1. Utilising Brain Gym® in the Classroom to Enhance Student Outcomes
Presented by:
Danielle McGaughey
BA, BEd, MEd.

2. Workshop Objectives We will discuss What Brain Gym® is
Dr Paul Dennison – Developer of Brain Gym®
Rationale behind Brain Gym®
The Benefits of Using Brain Gym® in the Classroom
Brain Gym® Movements that can be Used in the Classroom
Questions

3. What is Brain Gym®? BRAIN GYM®
is the registered trademark for an
Educational Kinesiology Sensory Motor Program

4. is the Study of Movement
Kinesiology
is the
Study of Movement

5. Educational Kinesiology
Is the study and application of natural
movement to facilitate learning
Focuses on the performance of specific
physical activities that activate the brain for
optimal storage and retrieval of information
Is a process for re-educating the mind/body
system for accompanying any skill or
function with greater ease and efficiency

6. Brain Gym® Whole brain Senses Body
Is an educational, movement-based program
which uses simple movements to integrate
Whole brain
Senses
Body
preparing the person with the physical skills they
need to learn effectively

7. The Benefits of Using Brain Gym® in the Classroom
Brain Gym® enhances student Academic and
Social outcomes by improving a wide range of
Learning
Attention
Behaviour Skills

8. Brain Gym® Movements
Have been shown in clinical experience, field studies and published research
reports to improve whole brain function and development that results in
enhancing a student’s:
Academic skills – for example Reading, Writing, Spelling, Handwriting, Comprehension and Maths
Memory, Concentration and Focus
Fine and Gross Motor Skills
Visual Tracking
Organisational skills
Listening
Physical Coordination and Balance
Communication Skills and Language Development
Hyperactivity and Excessive Daydreaming
Self-Confidence, Self-Esteem and Self-Expression
Self-Development and Personal Stress Management

9. How? By Waking up the Brain
The simple, bilateral Brain Gym® movements focus on improving communication between the
left and right
brain hemispheres harmoniously
Brain Gym® develops the brain’s neural pathways the way nature does – through movement

10. Right and Left Hemisphere Control
Controls analysing details
Organisation
Short term memory
Expressive language
Controls the muscles on our right side
RIGHT
Sees the big picture
Houses our emotions
Responsible for long term memory
Receptive language
Controls the muscles on our left side

11. Why is this important?
Optimum learning takes place when the total brain is alert and communicating

12. Brain Gym® Is based on more than 80 years of research by
Educational Therapists
Developmental Optometrists
Specialists in the fields of Movement,
Education, Learning Disability
and Child Development

13. Dr Paul Dennison PhD
Remedial Educationalist, specialising in learning and brain function
Founder of the Educational Kinesiology Foundation in Ventura, California
Philosophy: “Movement is the key to learning”
Spent most of his career showing the effects of movement upon learning
Focused on the causes and treatment of learning disabilities
Developed the Brain Gym® program over a period of 25 years
Brain Gym® is now used in over 45 countries and is recognised as a safe, effective and innovative educational and self-development tool

14. How Brain Gym® Movements were Developed
Many of the activities were developed from Dr Dennison’s knowledge of the relationship of movement to perception, and the impact of these on fine motor and academic skills

15. How Brain Gym® Movements were Developed
Other movements were learned during Dennison’s
Training as a Marathon Runner
Study of Vision Training
Study of Jin Shin Jitsu
(a form of acupressure)
Study of Applied Kinesiology

16. Dr Paul Dennison PhD In 1980, he synthesised his work and began
teaching and travelling internationally
The current BRAIN GYM® handbook was
developed in collaboration with over 29
Educational Kinesiologists from around the
world

17. Rationale Behind Brain Gym®
Physical movement stimulates brain activity and improves learning
Water consumption also aids this process
Stress inhibits learning
We are able to learn with less stress and to express creativity using more of our mental and physical potential

18. Rationale Behind Brain Gym®
The Brain Gym® movements interconnect the brain in three dimensions, allowing us to easily learn through all the senses, to remember what we learn and to participate more fully in the events of our lives
Laterality
Focus
Centering

19. Laterality Laterality is the ability to coordinate one side
of the brain with the other, especially in the
visual, auditory, and kinesthetic midfield, the
area where the two sides overlap
This skill is fundamental to the ability to read, write and communicate
It is also essential for fluid whole-body movement, and for the ability to move and think at the same time

20. Focus Focus is the ability to coordinate the back and
front areas of the brain
It is related to comprehension, the ability to find meaning, and to the ability to experience details with their context
People without this basic skill are said to have attention disorders and difficulty in comprehension
Focus also allows us to interpret a particular moment or experience in the greater context of our lives or to see ourselves as unique individuals within the larger framework of society

21. Centering Centering is the ability to coordinate the top
and bottom areas of the brain
This skill is related to
Organisation
Grounding
Feeling and expressing one’s emotions
A sense of personal space
Responding rationally rather than reacting from emotional overlay

22. Brain Gym® …
Consists of simple movements similar to those performed naturally by young children as part of the process of brain development
The movements are often done as a whole group activity before, during, or after school
A skilled teacher can identify individual students as candidates to benefit from specific movements
Older students can easily learn to notice times when they could benefit from the various movements

23. Brain Gym® Movements
Cross Crawl
Lazy Eight
Double Doodle
The Owl

24. Cross Crawl Walking in place motion
Opposite elbow touching opposite knee

25. Cross Crawl Benefits Academically Spelling Writing Listening Reading
Comprehension
Behavioral/Postural
Correlation
Left / right coordination
Breathing and stamina
Coordination and spatial awareness
Hearing and vision

26. Lazy 8’s The 8 is drawn on its side Definite midpoint
Separate left and right areas

27. Lazy 8 Benefits Academically Mechanics of Reading Symbol Recognition
Comprehension
Behavioral/Postural
Correlation
Relaxation of eyes, neck and shoulders
Depth perception
Balance and coordination

28. Double Doodle
Bilateral drawing
Midfield

29. Double Doodle Benefits
Academic Skills
Fine motor skills
Penmanship
Cursive Writing
Spelling
Creative Writing
Behavioral/Postural
Correlation
Relaxation while writing
Concentration
Greater skill in activities

30. The Owl Lengthen neck and shoulder muscle
Range of motion and circulation of blood to the brain

31. The Owl Benefits Academic Listening Comprehension Speech/Oral Language
Math Computation
Memory
Behavioral/Postural
Correlation
Focus
Attention
Memory

32. Primary Aims and Outcomes of the Brain Gym® Program
It prepares students of all ages to practice and
master the skills for the mechanics of learning
It includes a simple teaching format, a language for
stress-free learning and a series of movements for
integrating learning into the physiology
It offers the learner a self-directed system with which
to pace individual learning needs, building self-
esteem through the successful mastery of skills

33. Compared with other Educational Programs, how is Brain Gym® Distinctive?
It addresses the physical (rather than the mental)
components of learning
It builds on what the learner already knows and does
well
It meets the learner just as he or she is, without any
judgement of capabilities
It teaches the student key elements of learning theory
that he or she will be able to apply
It prepares the learner to learn
Not only for the classroom. Can be used just as
effectively in business, sports and the arts

34. Do Students Like Brain Gym®?
Love it
Request it
Teach it to friends
Integrate it into their own lives

35. Do Teachers Like Brain Gym®. You bet
Do Teachers Like Brain Gym®? You bet! Teachers typically report that Brain Gym®
Requires little additional training
Easy to teach
Adaptable
Inexpensive
Easy to timetable
Caters for all learning styles & individual student needs
No Technology
No testing
Benefits are immediate with instant improvements in attitude, attention and discipline
Assists in clearing emotional stress that affects students both mentally and physically
It enhances (rather than replaces) other programs and the current curriculum

36. Resources

37. Books

38. Books

39. Websites To access information about Brain Gym®:
To purchase Brain Gym® books:
Provides illustrations of the Brain Gym® activities

40. Simple and Enjoyable Movements Behaviour and Academics
Brain Gym® Summary
Simple and Enjoyable Movements
Whole Brain Learning
Behaviour and Academics

41. Questions