| |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Reading First
Introduction
- In support of "Reading First" goal of ensuring that more children receive effective reading
instruction in the early grades, Generation FIT has developed a module entitled, "Dance Develops Readers."
- This program is useful for learners in grades 1-4, specifically for early or challenged readers.
- Building on a
solid foundation of research, Dance Develops Readers is designed to select, implement,
and provide professional development for teachers using a scientifically based exercise/dance/reading program.
-
Contact us for training, in-service and
grant-writing support
Definition: Kinesthetic learners learn best through movement of their large or gross motor muscles. They
take in information best when they are moving. Movement includes learning while doing, being involved in
projects, discovery, role-playing, simulations, real life activities, and learning while standing up or
using the large arm and leg muscles.
Dance Develops Readers makes use of an interactive dance video game, Ignition® dance mats with sturdy foam and durable covers that are easy to move and use. Gen FIT provides a well-developed
curriculum. Because we read with our eyes, visual perception plays the most important role in the reading
act. Eye tracking and patterning practice provided by an interactive dance video game with high quality aerobic,
rhythmic exercise can enhance reading success for your early readers.
Adding to the growing body of research extolling the cognitive benefits of physical exercise, a recent
study concludes that mental focus and concentration levels in young children improve significantly after
engaging in structured physical activity (Caterino and Polak 1999). The findings suggest that such physical
exercise as dancing and aerobic game playing have a definite impact on children's frontal lobea primary brain
area for mental concentration, planning, and decision-making. Aerobic conditioning seems to assist in memory
(Brink 1995). Dustmans research (Michund and Wild 1991) tested three groups of students. The group that engaged
in vigorous aerobic exercise improved short-term memory, creativity, and reaction time.
Researchers James Pollatschek and Frank Hagen (1996) say, Children who engage in daily physical education show
superior motor fitness, academic performance and attitude toward school as compared to their counterparts who
do not have physical education. When children look forward to school and feel confident and happy prior to a
task like reading, they will have a greater chance for success.
The Evidence: Movement facilitates Cognition
There is specific brain research supporting the need for daily quality exercise that provides us the evidence
to validate our programs. There are two aspects of movement that benefit learners: Physical fitness: having a
healthy body, healthy mind. Cognitive reinforcement: using a kinesthetic tactile approach to anchor academic concepts.
What does Movement mean?
There are three distinctions or definitions of movement when reviewing brain research that need clarification:
Movement, Physical Activity, and Exercise. Movement is the navigation of ones environment, in other words not
sitting still or not lying down. Physical activity is voluntary movement that expends energy, like in interactive dance video games.
Exercise is physical activity that gets the heart rate into the target heart rate zone.
Movement prepares the brain for optimal learning Blood traveling to the body-brain at greater rates feeds the
brain the needed nutrients of oxygen and glucose. Glucose is to the brain what gasoline is to a car, brain fuel.
Each time you think, you use up a little glucose. Brain activity is measured by glucose utilization. A human
exchanges about 10% of his oxygen with each normal breath, meaning that about 90% of the oxygen in our body-brain
is stale until we deep breathe or exercise. A lack of oxygen to the brain results in disorientation, confusion,
fatigue, sluggishness, concentration, and memory problems. Vigorous activity in a reading class gives the brain
its needed nutrients.
What happens when we exercise?
When humans exercise, the body-brain goes into a homeostatic state, balancing brain chemicals, hormones,
electricity, and system functions. When the body-brain is out of balance because of poor nutrition and lack
of physical activity, the student is not in a good learning state. Movement, physical activity, and exercise
change the learning state into one appropriate for retention and retrieval of memory, the effects lasting as
much as 30-60 minutes depending on the student. This evidence is a sound argument for daily quality movement
in the classroom environment, not just in recess or PE..
Physical activity provides enriched environments
In early studies in 1991, William Greenough discovered that rats who exercised in enriched environments had a
greater number of synaptic connections than sedentary counterparts. Exercise strengthens key areas of the brain
like the basal ganglia, cerebellum, and corpus callosum. Dr. Marion Diamond showed that rats in enriched
environments had greater density in the cortex and were better problem solvers. Transferred to humans this
information suggests that physical activity in a positive social setting like physical education class creates
an active safe environment for learning.
Aerobic fitness aids cognition
Researchers found that subjects who were the most aerobically fit had the fastest cognitive responses, measured
by reaction time, the speed that subjects processed information, memory span, and problem solving. Additional
studies are needed to determine the precise relationship between aerobic fitness, age, and cognition. Aerobic
activity not only increases blood flow to the brain, but also speeds recall and reasoning skills. (Etnier, et al. 1999)
(Van Boxtel, et al. 1996)
Exercise triggers BDNF
Exercise triggers the release of BDNF a brain-derived neurotropic factor that enables one neuron to communicate
with another. (Kinoshita 1997) Students who sit for longer than twenty minutes experience a decrease in the flow
of BDNF. Practice with interactive dance video games can trigger sharper learning skills.
Cross lateral movement organizes brain functions
Crossing the midline integrates brain hemispheres to enable the brain to organize itself. When students perform cross
lateral activities, blood flow is increased in all parts of the brain making it more alert and energized for stronger,
more cohesive learning. Movements that cross the midline unify the cognitive and motor regions of the brain: the
cerebellum, basal ganglia, and corpus callosum while stimulating the productions of neurotrophins that increase
the number of synaptic connections. (Dennison, Hannaford) Most all of the dance patterns practiced with interactive video games cross the midline and require coordination of body systems for mastery at any level. A program like Dance
Develops Readers is essential for optimum learning.
Eye tracking exercises and peripheral vision development helps reading One of the reasons students have trouble with
reading is because of the lack of eye fitness. When students watch screens their eyes lock in constant distant vision
and the muscles that control eye movement atrophy. The interactive dance video game provides this avenue for strengthening eye muscles.
Tracking exercises and the patterning of interactive dance video games exercise the eye muscles making the eyes fit to read.
Balance improves reading capacity
The vestibular and cerebellum systems (inner ear and motor activity) are the first systems to mature. These two
systems work closely with the RAS system (reticular activation system) that is located at the top of the brain
stem and is critical to our attentional system. These systems interact to keep our balance, turn thinking into
action, and coordinate moves. Interactive dance video games, with their dancing, jumping and spinning are necessary to lay the foundation for learning.
|
|
|
|
|
