Brain Gym International: Difference between revisions
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'''Brain Gym''' is a [[training]] program that makes various claims about the benefits of certain [[exercise]]s and [[posture]]s in [[learning]]. It is widely used in British state schools. It is also offered to both children and adults in parts of the United States and Canada. |
'''Brain Gym''' is a [[training]] program that makes various claims about the benefits of certain [[exercise]]s and [[posture]]s in [[learning]]. It is widely used in British state schools. It is also offered to both children and adults in parts of the United States and Canada. |
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The programme is billed as an introductory level program in '''Educational Kinesiology''' ('''Edu-K'''), a form of [[applied kinesiology]] previously known as '''Edu-Kinesthetics'''. It was presented by Paul E. Dennison and Gail E. Dennison in their booklets ''Switching On: A Guide to Edu-Kinesthetics'' (1980) and ''Brain Gym – Simple Activities for Whole Brain Learning'' (1986). It is based on the premise that all learning begins with movement, also supporting the idea that any learning challenges can be overcome by finding the right movements, to subsequently create new pathways in the brain. It claims that the repetition of certain movements "activates the brain for optimal storage and retrieval of information". |
The programme is billed as an introductory level program in '''Educational Kinesiology''' ('''Edu-K'''), a form of [[applied kinesiology]] previously known as '''Edu-Kinesthetics'''. It was presented by Paul E. Dennison and Gail E. Dennison in their booklets ''Switching On: A Guide to Edu-Kinesthetics'' (1980) and ''Brain Gym – Simple Activities for Whole Brain Learning'' (1986). It is based on the premise that all learning begins with movement, also supporting the idea that any learning challenges can be overcome by finding the right movements, to subsequently create new pathways in the brain. It claims that the repetition of certain movements "activates the brain for optimal storage and retrieval of information".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.braingym.org/faq.html |title=FAQ |publisher=The Official Brain Gym Web Site |accessdate=2007-08-03 |quote=BRAIN GYM works by facilitating optimal achievement of mental potential through specific movement experiences. All acts of speech, hearing, vision, and coordination are learned through a complex repertoire of movements. BRAIN GYM promotes efficient communication among the many nerve cells and functional centers located throughout the brain and sensory motor system.}}</ref> |
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Brain Gym has been particularly criticized by [[Ben Goldacre]] of ''[[The Guardian]]'s'' Bad Science pages. He found no supporting evidence for the assertions put forward by Brain Gym proponents in any of the main public research databases.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/badscience/story/0,12980,975223,00.htmls |title=Work out your mind |author=[[Ben Goldacre]] |publisher=[[The Guardian]] |date=[[2003-06-13]] |accessdate=2007-08-03 |quote=On the off chance that it might not be rubbish I looked it up on the main public research databases. Nothing supported their assertions.}}</ref><!-- It would be better to provide a link to the Guardian directly, but the article is no longer there. --> Upon learning that the program was used at hundreds of UK state schools, he called it a "vast empire of pseudoscience" and went on to dissect parts of their teaching materials, refuting for instance claims that rubbing the chest would stimulate the [[carotid arteries]], that "processed foods do not contain water", or that liquids other than water "are processed in the body as food, and do not serve the body's water needs."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/badscience/story/0,,1733683,00.html |title=Brain Gym exercises do pupils no favours |author=[[Ben Goldacre]] |publisher=[[The Guardian]] |date=[[2006-03-18]] |accessdate=2007-08-03 |quote=I've accidentally stumbled upon a vast empire of pseudoscience being peddled in hundreds of state schools up and down the country.}}</ref> Many teachers responded by writing letters in support of Brain Gym. Goldacre reiterated his point that exercises and breaks were good for students, and that he was merely attacking "the stupid underlying science of Brain Gym".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/badscience/story/0,,1739365,00.html |title=Exercise the brain without this transparent nonsense |author=[[Ben Goldacre]] |publisher=[[The Guardian]] |date=[[2006-03-25]] |accessdate=2007-08-03 |quote=The advice they are offering is sensible: "take an exercise break to help you concentrate" ... But in stark contrast, the science they use to justify this so often seems to be bogus, empty PR, that promotes basic scientific misunderstandings, and most of all is completely superfluous in every sense except the commercial: because the ropey promotional "science" is the cornerstone of their commercial operation, they need it to promote themselves as experts selling a product that is unique and distinct from the obvious, sensible diet and exercise advice that you can't copyright.}}</ref> |
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Brain Gym has been particularly criticized by [[Ben Goldacre]] of ''[[The Guardian]]'s'' Bad Science pages. He found no supporting evidence for the assertions put forward by Brain Gym proponents in any of the main public research databases.<ref>Goldacre, Ben. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/badscience/story/0,12980,975223,00.htmls "Work out your mind"], ''The Guardian'', June 13, 2003.</ref> |
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Upon learning that the program was used at hundreds of UK state schools, he called it a "vast empire of pseudoscience" and went on to dissect parts of their teaching materials, refuting for instance claims that rubbing the chest would stimulate the [[carotid arteries]], that "[p]rocessed foods do not contain water", or that liquids other than water "are processed in the body as food, and do not serve the body's water needs."<ref>Goldacre, Ben. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/badscience/story/0,,1733683,00.html "Brain Gym exercises do pupils no favours"], ''The Guardian'', March 18, 2006.</ref> |
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Many teachers responded by writing letters in support of Brain Gym. Goldacre reiterated his point that exercises and breaks were good for students, and that he was merely attacking "the stupid underlying science of Brain Gym".<ref>Goldacre, Ben. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/badscience/story/0,,1739365,00.html "Exercise the brain without this transparent nonsense"], ''The Guardian'', March 25, 2006.</ref> |
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| ⚫ | In a separate column, Philip Beadle sided with him, adding that Goldacre's "argument is with what Dr Barry Beyerstein, a professor of psychology at [[Simon Fraser University]] in Burnaby, Canada, describes as 'commercial ventures promoted by hucksters who mislead consumers into thinking that their products are sound applications of scientific knowledge'." |
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| ⚫ | In a separate column, Philip Beadle sided with him, adding that Goldacre's "argument is with what Dr Barry Beyerstein, a professor of psychology at [[Simon Fraser University]] in Burnaby, Canada, describes as 'commercial ventures promoted by hucksters who mislead consumers into thinking that their products are sound applications of scientific knowledge'."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/teach/story/0,,1795800,00.html |title=Keep your pupils stretched and watered |author=Philip Beadle |publisher=[[The Guardian]] |date=[[2006-06-13]] |accessdate=2007-08-03 |quote=[Ben Goldacre's] argument is with what Dr Barry Beyerstein, a professor of psychology at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada, describes as "commercial ventures promoted by hucksters who mislead consumers into thinking that their products are sound applications of scientific knowledge.}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | Brain Gym has also been |
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| ⚫ | Brain Gym has also been criticised as being wholly unscientific in a wide-ranging and authoritative review of research into neuroscience and education published in 2007 by the UK [[Economic and Social Research Council]]'s [[Teaching and Learning Research Programme]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tlrp.org/pub/documents/Neuroscience%20Commentary%20FINAL.pdf |title=Neuroscience and Education: Issues and Opportunities |publisher=the [[Economic and Social Research Council|ESRC]]'s [[Teaching and Learning Research Programme]] website |accessdate=2007-08-03 |quote=The pseudo-scientific terms that are used to explain how this works, let alone the concepts they express, are unrecognisable |
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within the domain of neuroscience.}}</ref> The report noted that doing any exercise can improve alertness, and exercise systems like Brain Gym, regardless of their [[Pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] ideas, may help for that reason.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tlrp.org/pub/documents/Neuroscience%20Commentary%20FINAL.pdf |title=Neuroscience and Education: Issues and Opportunities |publisher=the [[Economic and Social Research Council|ESRC]]'s [[Teaching and Learning Research Programme]] website |accessdate=2007-08-03 |quote=short sessions of Brain Gym exercise have been shown to improve response times, and such strategies, if they are effective, may work because exercise can improve alertness.}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[Kinesthetic learning]] |
*[[Kinesthetic learning]] |
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== |
==References== |
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{{reflist|2}} |
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<references/> |
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== |
==External link== |
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* [http://www.braingym.org/ Official Brain Gym website] |
* [http://www.braingym.org/ Official Brain Gym website] |
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* [http://www.illinoisloop.org/brain.html "Brain-based learning"], ''illinoisloop.org'' |
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[[Category:Pseudoscience]] |
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[[Category:Special education]] |
[[Category:Special education]] |
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[[Category:Alternative medicine]] |
[[Category:Alternative medicine]] |
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Revision as of 16:31, 3 August 2007
Brain Gym is a training program that makes various claims about the benefits of certain exercises and postures in learning. It is widely used in British state schools. It is also offered to both children and adults in parts of the United States and Canada.
The programme is billed as an introductory level program in Educational Kinesiology (Edu-K), a form of applied kinesiology previously known as Edu-Kinesthetics. It was presented by Paul E. Dennison and Gail E. Dennison in their booklets Switching On: A Guide to Edu-Kinesthetics (1980) and Brain Gym – Simple Activities for Whole Brain Learning (1986). It is based on the premise that all learning begins with movement, also supporting the idea that any learning challenges can be overcome by finding the right movements, to subsequently create new pathways in the brain. It claims that the repetition of certain movements "activates the brain for optimal storage and retrieval of information".[1]
Brain Gym has been particularly criticized by Ben Goldacre of The Guardian's Bad Science pages. He found no supporting evidence for the assertions put forward by Brain Gym proponents in any of the main public research databases.[2] Upon learning that the program was used at hundreds of UK state schools, he called it a "vast empire of pseudoscience" and went on to dissect parts of their teaching materials, refuting for instance claims that rubbing the chest would stimulate the carotid arteries, that "processed foods do not contain water", or that liquids other than water "are processed in the body as food, and do not serve the body's water needs."[3] Many teachers responded by writing letters in support of Brain Gym. Goldacre reiterated his point that exercises and breaks were good for students, and that he was merely attacking "the stupid underlying science of Brain Gym".[4]
In a separate column, Philip Beadle sided with him, adding that Goldacre's "argument is with what Dr Barry Beyerstein, a professor of psychology at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada, describes as 'commercial ventures promoted by hucksters who mislead consumers into thinking that their products are sound applications of scientific knowledge'."[5]
Brain Gym has also been criticised as being wholly unscientific in a wide-ranging and authoritative review of research into neuroscience and education published in 2007 by the UK Economic and Social Research Council's Teaching and Learning Research Programme.[6] The report noted that doing any exercise can improve alertness, and exercise systems like Brain Gym, regardless of their pseudoscientific ideas, may help for that reason.[7]
See also
References
- ^ "FAQ". The Official Brain Gym Web Site. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
BRAIN GYM works by facilitating optimal achievement of mental potential through specific movement experiences. All acts of speech, hearing, vision, and coordination are learned through a complex repertoire of movements. BRAIN GYM promotes efficient communication among the many nerve cells and functional centers located throughout the brain and sensory motor system.
- ^ Ben Goldacre (2003-06-13). "Work out your mind". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
On the off chance that it might not be rubbish I looked it up on the main public research databases. Nothing supported their assertions.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Ben Goldacre (2006-03-18). "Brain Gym exercises do pupils no favours". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
I've accidentally stumbled upon a vast empire of pseudoscience being peddled in hundreds of state schools up and down the country.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Ben Goldacre (2006-03-25). "Exercise the brain without this transparent nonsense". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
The advice they are offering is sensible: "take an exercise break to help you concentrate" ... But in stark contrast, the science they use to justify this so often seems to be bogus, empty PR, that promotes basic scientific misunderstandings, and most of all is completely superfluous in every sense except the commercial: because the ropey promotional "science" is the cornerstone of their commercial operation, they need it to promote themselves as experts selling a product that is unique and distinct from the obvious, sensible diet and exercise advice that you can't copyright.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Philip Beadle (2006-06-13). "Keep your pupils stretched and watered". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
[Ben Goldacre's] argument is with what Dr Barry Beyerstein, a professor of psychology at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada, describes as "commercial ventures promoted by hucksters who mislead consumers into thinking that their products are sound applications of scientific knowledge.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Neuroscience and Education: Issues and Opportunities" (PDF). the ESRC's Teaching and Learning Research Programme website. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
The pseudo-scientific terms that are used to explain how this works, let alone the concepts they express, are unrecognisable within the domain of neuroscience.
{{cite web}}: line feed character in|quote=at position 126 (help) - ^ "Neuroscience and Education: Issues and Opportunities" (PDF). the ESRC's Teaching and Learning Research Programme website. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
short sessions of Brain Gym exercise have been shown to improve response times, and such strategies, if they are effective, may work because exercise can improve alertness.