Amy Braun and Stephanie Young Maximize Learning Through Movement: Strategies to support students with dyslexia Amy Braun and Stephanie Young

Participants will: Understand various ways that people interpret stimuli and learn through their senses Be able to adapt learning environments to meet the sensory needs of students and enhance their learning experiences Demonstrate the use of various tools and activities to maximize learning through movement in the classroom and home setting

What is sensory integration? Sensory Integration is the neurological process of organizing and processing information from our bodies and the environment for purposeful and goal directed responses. Sensory processing disorder occurs when the brain misinterprets sensations by being UNDER sensitive or OVER sensitive to incoming sensory input. This may occur in just one or in many sensory systems to varying degrees.

The Vestibular System: The vestibular system is made up of the three semicircular canals in the inner ear, the utricle and the saccule. This system is responsible for balance, body awareness and spatial orientation that is needed for movement and balance. The vestibular ocular reflex occurs when the eyes stabilize to visually focus while the vestibular system provides feedback about movement.

The Vestibular System Under responsive reactions to input/high threshold: Seeks out excessive movement such as spinning, swinging, jumping, or wiggling Appears constantly active and may have poor personal boundaries and awareness Over responsive reactions to input/low threshold: Avoids activities such as swings, trampolines, or novel motor planning Becomes car sick easily

Vestibular activities to enhance learning: Swinging Rolling Sliding Zip lining Neck rolls Scooter boards Bike/scooter riding Swimming

The Proprioceptive System: The proprioceptive system is made up of receptors in the muscles and joints that tell your body about force and joint position. This sensory system often works together with the vestibular system by providing information about balance, body position, and movement. Children often seek and NEED extra amounts of movement throughout the day in order to attend to tasks and process information.

The Proprioceptive System: Under responsive reactions to input/high threshold: Uses excessive force while walking, pushing, pulling, and hugging Demonstrates poor body awareness and bumps into things often Chews clothing, pencils, fingers, and seeks out crunchy resistive foods Over responsive reactions to input/low threshold: Prefers to do familiar activities and avoids novel motor planning Avoids activities that might involve a lot of force and contact Significantly less common than an under responsive reaction

Proprioceptive activities to enhance learning: “Run, jump, and crash” Chair/wall push ups Tight squeezes/massage Carrying heavy things Stretching Animal walks Yoga Resistive chewing (bagels, apples, fruit leathers, nuts)

The Tactile System: The tactile system is our sense of touch and is mostly received through the largest organ in the body – the skin. Tactile input can also be felt as pain, temperature, vibration, hunger, and the need to use the bathroom. The tactile system allows us to discriminate textures, visualize 3D images and assists with motor planning.

The Tactile System: Under responsive reactions to input/high threshold: Does not seem to notice when hands or face are messy Demonstrates a tendency to “feel” a lot of things throughout the environment such as walls, other people, items in the classroom Over responsive reactions to input/low threshold: Bothered by tags, waistbands, fitted clothing, stiff fabrics Dislikes activities where others may be in their personal space Is bothered by sensations such as grass, sand, and chalk

Tactile activities to enhance learning: Fidgets – pipe cleaners, balls, rubber bands Playdough 3D puzzles or manipulatives Shaving cream Play in sand/bean/rice box Chocolate syrup in a baggie Rubberband boards “tactile tunnel”

The Visual System: The visual system enables the body to take information through the eyes to be able to assess, scan, track, read, or make eye contact in social situations. Binocularity is when both eyes work together to assimilate information. The muscles around the outside of the eyeballs help it look all around during visual tracking. The muscles on the inside of the eyes help us with near point and far point focus.

The Visual System: Under responsive reactions to input/high threshold: Seeks out visual stimulation such as bright colors, patterns moving objects, and fast animation or screen activity. Tolerant of visually cluttered spaces with a lot of color contrasts Over responsive reactions to input/low threshold: Easily distracted by moving objects, busy worksheets, or sunlight Can experience headaches, dizziness or nausea in environments with a lot of visual stimulation.

Visually based activities to enhance learning: Eye tracking in all directions Eye pushups Near point/far point focus Infinity walking/reading Create and copy visual designs Tangrams Tricky Fingers Q-Bitz Color coded stations/assignments

The Auditory System: The auditory system allows us to hear and to listen with understanding. The auditory system also contributes to memory, attention, association of sounds with letters, and categorizing sounds. Since not all sounds are relevant to the task at hand, our nervous systems should learn to prioritize the sounds and only pay attention to what is important.

The Auditory System: Under responsive reactions to input/high threshold: Seems to enjoy or not notice noises in the background such as music, a fan, water running, or a pencil tapping Tends to talk loudly Over responsive reactions to input/low threshold: Appears bothered by loud noises, especially ones that are unexpected Covers ears in a noisy environment.

Auditory based activities to enhance learning: Rhyming Syllable counts Say the word “ - ” without the “ - ” sound. Rhythm clapping Silent voice Music cues and counts Auditory memory games

Bilateral Motor Coordination: Bilateral coordination is the ability to use both sides of the body at the same time. The right hemisphere of the brain controls the motor movements on the left side of the body and the left hemisphere controls the right side. Crossing the midline of your body is an important motion because it requires both sides of the brain to communicate with each other and coordinate a movement.

Activities that require bilateral coordination: Cross crawls Jumping jacks Jumping rope Skipping Galloping Swimming Bike riding

Activities that require bilateral coordination: Sports Catching and throwing activities Obstacle courses Playgrounds Razor scooters “mirror movement sequences” “Warm up jam”

Equipment that can enhance learning in the classroom: Adapted seating such as ball chairs, wiggle cushions, standing desks, stools with foot rest/fidgets, T stools (Flaghouse.com-balance stool) Weighted balls filled with sand or lap pads filled with dried beans Texture under their desk such as soft Velcro or a rough roofing strip Fidgets such as putty, fabric samples, balloons with flour, rubberbands, key chain with textured beads Bungee cords around the legs of chairs Noise cancelling headphones Mini trampoline