Best practice? Advice provided to teachers about the use of Brain Gym[R] in Australian schools.
Stephenson, Jennifer
Introduction
The nature of what teachers do in classrooms has been clearly shown
to have important influences on student learning (Hattie, 2003). There
has been considerable interest in recent times in promoting
'quality teaching' as evidenced by the Commonwealth
government's Quality Teaching Program, which has provided
considerable support for teacher professional development (Commonwealth,
n.d.). One of the principles commonly espoused in relation to
professional development for teachers is that the practices introduced
should have a firm research base. Statements about the importance of
professional development being informed by research on effective
practices are common. For example, the Victorian Department of Education
and Early Childhood Development (2005, p. 14) stated that teacher
professional development should be 'informed by the best available
research on effective learning and teaching'; Australian Capital
Territory's Department of Education and Training (2008a) stated
that professional development should 'support the adoption of
proven contemporary practice in teaching, learning, school leadership
and career development for all staff ' and the New South Wales
Department of Education and Training (NSW DET) (2006, p. 7) stated:
'Research ... underpins all programs and strategies' for
professional learning. It would seem that educational authorities see
their role as promoting evidence-based practice in schools.
Despite this apparent commitment, practices that have long been
known to be ineffective are still present in schools. One clear example
is the use of perceptual motor programs (Hyatt, 2007; Kavale &
Mattson, 1983; Stephenson, Carter & Wheldall, 2007). These programs
are designed to improve perceptual and motor skills and the coordination
between them, and proponents often claim that their effects go beyond
this to improvements in academic learning. A common rationalisation for
their use in schools is that they will contribute to literacy and
numeracy learning, particularly for young students and those with
disabilities (Hyatt, 2007; Kavale, 2007; Kavale & Mattson, 1983;
Stephenson, Carter & Wheldall, 2007).
Louden et al. (2000) found that 8% of schools in New South Wales
and more than 30% in Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria used
perceptual motor programs for students with learning difficulties. They
noted their concern about the widespread use of such programs, given
widespread evidence that they are ineffective.
Brain Gym[R]
Brain Gym[R], also known as Edu-K or Educational Kinesiology, is
marketed to teachers and others worldwide and is a perceptual motor
program used in Australian schools (Stephenson, Carter & Wheldall,
2007). It was developed in the 1970s by Paul and Gail Dennison,
initially to assist students with learning difficulties; it is now
claimed to work for everyone (Brain Gym, 2008a; Kurtz, 2008). It
includes a set of 26 exercises claimed to 'bring about rapid and
often dramatic improvements in concentration, memory, reading, writing,
organizing, listening, physical coordination and more' (Brain Gym,
2008a). Particular exercises or sequences of exercises are claimed to
bring about improvements in 'reading, writing, spelling, math,
communication, and organization skills' (Brain Gym, 2008b).
The claimed effects for Brain Gym[R] are explained by a simplistic
model of brain functioning. According to the Brain Gym[R] web site,
there are three aspects of brain functioning. The first is
'laterality' or the ability to coordinate the activity of the
two sides of the brain, particularly relevant for reading and writing.
The second is 'focusing', which relates to coordinating the
back and front of the brain, and the third is 'centring',
which relates to coordination between the top and bottom of the brain.
Brain Gym[R] exercises purportedly facilitate communication between
parts of the brain and also between 'functional centers located
throughout the brain and sensory motor system' (Brain Gym, 2008c).
When this communication is blocked, learning is impeded, but the Brain
Gym[R] exercises release blockages and allow information to flow freely
and improve learning (Brain Gym, 2008c).
Brain Gym[R] has a strong presence in Australia. There is an
Australian Brain Gym web site (http://www.braingym.com.au), and 50
licensed Brain Gym[R] instructors (Brain Gym, 2008d). Many of these
instructors have their own web sites and offer training to individuals
and schools (see, for example, http://www.wholebrain.com.au/). Regular
Brain Gym[R] conferences are held in Australia, most recently in
Melbourne in 2009, attended by Paul Dennison himself (Brain Gym, 2008e).
Research evidence
Despite the claims of substantial effects, there is no empirical
evidence that Brain Gym[R] can improve learning in schools. A recent
review of the research on Brain Gym[R] (Hyatt, 2007) located only five
articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Hyatt excluded one of
these from consideration, as the author was also a participant in the
research. Two of the studies did not consider academic learning but did
show that participants improved in standing balance ability (Khalsa,
Morris & Sifft, 1988) and in response time after performing Brain
Gym[R] exercises (Sifft & Khalsa, 1991). One study (Cammisa, 1994)
found an improvement in perceptual motor skills but not academic skills
for students who participated in a Brain Gym[R] program for a year. De
los Santos (2002) reported teacher ratings of improved performance and
improved academic performance but no statistical testing was reported to
establish the significance of the findings. Since all the studies in
Hyatt's review were seriously flawed methodologically,Hyatt
concluded that research has failed to support the contention that Brain
Gym[R] improves academic learning.
An additional study (Maskell, Shapiro & Ridley, 2004), not
reviewed by Hyatt, found the addition of Brain Gym[R] exercises to a
regular physical education program did not improve the ability of
students to coordinate motor movements across the midline of the body.
The Brain Gym[R] web site provides a document summarising research
on Brain Gym[R], but the majority of studies noted in it were not
published in the peer-reviewed literature where studies are open to
scrutiny and criticism. There is, then, little or no evidence for the
considerable improvements in learning claimed to result from the use of
Brain Gym[R].
The theoretical base of Brain Gym[R] has also been subject to
criticism by neuroscientists and by educators with expertise in
neuroscience and cognition. Howard-Jones called it 'complete
bananas' (2007, p. 6). Geake (2005) noted that there is no evidence
for the idea that specific parts of the brain can be stimulated by
physical exercise. The report on neuroscience and education produced by
the Teaching and Learning Research Program stated, 'The scientific
terms that are used to explain how this [Brain Gym[R]] works, let alone
the concepts they express, are unrecognisable within the domain of
neuroscience' (2007, p. 15). A brief, accessible summary of the
claims made by Brain Gym[R] and responses by neuroscientists explaining
the lack of scientific evidence to support the claims is provided by
Sense About Science (2008). To provide one example, Brain Gym[R]
proponents claim that pressing or massaging particular spots on the body
will activate or focus particular areas or systems in the brain. There
is no evidence to support such a claim (Geake, 2008; Goswami, 2006;
Sense About Science, 2008).
Brain Gym[R] then is a clearly described practice that makes bold
claims that have not been substantiated over its 30-year history, while
its theoretical basis is not accepted by neuroscientists. At the same
time, its continuing existence and ongoing marketing to teachers attests
to its use in schools. There is very little research on why teachers
adopt and use controversial and unproven practices marketed over the
Internet and elsewhere. It might be expected that authorities
responsible for policy making in education and for providing
professional development to teachers would be abreast of the research
and would advise against the use of ineffective practices. On the other
hand, it may be that the claims made for Brain Gym[R] have been accepted
by policy-makers and this may at least partly explain the use of this
unproven practice in schools. The aim of this study was to investigate,
through an exploration of Internet sites, sources that could be expected
to provide wise counsel to teachers to determine what advice was
provided to Australian teachers about the use of Brain Gym[R].
Method
Searches were carried out to locate materials relevant to Brain
Gym[R] on Australian sites on the Internet that teachers might encounter
in their search for professional development or might consult to find
information about the effectiveness of educational practices. The first
search used the descriptors 'Brain Gym' or
'Braingym' and 'school' and was limited to sites
within the .au domain. Additional searches were carried out within the
Education Network Australia (edna) web site (which provides access to
online sources for educators) and the web sites of the education
departments of each state and territory using the terms 'Brain
Gym' and 'Braingym'. Sites maintained by commercial
operations providing Brain Gym[R] training or materials, sites
maintained by individual schools or other organisations describing Brain
Gym[R], blogs and discussion lists were excluded.
Each site or page located in the searches was visited. Sites
meeting the criteria for inclusion were then classified as explicitly
recommending the use of Brain Gym[R] in schools, as endorsing its use by
providing information or advertisements about Brain Gym[R] directed at
teachers, as simply mentioning Brain Gym[R], or as advising against use.
Sites were classified in the following manner:
* Explicit recommending: teachers were advised to use Brain Gym[R],
professional development in Brain Gym[R] was actively provided or funds
were provided to support teacher attendance at Brain Gym[R] courses
and/or purchase of Brain Gym[R]-related materials.
* Endorsement: support or expressions of approval of activities
related to Brain Gym[R] or advertising of Brain Gym[R] courses in
publications directed at teachers with the implication that they were an
appropriate form of professional development. The dissemination of
reports indicating how schools had used Brain Gym[R] was also regarded
as endorsement.
* Mentioning: a neutral mention or description of Brain Gym[R], or
where a site appeared to endorse Brain Gym[R] but also included a clear
disclaimer that it was not intending to endorse any linked site.
* Advising against: provision of information about Brain
Gym[R]'s ineffectiveness and suggesting it should not be used.
After the web sites had initially been coded, the printouts from
the web sites and a description of the criteria for classification were
provided to another person for independent coding. There were six
disagreements that were resolved by further examination of the sites or
documents and discussion.
Results
The first general search yielded 4290 hits. The first 200 of these
hits were visited and those belonging to bodies that were providing
advice to teachers or schools were downloaded for further examination.
The searches of edna and individual education departments were then
carried out. Material that had not been located by the previous search
was downloaded. The results of the searches were pooled and a summary of
the classifications, the nature of the sites and documents and relevant
claims about Brain Gym[R] is included in Tables 1, 2 and 3. The first
column provides the source of the material located and a brief
description. No sites were found that advised against the use of Brain
Gym[R], so this classification is not provided in the tables.
Discussion
It was disturbing to find that all state and territory education
departments provided some level of explicit support for the use of Brain
Gym[R] in schools, and that no source provided information about
independent, empirical research on Brain Gym[R]. The most worrying
results were the documents produced by the education departments of
Northern Territory, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory that
explicitly recommended the use of Brain Gym[R] for students with
literacy difficulties or recommended the use of Brain Gym[R] as a
generic good practice. Of almost equal concern is the active provision
and recommendation of Brain Gym[R] workshops as a form of professional
development. Education departments in New South Wales, Victoria,
Tasmania, Queensland, and South Australia all provided funding to
support Brain Gym[R] and/or organised and advertised Brain Gym[R]
courses as professional development. Newsletters or magazines directed
at teachers produced by South Australia,Western Australia and Queensland
education departments all contained advertisements for Brain Gym[R]
workshops or other events, most often under the heading of professional
development. (Other states produce similar publications but their
contents were not available for searching on their web sites). Although
providing a location for advertisements does not overtly endorse Brain
Gym[R], locating the advertisements under headings like
'Professional Development' within a magazine or newsletter
directed at schools and teachers implies it is acceptable.
Concern has been expressed about the penetration of Brain Gym[R]
into British schools with one survey finding 30% of teachers were aware
of the program (Teaching and Learning Research Program, 2007). Kavale
(2007) has been a constant critic of the use of perceptual motor
programs in education and has recently noted that, despite the evidence
of the negligible effect of these programs in improving student
performance, there has been little change in beliefs about their
efficacy and they continue to be implemented in schools in the USA. It
would appear that Australian educators are equally accepting of the
efficacy of Brain Gym[R].
In the UK, various commentators have linked the use of Brain Gym[R]
with the rise of neuromyths and so-called 'brain-based'
teaching (Geake, 2008; Goswami, 2004, 2006; Howard-Jones, 2007).
Neuromyths are unfounded (and usually simple) beliefs about the brain
and the way it functions. These beliefs are widely exploited by various
educational entrepreneurs to market their products in a way that the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) claimed is
'probably anything but accidental' (OECD, 2007, p. 126).
Pickering and Howard-Jones (2007) interviewed teachers about the
uptake of neuromyths and associated practices in British schools. They
found considerable enthusiasm among teachers for using information about
the brain in education, despite the fact that many brain-based practices
in schools were unsound. They found that teachers were very receptive to
being told what to do by someone who appears to know 'what
works'. In the Australian context, when teachers are provided with
explicit recommendations, with funding to learn about and implement
Brain Gym[R], with professional development workshops on Brain Gym[R] or
when they see Brain Gym[R] courses advertised as professional
development, they could be justified in believing they are being
provided with information about 'what works'.
The kindest thing that could be suggested about Brain Gym[R] is
that doing the Brain Gym[R] exercises provides a break that may increase
alertness. This generic effect may explain the findings of Sifft and
Khalsa (1991) on improved response times after Brain Gym[R] sessions
(Howard-Jones, 2007). Higgins (2007) has suggested that the belief of
some teachers in the efficacy of Brain Gym[R] may be related to the fact
that it provides students with a break and that children who are
unsuccessful academically may be able to do the movements easily. After
the break, the students return to work refreshed, and this outcome
bolsters the teacher's belief that Brain Gym[R] 'works'.
As Geake (2008) has noted, what should be of concern to education
authorities and the wider community is the widespread and uncritical
acceptance of unfounded ideas related to neuromyths in education. From
the rationales provided for the use of Brain Gym[R] (See Table 1),
systems, teachers and schools are repeating the unfounded claims made by
Brain Gym[R] proponents and there appears to be a serious lack of
critical thought about the program.
The impetus for the use of practices such as Brain Gym[R] generally
appears to come from educational entrepreneurs rather than from those
with a sound knowledge of education and neuroscience (Goswami, 2006;
OECD, 2007; Sharp, Byrne & Bower, 2007). Weisberg et al. (2008)
carried out an interesting study on the effects of adding irrelevant
neuroscience components to explanations of psychological phenomena. They
found that, when such components were added, explanations-particularly
bad explanations-were judged more satisfying than similar explanations
without reference to neuroscience. This was particularly true for people
who knew little about neuroscience. It would seem many teachers are
vulnerable to this effect, which may explain their acceptance of the
explanations provided for the purported benefits of Brain Gym[R]. The
influence of educational entrepreneurs on practice within schools would
seem to be an area ripe for further research in developing an
understanding of change in teacher practice.
It is reasonable to expect that the teaching practices used in
schools have a sound theoretical foundation and have been shown to be
effective in promoting learning. Teachers might reasonably expect that
those responsible for education policies and professional learning
activities, in line with their stated aims to promote research-based
practice, would provide accurate, well-founded and up-todate information
on good practice. They might expect education departments not to
recommend practices that are based on untenable theories and that have
no demonstrated effects on academic learning. The community, parents and
teachers are being badly let down by the continued endorsement of Brain
Gym[R] and the lack of critical information about it provided by
education departments. Who guards the guards?
Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges the assistance of Lisa Limbrick in the
coding for this study.
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year. Retrieved July 19, 2008, from
http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/learnerwellbeing/files/links/
summary_30_8_2007_v2.pdf
South Australian Department of Education and Children's
Services. (2008). XTRA. Retrieved July 19, 2008, from
http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/ mediacentre/pages/default/xtra
Stephenson, J., Carter, M., & Wheldall, K. (2007). Jumping on
the balance beam: Continued use of perceptual motor programs in
Australian schools. Australian Journal of Education, 51, 6-18.
Sturt Street Community School. (n.d.). The wellbeing tree.
Retrieved July 19, 2008, from
http://www.decs/sa/gov.au/learnerwellbeing/files/links/
The_Wellbeing_Tree_V2.pdf
Tasmanian Department of Education. (2008). Brain Gym in the
classroom. Retrieved July 19, 2008, from
http://www.education.tas.gov.au/infostream/general2008/
feb/14feb/professional/brain-gym-in-the-classroom
Teaching and Learning Research Program. (2007). Neuroscience and
education: Issues and opportunities. UK: Economic and Social Research
Council.
Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
(2005). Professional learning in effective schools: The seven principles
of highly effective learning. Melbourne, VIC: Leadership and Teacher
Development Branch, Office of School Education. Retrieved May 19, 2009,
from http://www.education.vic.gov.au/
about/directions/blueprint1/fs5.htm
Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
(2007). About knowledge bank. Retrieved July 19, 2008, from
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/knowledgebank/about.asp
Walker, R. (2002). Learning innovation proposal form: Enhanced
literacy learning through whole brain activities. Retrieved July 20,
2008, from http://education.qld.gov.au/teaching/development/qtp/resources/ 514-granthamss.doc
Weisberg D. S., Keil, F. C., Goodstein, J., Rawson, E., & Gray,
J. R. (2008). The seductive allure of neuroscience explanations. Journal
of Cognitive Neuroscience, 20, 470-477.
Western Australian Department of Education and Training. (2006).
Practical strategies for student centred learning. Retrieved July 19,
2008, from http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/schoolmatters/docs/2006/9_21.pdf
Western Australian Department of Education and Training. (2007).
School matters. Retrieved September 3, 2008, from
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/schoolmatters/ detcms/navigation/print-2007
Western Australian Department of Education and Training. (2008).
School matters. Retrieved July 19, 2008, from
http://www.det.wa.edu.au/schoolmatters/ detcms/navigation/print-2008
Woodford P-10 (2004). Quality teacher program final report:
Learning styles project. Retrieved July 20, 2008, from
http://education.qld.gov.au/teaching/development/
qtp/resources/238-woodfordp10-fs.doc
Author
Jennifer Stephenson is Senior Lecturer in the Macquarie University
Special Education Centre. Email:
[email protected]
Jennifer Stephenson
Macquarie University
Table 1 Documents and websites that explicitly recommend Brain Gym[R]
to schools and teachers
Source of document/web page Advice about Brain Gym[R]
for schools and teachers
Australian Capital Territory Department of Education, Youth and
Family Services (2004)
School improvement framework Brain Gym[R] described as an
for achieving high standards 'effective pedagogy' in the teaching
in student learning, practice element. At Level 4 'all
innovation and best practice staff consistently use tools such
in ACT government schools as ... Brain Gym in developing
programs that cater to the range
of students' learning needs' (p. 41)
New South Wales Country Area Program (CAP) Northern Network
A network of state government Professional development 'Brain
and Catholic schools supported Gym in the classroom': one-day
by the New South Wales program presented by a CAP
Department of Education and consultant from the Riverina network.
Training and Catholic The network funded the presenter
education authorities costs and the venue/catering. CAP
site indicated the course has been
offered each year from 2004 in
different regions.
Northern Territory Department of Employment, Education and
Training (2008)
Assessment of Student Brain Gym[R] explicitly recommended
Competencies Teacher for young children who are having
Handbook: The Early Years difficulty with fine motor skills,
early reading behaviour, with using
prepositions (early numeracy) and
who need to expand language use.
Brain Gym book by Dennison and
Dennison recommended, and a link to
the Brain Gym[R] website provided.
Queensland Department of Education, Training and the Arts (2004)
Certificate III in Education As part of the evidence provided to
Support: Evidence Guide (2004) demonstrate competency for this
(a formal qualification for award, people can include training
teacher aides and other in Brain Gym[R] .
education support workers)
Education Queensland Project to further 'enhance literacy
Learning Innovation Proposal Outcomes by fully implementing Brain
2002: 'Enhanced literacy Gym into our curriculum'. Had been
learning through whole brain implementing Brain Gym[R] since 2000,
activities QTP ID# 514' (the but wanted all staff to be fully
proposal was approved) trained at a cost of $6550 (Walker,
2002).
Bandscales for Aboriginal and Under Junior Primary Writing
Torres Strait Major Teaching
Islander Learners--Writing Emphasis, at Pre-Level I a
Bandscales recommendation to 'implement
sensory-motor programs to enhance
coordination, thinking and
concentration (eg "Brain Gym" ...)'
(p. 3).
Dennison's book is included in the
references. (Education Queensland,
2002)
Quality Teacher Program Final Report on Brain Gym[R] Workshop
Report on Learning Styles Training using $4323.70 from Quality
Project Teacher Program funds.
Teachers achieved basic to good
skills and understandings of use of
Brain Gym[R] .
Staff from this school have provided
Sessions for more than 300 other
teachers. (Woodford P-10, 2004)
South Australian Department of Education and Children's Services
North East District Weekly One-day professional development on
Update Term I Week 9 (also Brain Gym[R] (North East Weekly
listed in updates for weeks 7 Update, 2008)
and 8)
Drug Education R-12 Teacher Specific Brain Gym[R] exercises
Support Package (2000) (e.g. Lazy Eights) recommended to
reduce stress
Tasmanian Department of Education 2008
Professional development 2008 Two 'Brain Gym[R] in the Classroom'
courses held as professional
development. 'Brain Gym[R] is
extremely useful when working
with children or adults labelled
as "learning disabled", hyper active
or with ADD. This workshop is
especially relevant for integration
and special needs students.'
Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Knowledge Bank (described as a Report on teacher Professional Leave
repository for teachers' best awarded to two teachers from a
and emerging practices' and an special school to develop the use of
online site where teachers Brain Gym[R] in the school to help
can quickly find reliable and students with disabilities to
credible information on 21st increase their attention span and
century schooling', Victorian improve thinking and learning skills'
Department of Education and particularly in relating to reading,
Early Childhood Development, writing, numeracy and behaviour
2007) (Beilby & Monahan, 2004)
Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development--continued
Knowledge Bank A teacher at a special school had
leave to study Brain Gym[R] , which
she had introduced to her class in
2002
Attended Brain Gym[R] courses,
presented to her own school and
another school, accepted visitors
from other schools. Released one day
per week to use Brain Gym[R]
throughout the school. (Hansen, 2005)
One teacher in a team of four primary
school teachers investigated the
pertinence of Brain Gym[R] , attended
a Brain Gym[R] course, led teacher
professional learning discussion
about Brain Gym[R] and made it
integral to the work of other teams.
(O'Hare et al., 2006)
Western Australian Department of Education and Training (2006)
School Matters Report of regional Association for
Student Centred Learning Conference
that provided a workshop on Brain
Gym[R] as one strategyto use in the
whole school and classroom setting'.
Cairns School of Distance
Education (n.d.)
Provides information for Under the banner of 'How Brain Gym
tutors of distance students can help with student learning and
concentration', links were provided
to documents about Brain Gym[R] as
well as to downloadable video of
some of the exercises.
Table 2 Documents and websites that endorse Brain Gym[R] to schools
and teachers
Source of document/web page Advice about Brain Gym (R)
for schools and teachers
Australian Capital Territory Department of Education and Training
(2008b)
School excellence initiative Provides link to Brain
website Gym[R] website.
NSW Premier's Coca-Cola Lifestyle Scholarship (2006)
Report by recipient on Reported uncritically on
Fundamental movement perceptual motor programs
skills--developmental including Brain Gym[R] that 'works
coordination disorder' both sides of the body and is
(Grant, 2006) therefore designed to work both
sides of the brain, linking the
right and left hemispheres, thus
encouraging faster and more
effective information
processing ... It works by
developing the brain's neural
pathways through movement'
(Grant, 2006, p. 7).
Education Queensland
Education Views Advertisement for Brain Gym (R)
(Education Queensland, 2004b;
Education Views 2004c) Advertisements under
Conferences and Courses' for
Brain Gym International Gathering
in 2006 (included in vol. 15,
nos 13-17) (Education Queensland,
2006)
Learning Scholarships
Awarded to teachers whose aims Scholarship awarded to a special
aligned with departmental education teacher whose 'use of
priorities. (Education perceptual motor activities, such
Queensland, 2007) as Brain Gym and Learning
Connections ... has improved
student behaviour and
attentiveness.' (Education
Queensland, 2004a)
South Australian Department of Education and Children's Services
Xtra (Xtra is published to Advertisements for Brain
provide information for Gym [R] courses under Classified in
departmental employees--South Xtra: Terms 1, 2, 2000; Terms 1,
Australian Department of 2, 3, 4, 2001; Terms 1, 2, 3, 4,
Education and Children's 2002; Terms 1, 2, 3, 4, 2003
Services, 2008) (indexes available through South
Australian Department of
Education and Children's Services
Media Centre Archived Xtra page)
Learner Wellbeing Children's well-being required
A variety of physical and mental
fitness exercises on a daily
basis, e.g. ... Brain Gym'.
(Sturt Street Community
School, n.d.)
Eyre District Eyre district website page of
'Useful Web Sites' provides a
link to the Brain Gym[R] web site.
(Eyre district, n.d.)
Newsletter of the Department of In one school, individual
Education and Children's Services teachers pursued an enquiry into
Learner Wellbeing project Brain Gym[R] . (South Australian
(November 2007) Department of Education and
Children's Services, 2007a)
Phase 4: Inquiry into Learner In one school, individual
Wellbeing into a second year teachers pursued an enquiry into
-2007 Brain Gym (R). (South Australian
Department of Education and
Children's Services, 2007b)
Primary Years Matter Information under 'Professional
(newsletter, October 2005) Development' about a teacher who
has been using Brain Gym [R] for 15
years to 'improve/focus
comprehension, organization &
emotional resilience, &
communication and higher order
thinking skills'. (South
Australian Department of
Education and Children's
Services, 2005, p. 4)
Western Australian Department of Education and Training
School Matters: Publication Advertisements for a range of
provided to all public schools Brain Gym (R) courses under the
with information about 'Best heading PD Diary, with target
practice teaching and learning, audience described as teachers
professional development' and education assistants:
(Western Australian Department of includes movement to coordinate
Education and Training, 2007) the brain and body for greater
learning' (September, October
2006; August-November 2007,
March, April, June 2008
(accessible through Western
Australian Department of
Education and Training, 2007,
2008); 'activities for writing,
reading, listening and positive
thinking' (Western Australian
Department of Education and
Training, 2008).
Narrogin Education Office News Information about a Brain Gym (R)
distributed to schools workshop for teachers and others.
The concept behind BrainGym is
to link physical movement and
activities with specific learning
areas'. (Narrogin Education
Office News, 2003, p. 7).
Education Network Australia (edna)
State they are not responsible Listing under 'Professional
for content of linked sites in Development Providers'. Link to
the terms and conditions but, in the Brain Gym Centre of WA
policy on content, web site Listing under 'Professional
states 'containing information Development Opportunities
that is reliable, correct and Behavioural Management'. Link to
verifiable' (edna, 2008a). In the Brain Gym (R) web site in
relation to the web resource Australia.
links, the site states
collection of quality, evaluated
education and training online
resources' (edna, 2008b).
National Excellence in Teaching Awards ASG Community Merit Awards
NEiTA gives awards for exemplary 2005 Award to teacher for
teaching and effective teaching initiative in implementing
practices (NEiTA, 2008) programs to support and develop
students' "learning abilities"'.
Activities included the
introduction of Brain Gym (R)
designed to stimulate the brain
with particular benefits to
children with special needs'.
(NEiTA, 2005)
Table 3 Documents and websites that mention Brain Gym[R] to schools
and teachers without specifically endorsing it
Source of document/web page Advice about Brain Gym[R]
for schools and teachers
Commonwealth Department of Families, Community Services and
Indigenous Affairs
Australian Government Provided a brief description and a
Community Information and link to Brain Gym[R] web site,
Services/Disabilities/ under the heading 'Links to useful
Learning Disabilities information for individuals and
communities'. Clear general
disclaimer on the same page that
listing is not an endorsement.
Australian Government--Community Provided a brief description and a
Information and link to Brain Gym[R] web site
Services/Education/ under the heading 'Links to useful
Special Education information for individuals and
Resources for parents, communities'
teachers and students Clear general disclaimer on the
same page that listing is not
an endorsement.
Northern Territory Department of Employment, Education and Training
Professional Learning Brain Gym[R] mentioned as a way of
Modules--Classroom management providing a short break for
plan framework students.
