Movement based learning
As I prepare for the launch of a research project considering the impact of movement based learning and daily vestibular classroom interventions, I am challenged with perceiving how to orchestrate meaningful and successful classroom activities. As an OT, I often work with an individual or small group but teachers must command the attention and engagement of an entire classroom and they often do it beautifully and by no accident. I have made a list of potential activities and created a padlet of additional activities to generate my creativity for this project and would like to share them with you.
The guiding Vestibulotherapy Theory is based upon a systematic review: Given adequate vestibular activation through activity-orientated interventions (in an under-performing vestibular system), myelination and neuroplasticity propagate along learning pathways leading to greater neural connectivity and efficiency for sequencing, ordinance, attention, memory, body schema, spatial cognition, executive function, and interoception (Besnard, et al., 2016; de Wall, 2019; Hitier et al., 2014; Kashfi et al., 2019; Lopez et al., 2020; Mast et al., 2014; Melo et al., 2019; Moossavi & Jafari, 2019; Lotfi et al., 2017; Matuszkiewicz & Gałkowski, 2021). As a result of prescribed vestibular interventions and gained attributes supporting learning, students will experience increased academic performance.
1. Activity-orientated interventions:
a) Visual-vestibular interventions. Students will participate in visual-vestibular activities (near-far accommodation, gaze, saccades, pursuits, and optokinetic exercises) embedded into daily learning activities. Examples include turn-and-touch, overhead / under passing, infinity pathways (Kawar, 2002), and other vestibular-visual games involving math facts, spelling, or sight words.
b) Vestibular interventions: Students will engage in child and classroom friendly interventions which activate multiple planes within the vestibular system encouraging adaptation and involving visual motor integration, eye-head coordination, fundamental motor skills, and perceptual-motor skills. Some examples include unicorn or elephant spelling, arrow mapping, helicopters, balloon games, turn and touch, over-head pass, S.M.A.R.T. activities (actg.org), catching / tossing, or twirling.
c) Additional vestibular affordances may be encouraged in playground settings including swinging, sliding, jumping, launching, rocking, rolling, riding, twirling (Schaff & Smith Roley, 2006).
d.) Padlet link https://padlet.com/cwall10/vestibular-fun-dfrjxiya2d22p5lb
2. Stability/ Mobility interventions: The students will have opportunities for stability work on dynamic surfaces, which further activate the vestibular system, during 20-30 minutes of sedentary classroom time (such as read-a-loud) using a therapy ball, balance board, Hokki stool, or T-stool within the classroom setting. Dynamic surfaces will be available for multiple students within the classroom.
