A Relationship Between Seeing, Hearing, Balance, and Learning

The following is some information from a program called Minds-in-Motion developed to help integrate the brain to improve learning.  There is a lot to this program so I am going ot divide it up between posts.

Without seeing and hearing, perfect balance is  impossible, and without balance perfect seeing and hearing are impossible. As balance improves, so does vision and hearing.

Being slightly off balance can hurt those basic brain processing abilities involved in:
ATTENTION
MEMORY
VISION AND VISUAL PROCESSES
AUDITORY PERCEPTION
READING
SPEECH
COORDINATED EFFICIENT MOVEMENT
SPATIAL ORIENTATION
PROPER SEQUENCING INFORMATION
THOUGHT PROCESSES INVOLVED IN UNDERSTANDING COMPLEX MATH PROBLEMS

Our balance system, (the vestibular system) provides input for  motor contol of the eyes. This is very imiportant for :
LEARNING TO READ AND WRITE
KEEPING PACE WITH SCHOOL WORK
AND DEVELOPING FINE AND LARGE MOTOR CONTROL (COORDINATION)

G.W. Chronin, a c linical therapist, from the Atlanta Ear Clinic says that it is very productive to integrate vestibular training into activites (such as mazes or balance obstacle courses) for better learning, movements, and behavior.

Candace S. Meyer is the developer of the  Minds-in-Motion program that  includes as a part of its treatment a Minds-in-Motion Maze.  The  maze is approximately 15 d ifferent activites for motor development and for sensory integration.  Each activity is tailored for children and addresses:
EYE-MOVEMENT CONTROL
BALANCE
AND BODY-MOVEMENT FUNCTIONS, SUCH AS LATERALITY AND COORDINATION

This program is being implemented into schools because they find that these activities provided daily for about five to  ten minutes per student are raising reading scores. It is not only benefiting students with learning difficulties but students across the board, so it is very exciting.  While this program can be inplemented in schools, the maze activities are easily adapted for daily use in home or daycare settings.  My kids love Nickelodeon GAS Games and Sports, or the slopstickle course on Double Dare 2000, and are really receptive to tryign these activities as if they were doing an obstacle course.  I will describe some of these activities in a seperate post as a springboard for your own ideas for a home obstacle course.maze. 

Related reading:
Brain Gym: Simple Activities for Whole Brain Integration by Paul E Dennison

The Out of Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Integration Dysfunction by Carol S. Kranowitz

A Perceptual Motor and Visual Perception Handbook of Developmental Activites for Schools, Clinics, Parents, and Preschool Programs by Frank Belgau and Beverly Belgau

Physical Activities for Improving Children's Learning and Behavior, A Guide for Sensory Motor Development by Billye Ann Cheatum, Phd. 

The Well Balanced Child by Sally Goddard

Smart Moves: Why Learning is not all in Your Head by Carla Hannaford

Suggested Websites:
www.brainhighways.com (Carol Sokol Green)
www.braingym.com (Paul Dennison, PhD.)
www.bal-a-vis-x.com (Bill Hubert)
www.dorecenters.com (Wynford Dore, England)
www.autoskill.com (Academy of Reading and Math)
www.pavevision.org (Parents Active for Vision Education)
www.minds-in-motion.net (Candace S. Meyer)
www.tomatis.com (Dr. Tomatis)