Chapter 5: Brain Development Plato’s Physical Education: A guide to teaching physical education at all levels and in all environments.

Changes in research Recently, technology has changed that has allowed doctors to look more specifically at the brain. Brain scans show how nuerons fire

Movement and learning Movement has a significant impact on learning However, it is not the sole factor Theorists Piaget Gesell Erikson

Strick Peter Strick While observing the pathways of the brain, he discovered that the part of the brain that processes learning is the same part that processes movement. Aerobic conditioning is known to assist memory

Hannaford Carla Hannaford Most basic functions of the brain develop first Senses and movement Then more advanced functions begin to develop

BDNF Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Helps regulate the stability and growth of nuerons Similar to “Miracle-Gro” for the brain. Positive effects from Exercise Remain for a period of time after. Crucial link between thought, emotions and movement

Exercise When we exercise, our brain functions and neurons fire, strengthening connections between cells. Several other studies show a strong connection between exercise and cognitive ability Including in the elderly. Must be actively involved for learning to take place.

Neural Connections The number of stars you can see at night (on a clear night) is roughly equal to the number of cells in our brains. Each cell can “talk” to another, but only “talk” one way.

Neural connections How cells connect 1st time something is completed Axon is laid between the cells Axons are small tube-like structures messages pass through Similar to your pipes with water passing through 2nd time something is completed Myelin as added around the axon Myelin is like insulation around the pipes When task is completed more times, more myelin is added

Cell connections Think of water pipes in the winter The more insulation, the better water flows through the pipes The more myelin around the axon, the faster the message travels to the other cell. A lack of insulation causes pipes to freeze, and water can not flow. Same happens with the Axon. No Myelin will not allow the message to travel very fast.

Synapses Synapses work in a similar fashion as previously described Connect axon to the cell Strengthened by performing a skill over again. The more overall connections, the faster and more effectively the brain can work. Enriched nuerons connect to many other neurons.

Fundamental Physical Skills The job of a child is…….PLAY! Inskeep (1926) stated that “if you learn it through play, its there to stay.” Play has a specific goal, meaning and purpose. Only the child may know that meaning

Skills needed A child needs the ability to remain on task to be able to track while reading to know how to get from point A to point B to know how to follow directions to have logical thinking to be able to copy work from an overhead/chalkboard to a sheet of paper to understand order to understand where to begin to feel that he/she can succeed to be aware of his/her space and that of others to feel comfortable. www.projectfirststep.com

Fundamental Physical Skills Balance General Coordination Body Image Hand-Eye Coordination Laterality Tactile Touch Language Vision

Balance the ability to be able to move one’s body under control Three types Static (stationary) Dynamic (moving) External Object Direct link with concentration Better balance requires more concentration on the skill Adding difficulty requires more concentration Same as in the classroom.

General Coordination the ability to coordinate movement Sequencing Physical skills, just as with cognitive skills, often require a sequence to complete them Math (parentheses, exponents, multiply, divide, add and subtract) Skipping (step – hop – step - hop)

Body Image the ability to understand one’s body and its relationship to other things Knowing your own space – personal space Positioning Where is the paper, or the dinner plates May be a comfort issue Losing homework

Hand-Eye Coordination the ability to use hands and eyes effectively at the same time How the body reacts to what the eyes see Catching a ball Throwing a ball Reading and writing Cutting on or coloring inside the lines

Laterality the ability to know left from right, top from bottom, and front from back Could include using the two sides of the body together Three midlines of the body Longitudinal - Right and left Transverse - Top and Bottom Sagittal - Front and back Directly linked to reading Crossing the page (top left to bottom right) Reversals of letters

Letters What if you see these letters (which are written the same way – just rotated) as the same. d b p q X + 2 5 A H E 3 M W

Tactile Touch the ability to feel objects as they are meant to be felt Two types Defensive – I don’t like the feeling Pulling away or avoiding Dysfunctional – I don’t feel it correctly Not feeling it Feeling it with wrong pressure Feeling it in the wrong location If I am not comfortable, how well can I pay attention to what I am doing? Reading, studying or listening to the teacher.

Language the ability to hear and distinguish the basic sounds in a given language and to be able to express those sounds in a distinguishable manner. Audio-expressive - speaking Audio-receptive - Listening Sign Language – words or letters with symbols Body Language – how your body shows off meaning

Vision The ability to see the world appropriately. Each eye has 6 muscles Must stimulate a muscle to make it grow or keep it strong Screens do not stimulate eye movement