Brain Gym Movement is the door to learning

Brain Gym “Movement is the door to learning. To live is to move. Life is ever changing, ever shifting, and ever demanding. Brain Gym teaches us how to move with our challenges, our dreams and our goals. I believe there are no learning disabilities, only learning blocks. We are all learning blocked to the extent that we have mastered the art of not moving. ” Dr Paul E. Dennison 1969 Not all people learn by sitting still on a chair and listening

Benefits of Brain Gym When you do Brain Gym regularly: - Stress and anxiety levels drop Brain integration improves Performance levels improve Quality of life improves Melodie de Jager: Brain Gym for all

BRAINS thoughts, senses and memory With regular brain exercise we can change our thoughts, thinking patterns, abilities and skills , and WE LEARN BEST WHEN WE USE BOTH SIDES OF OUR BRAINS p 4 Brain-Based Learning : The New Paradigm of Teaching, Eric Jensen thus look to the future with a sense of purpose

The Brain – a very simple model Cortex - Abstract thinking, Problem solving, and Language Limbic Centre – Emotional Centre Midbrain – Security Centre Brain Gym improves functioning of all areas of Brainstem the Brain

Movement Energises the Body and Mind Any movement improves circulation of blood in the body Oxygenated blood circulates throughout the body and the brain Neural pathways and connections Ideally, all the sense organs, parts of the brain and limbs should work together like an orchestra, creating beautiful music/songs. are strengthened Vision, memory, hearing, focus and concentration improve

1. Cross-laterals/Cross Crawl HELPS WITH: - Hand-eye co-ordination, Handwriting, Spatial Perception difficulties, ADHD HOW TO: Cross crawl : This exercise is like marching in place. Begin by lifting the left leg and right arm at the same time. As you lower the right arm and left leg, lift the left arm and right leg. Continue in this way for about a minute. Exaggerate the movement by swinging your arms across the front of your body and lifting and crossing your legs toward the opposite side. Continue for a minute.

Cross-laterals Variations: As you march, pat the opposite knee. As you march, place your elbow on the opposite knee. As you march, touch your hand to your opposite foot. As you march, move your hand behind your back and touch your opposite foot. While sitting: Hold your arms out in front of you. And cross your arms in front of your body, much like a scissors. Lift your legs in front of you and cross your legs in front of your body with scissor-like movements. Now cross your arms and legs in scissor-style in front of your body.

2. Owl : Neck stretches Sit or stand in a comfortable upright position. Use your index and middle fingers to massage your shoulder muscle from your neck to the end of your shoulder. As you massage your left shoulder with your right fingers, slowly turn your head to the left, gently looking over your left shoulder. Now slowly turn your head to the right and gently look over your right shoulder. Slowly turn you head back to the centre. As you move your head, hum slowly and listen to your voice. Where does your voice sound the loudest? Reverse the action as you massage your right shoulder with your left hand. Neck stretches help with: Effective Listening (It should sound the loudest while you are facing the Better Concentration front. )

3. Lazy-eights Good for: Improved memory and vision, and for improved spelling and patience. How to: - Stand up straight and take a deep breath. As you breathe out (exhale) lift your right thumb in front of you at eye level. Follow your thumb as you draw a big circle in the air around your right eye and then around your left eye. Repeat twice more. You have now done it thrice with your right thumb. Lift your left thumb in the air in front of you and repeat the action thrice. Variations: Take both thumbs together and draw the lazy-eights in the air: thrice while starting to move to the right and thrice while moving to the left of you first. Draw a lazy-eight on a page in front of you. Now use your right index finger, start in the middle of the drawing and follow the lazy-eight moving thrice moving to the right first. Use your left index finger and moving to the left first repeat thrice. Use both index fingers together and repeat, moving to both sides thrice.

4. Alphabet lazy-eights Good for: Fluent writing To relieve feelings of sadness Do several lazy-eights as described above. Start in the centre of the lazy-eight and draw an a using the curves of the lazyeight circle. Continue drawing the alphabet letters in this way, making a lazy-eight between each alphabet letter.

5. Elephant eights Good for: Effective listening, correct spelling, better memory, concentration, and slight depression. How to: Stand up straight, lift your right arm and press it against your right ear. Look up beyond your finger tips and use your whole body from your waist upwards and make the lazy-eights as described above. Repeat using your left arm and left upper body.

6. Arm circles: Fluent writing, stress and anxiety Stand up straight and keep your head still throughout this exercise. Raise your arms above your head and draw big circles in the air, moving both arms at the same time. The circles should be the same on both sides of your body. Variations: The circles can be drawn in the sand using two sticks. The circles can be drawn on a board using two pieces of chalk. The arm movements can be reversed. (First move arms outwards to form circles and then move arms inwards to form circles)

7. Hook-up: Better memory, organization, and for stress and anxiety Stand up straight and stretch your arms out in front of you. Place the backs of your hands together with your thumb facing downwards. Breathe deeply twice. Take in another deep breathe. This time, as you breathe out, slide your right hand over your left hand clasp your fingers. Take three deep breathes. On your third exhalation, bend your arms down and inwards and bring your hands towards your chest. As your hands rest gently on your chest take three deep breathes. On your third exhalation, uncurl your arms, unclasp your hands, and shake your arms. Repeat this process, this time sliding your left hand over your right hand.

8. Arm activation: Fluent writing, and improved concentration Hold your right hand up next to your right ear and place your left arm behind your head and let your left hand hold onto your right elbow. In this exercise your arms work against one another, in opposite directions. Press your right hand forwards, to the right, back wards, and to the left. Hold each position for eight seconds. Don’t forget to breathe after each position. Repeat using your left arm, with your right arm behind your head and your right hand holding your left elbow.

9. Deep belly breathing: Spelling, stress and anxiety Breath is the source of life, bringing fresh oxygen into the cells to nourish the body. Breathing during a stressful time is an effective way to release tension. A few long deep breaths during a difficult moment can completely change the way we handle a situation. Learning takes place more readily when learners are calm and relaxed. Sit comfortably or stand with feet shoulder width apart. Breathe in deeply (inhale) through your nose and imagine the air moving into your body and into your abdomen. Imagine that your abdomen fills with air as if it were a balloon. Hold your breath for a few seconds and then exhale slowly through your mouth. As you inhale, your abdomen should move outwards. As you exhale, pull your abdominal muscles in to release all the air from your body.

10. Neck rolls: Activate memory Sit comfortably or stand up straight. Relax your shoulders and lower your chin. Slowly move your head to your right shoulder and look over your shoulder. Now slowly move your head to the left and look over your left shoulder, repeat thrice to each side; end by lifting your chin and facing the front.

11. Calf pump Effective listening, better communication, improved concentration Stand up straight and place your hands against a wall at about shoulder height. Stretch your right leg behind you and lift your heel. Bend your left leg. Press firmly against the wall and lower you right heel. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Repeat with your left leg stretched at the back of you.

12. Foot flex Effective listening, enhanced memory functioning, improved concentration Sit comfortably in a chair, and lift your right leg till your ankle is resting on your left knee. Place both hands on the middle of your calf muscle. Gently massage the muscle, moving one hand towards your knee and the other hand towards your ankle. Repeat the process on your left lower leg. NB. This is a difficult exercise to do – be gentle. Don’t strain.

13. Getting Grounded: Alleviate Stress and Anxiety, lessen Depression & for improved Concentration Stand with feet shoulder width apart Right foot points to front and left foot points to the side Bend your left knee and move sideways till knee is in line with left foot. Hold for 8 seconds. Return to starting position, change position of feet and move to right, … Do a few slides to both sides

Balancing Buttons : Better Organisation & Effective Listening Place right hand on your navel and the left hand on the soft hollow just below your left ear. Softly massage spot and slowly eyes horizontally right and back to the hollow move your from left to centre. Place left hand on navel and right hand on hollow below right ear. Repeat movements as described above.

Thank You Lémeez Gasant Educational Psychologist Western Cape Education Department MSED Office : 021 370 2138