give the children confidence that I am child friendly! And it’s ok to follow me!

 

This is a really fun way to incorporate a Play and Control Command i.e. How to incorporate Stopping and focus in a fun way.  I found this poem via another website; I am unsure of the poems author, but thank you!

SNAIL THE WHALE CAN’T FIND HIS TAIL!

 

Sometimes when children can’t seem to sit still, they may need to stimulate their vestibular (balance) system. Take a moment to tell the story of poor old Snail the Whale…

 

There once was a whale named Snail
who couldn’t find the end of his tail.
Three spins to the left,
Then back to the right,
Never failed to help Snail find his tail.

“WHERE’S YOUR TAIL?”

Now make a game of it! Get up and look for your own tail.  Then ask your child if they can find their tail.  Spin slowly three times to the left, then slowly again, three times to the right. (SLOW is the key here… about one revolution per 8 seconds.)

Once the tail has been found   , what’s the best way to keep from losing it again?   Sit down!