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Most school staff are already aware of the physical benefits of exercise, such as strengthening of the heart and lungs, preventing weight gain, healthy bones, good posture and more. However, many are not aware of the potential brain-boosting benefits of physical activity with regard to school performance.
Unfortunately, students are missing out on opportunities to accomplish this physical activity. At one time, kindergarten was meant to teach children how to play, listen, follow rules and interact with peers.
Now kindergarten teachers, and even preschools teachers, are forced to spend more time on structured, academic instruction. This frequently translates into more seatwork time and less movement and active free play time. Physical education class and recess are usually the first things cut when more academic time is required for remediation in reading and math skills. At the end of the day, the children are spending too much time in a sedentary mode.
For students who receive therapy due to delays in motor skill acquisition, this lack of physical activity can be even greater. Many therapists report growing caseloads and increases in consultation and group therapy.
Time is limited for school-based therapists, especially those who travel from school to school or cover rural areas. For direct "pull-out" therapy sessions, time is also limited for students who receive many other related services within the week. Squeezing in therapy sessions between reading instruction or math can be difficult or at times impossible.
Physical and occupational therapists can play a key role in consulting with teachers on how to bring physical activity into the classroom and the whole class can reap these brain boosting benefits.
Physical Activity and Cognition
One of the greatest brain gains of exercise is the ability for physical activity to improve actual brain function by helping nerve cells to multiply, creating more connections for learning.1,2 Research has shown that an increase in physical activity has a significant positive effect on cognition, especially for early elementary and middle school students.3 As an added bonus, being physically fit as a child may make you smarter for longer as you grow old.4
Movement and Memory Formation
The brain's short- and long-term memory may improve by using more than one mode of information. For example, by adding a movement component to a lesson, you are allowing the brain to process the information via additional pathways instead of the traditional verbal or visual pathways used in school lessons. In other words, motor memory can complement the initial verbal or visual memories.
Activity and Concentration
Teachers know all too well how much effort is spent on trying to get and maintain students' attention. Teachers try frequent questioning, moving about the room, changing tone of voice and many more techniques. An alternative method for teachers to increase attention, concentration and on-task behavior may be to incorporate bouts of physical activity throughout the school day. Research has shown that some children who participated in an in-class physical activity program improved their on-task behaviors by 20 percent.5 Additional research regarding physical activity and school performance revealed that physical activity may improve
concentration.6
Physical Activity and Mood
\While physically active students are increasing brain connections and improving attention, they are also getting in the mood to learn. The psychological payback of exercise can be a great benefit to school children. In as little as 15 minutes of exercise, young children can elevate their mood.7 Need a boost of creativity for music or art class? Research has indicated that aside from mood, creativity can be enhanced following exercise sessions.8 School staff focus on teaching children to be successful and proud of their achievements with awards, stickers and ceremonies. You can add physical activity to the list of reasons of why children may feel successful and exhibit higher self-esteem.9
Combating Obesity
Increasing energy output may help decrease the alarming rise in obesity in American children. Being obese can effect school performance, exhibited by higher absenteeism rates than their normal weight peers.10Not only does increasing physical activity increase energy output in obese children, it also appears to improve executive function abilities (decision making abilities) and math abilities.11
Will Learning Suffer?
School administrators and teachers may be concerned that devoting more class time to movement activities may inversely effect academic grades. In other words, more movement time, whether it be in class, physical education sessions or recess, may cause students' grades to decline. Research has shown that when additional time (14 to 26 percent of the school day) is devoted to physical activity, it does not interfere with learning and in some instances even has accelerated learning.12
Increasing Activity
There are many ways to incorporate more physical activity and movement breaks into a school day. One of the easiest ways to increase physical activity time is to add physical education classes and recess. However, this can be the most difficult to accomplish within a school day since so much time is already devoted to structured learning.
If additional physical education and recess time is not available, work on incorporating physical movement throughout the school day. During transitions from one subject matter to another, perform short bouts of exercises such as jumping in place, dancing to music or jumping jacks.
Prior to writing tasks, try waking up the upper extremities with wall or seat push-ups. Take frequent stretching breaks during academic tasks that require long periods of sitting. During question-and-answer periods, if a student gets the answer correct, the class can stand up and clap overhead, and if the answer is incorrect the children can squat down on the floor.
Assist teachers in developing multisensory lessons that incorporate movement with academics. Not only will the multisensory activities increase movement time, but they may also assist kinesthetic learners to improve academically.
If the amount of physical activity time is still limited during the school day, try after school. Encourage the school to start informal, extracurricular activities that promote physical activity, such as soccer, dance, basketball or aerobic classes. By teaming up with members of the school and community, physical and occupational therapists can help make active changes to children's patterns of physical fitness and health.
References
1. Cotman, C., & Engesser-Cesar, C. (2002). Exercise enhances and protects brain function. Exercise and Sport Science Review, 30(2), 75-79.
2. Ferris, L., Williams, J., & Shen, C. (2007). The effect of acute exercise on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and cognitive function. Medical Science of Sports and Exercise, 39(4), 728-734.
3. Sibley, B., & Etnier, J. (2002). The effects of physical activity on cognition in children: A meta anaylsis. Medical Science of Sports and Exercise, 4(5), 214.
4. Deary, I., Whalley, L., et al. (2006). Physical fitness and lifetime cognitive change. Neurology, 67, 1195-1200.
5. Mahar, M., Murphy, S., Rowe, D., et al. (2006). Effects of a classroom-based program on physical activity and on-task behavior. Medical Science of Sports and Exercise, 38(12), 2086-2094.
6. Taras, H. (2005). Physical activity and student performance at school. Journal of School Health, 75(6), 214-218.
7. Williamson, D., Dewey, A., & Steingberg, H. (2001). Mood change through physical exercise in nine- to 10-year-old children. Perceptual Motor Skills, 93(1), 311-316.
8. Steinberg, H., Sykes, E., Moss, T., et al. (1997). Exercise enhances creativity independently of mood. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 31, 240-245.
9. Tremblay, M., Inman, J., & Willms, D. (2000). The relationship between physical activity, self-esteem and academic acheivement in 12-year-old children. Pediatric Exercise Science, 12, 312-323.
10. Geier, A., Foster, G., Womble, L., et al. (2007). The relationship between relative weight and school attendance among elementary schoolchildren. Obesity, 15(8), 2157-2161.
11. Baker, T. (2007). Exercise improves thinking, reduces diabetes risk in overweight children. Retrieved from the World Wide Web, my.mcg.edu/portal/page/portal/News/archive/2007/3D1600D219D147BAE0440003BAD149FF.
12. Shepard, R. (1997). Curricular physical activity and academic performance. Pediatric Exercise Science, 9(2), 113-126.
Margaret Rice is owner of Your Therapy Source Inc., and has authored several books for pediatric therapists, including Educational Sensory Motor Activities. Visit http://www.yourtherapysource.com/.
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