Northwestern College, Iowa

NWCommons

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects Education

Summer 2019

Movement and Action: Action-Based learning in the Classroom

Jordan Nguyen

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Part of the Language and Literacy Education Commons

Running head: MOVEMENT AND ACTION 1

Movement and Action: Action-Based learning in the Classroom

Jordan Nguyen

Northwestern College

A Literature Review Presented

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of Master of Education

MOVEMENT AND ACTION 2

Table of Contents

Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………... 3

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………. 4

Review of Literature …………………………………………………………………………….. 7

Learning Styles …………………………………………………………………………...7

The Brain and Movement ………………………………………………………………...8

Conflicts …………………………………………………………………………………11

Impact on Students ……………………………………....………………………………14

Effects on Student On-Task Behavior ………………………....………………..14

Understanding Abstract Ideas ……………………....…………………………...16

Movement and English Language Learners …………………………………….18

Synthesis ………………………………………………………………………………………. 21

Application of the Literature…………………………………………………………………… 25

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………… 29

References………………………………………………………………………………………. 32
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Abstract

The purpose of this literature review is to explain what action-based learning is, how does action-

based-learning fit within the classroom, and what are the effects it has on English Language

learners and students who are placed in academic support programs in the classroom. The hope

of this literature review is to gain more knowledge about what is action-based learning and to

gain insight on how educators can effectively implement action-based learning within their

classrooms. After analyzing the literature on this topic, the results of the analysis determined the

effectiveness of action-based learning within the classroom on English Language Learners and

students who are placed in academic support programs by increasing their on-task behavior,

understanding abstract ideas, and improving English Language Learners acquisition to English.

Key Words: Action-based learning, brain-based learning, English Language Learners, ELL,

movement, action, achievement, on-task behavior

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Movement and Action: Brain-Based Learning and Action-Based Learning in the Classroom

There seems to be a drive for early education teachers to incorporate play into their

curriculum due to the emotional, social, and academic development that goes on through play.

As students get older and as they enter into higher grade levels each year, movement becomes

less and less seen within the classroom (Hall, 2007). Students are asked to sit in their seats longer

and longer. In some states, there are schools that have taken away or reduced the amount of

physical education classes students get due to the high demands of standardized testing of core

standards or due to the lack of funding and budget cuts throughout a district (Hall, 2007). Due to

the lack of movement, students begin to lose focus, tend to become more disruptive in class, and

have an increase of health problems that evolve such as obesity and the development of type II

diabetes (Hall, 2007).

Research has been conducted that suggest that students need movement in order to learn

programs (Chisholm & Spencer, 217; Hall, 20017). Research suggests that when educators add

movement into their lessons, activities, transitions, and in their classroom in the form of brain-

breaks, students are able to focus more and are able to show academic growth, especially those

students who are English Language Learners (ELLs) and students who are in high needs

academic support (Block et al., 2008; Chisholm, & Spencer, 2017; Hall, 2007; Hwang et al.,

2014; Lombardi, 2008; Mahar et al., 2006). According to Chisholm and Spencer (2017), active

learning can lead to improved and longer lasting learning outcomes as well as improved

psychological outcomes of the students that are in a classroom with an educator who supports the

movement and learning going on within the classroom. Understanding where this idea comes

from can help educators better understand the need to incorporate brain-based learning and
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 5

action-based learning within their classrooms to better meet the academic needs of their

academic support students and their English Language Learners.

Movement in the classroom comes from the idea of brain-based learning. Brain-based

learning is the idea that we use our brains, movement, visual, and auditory senses when we are

learning to connect new ideas with older ideas or content previously learned within the

classroom (Kaufman et al., 2008; Lombardi, 2008). This then stems off to kinesthetic learning

activities or in other words action-based learning, which involves adding movements in the day-

to-day life of the classroom such as in lessons, activities, and transitions that students have

learned to expect in a regular school day (Chisholm & Spencer, 2017; Lombardi, 2008). It is the

way to promote new knowledge through movement of the body (Chisholm & Spencer, 2017).

When educators are using a variety of kinesthetic, visual, and auditory strategies along with

diverse teaching approaches, educators can tap into the best part of the brain that is compatible to

learning and providing new ways of reaching the majority of their students and their learning

within the classroom (Lombardi, 2008).

Movement is critical for students as they are learning new content. This works by

students moving their bodies for either breaks between lessons, for example brain breaks, or

students moving their bodies as a form of remembering a vocabulary word (running in place

when learning the word run) (Block et al., 2008; Chisholm & Spencer, 2017; Hwang et al., 2014;

Lombardi, 2008). Students will begin to develop new neurons that connect the different parts of

the brain which help send messages throughout the brain and body. This literature review goes in

depth about action-based learning in education and the positive effects it has on student learning.

This review will describe how movement can increase students’ on-task behavior; improve

English Language Learners acquisition of a new language, and how the brain is a critical
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 6

component of action-based learning. This literature review will also look at how teachers can

incorporate action-based learning within their classrooms to help increase students’ academic

achievement as well as students’ focus and on on-task behavior.

Educators cannot afford to teach one way all the time but to teach to the differences of

their students and the way they prefer to be taught, whether it is through visuals, movement,

interactions with others, not just sitting down taking notes and absorbing what it is they need to

learn (Lombardi, 2008; Muniandy & Shuib, 2016). Learning is action. Students are diverse and

do not fit into a cookie-cutter mold. Their needs and the way they learn are also diverse and no

one way fits all. Educators need to learn other ways to reach the diverse needs of students.

Action-based learning will allow educators to reach the diverse needs of students within their

classroom.
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 7

Review of the Literature

Learning Styles

Gardner’s research explains that there are eight intelligences: linguistic, logical, spatial,

musical, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic intelligence (Brown, 2005;

Gardner & McConaghy, 2000). According to Gardner’s theory of intelligence, students learn in

different ways, not just one. Some students are more visual (spatial) learners, some are more

logical, and some are more kinesthetic (movement or touch) learners. Some students can have

more than one preference for learning. For example, spatial and kinesthetic or musical and

logical. When educators incorporate learning with movement through brain-based learning and

action-based learning they are having more students connect their learning. Teachers are

reaching more students within their classrooms by using this type of learning style (Hall, 2007).

Teachers need to keep in mind that traditional teaching of memorizing knowledge,

teacher-dominated, textbooks, lectures, and assessments based on quantitative data for learning is

not the way to go and that students learn in multitude of different ways (Al-Balhan, 2007,

Brown, 2005; Caine & Caine, 1995) Teaching is actually a more complex action, in which there

are a multitude of factors, and learning and teaching styles that affect one's learning (Al-Balhan,

2007; Hall, 2007). Understanding learning styles has helped researchers and educators has

helped create brain-based learning because of how brain-breaks works in utilizing many of the

different learning styles preferred by students, mostly visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning

styles (Al-Balhan, 2007). Students from low achieving to high achieving do not learn just one

way but in many different styles (Al-Balhan, 2007; Brown, 2005; Rayneri, Gerber, & Wiley,

2006). Implementing something like action-based learning in the classroom touches on

kinesthetic, visual, and auditory to help students learn by tapping into the different learning
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 8

styles seen in the classroom (Al-Balhan, 2007; Brown, 2005; Rayneri, Gerber, & Wiley, 2006).

Tapping into students’ potential through their learning styles is supported through by how they

brain learns during the learning process (Rayneri, Gerber, & Wiley, 2006).

The Brian and Movement

In past history, educators and neuroscientists knew little about the brain and what

functions that the brain can do (Lombardi, 2008). Even though neuroscientists still do not know

much about what the brain is capable of even with all the current research that has been done in

the past ten years, researchers still have learned more about the brain within the past few decades

that has helped researchers and educators understand how the brain works when learning

something new (Diamond, 1960; Lombardi, 2008). In recent history, somewhere in1960, there

was the idea that the brain and intelligence was fixed and could not change (Lombardi, 2008).

However, in 1996 brain researcher Diamond, in his own research, found that people can actually

grow their brains. Diamond claims is that each time someone learns something new, their brain

grows new dendrites, cells that help the brain communicate with itself and the rest of the body

and its neural connections (Caine & Caine, 1995; Diamond, 1996). According to research done

by Lombardi (2008), she states that the brain is learning all the time, whether people know it or

not, and the brain learns through nonverbal communications, voice, and from the physical

environment, and that learning engages all parts of the human physiology.

Understanding that human brains are not fixed in you can only learn so much and that is

it but brains are something that can grow and learn more than what was expected before making

them more complex than what researchers originally thought (Caine & Caine, 1995). This helps

educators and researchers to understand a bit more about the learning process and to understand

the ideas behind brain-based learning, action-based learning, and movement within the
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 9

classroom (Diamond, 1960, Kaufman et al., 2008). Before students can learn new information,

the new information will need to be sent through the neural network system within the brain.

Brain-based learning involves the learner to use auditory (sound), visual (pictures), and

kinesthetic (movement) strategies when learning new information (Kaufman et al., 2008;

Lombardi, 2008). In the 1990s, publication of the brain, and how people learn became the focus

of studies and research, creating research in brain-based learning and finding its practical uses to

enhance learning (Kaufman et al., 2008). Brain-based learning is also concerned with creating a

powerful learning environment based on emotional connections with those in the classroom and

with themselves (Kaufman, & et al., 2008). This will allow a safe and positive learning

environment within the classroom where students can relax and learn without feeling scared or

have negative thoughts (Gözüyeşil & Dikici, 2014; Kaufman et al., 2008). Brain-based learning

stresses the importance of patterns while learning, which is the natural tendency for learning and

why traditional teachers, learning content in isolation, is something that is resisted and is not

beneficial for student learning (Caine & Caine, 1995). Thus, when students feel safe their

learning will have a positive effect on student learning allowing them to grow their brains.

Hall (2007) supports the idea that people can grow their brains through brain-based

learning and action-based learning by claiming that when people learn new information, they

begin to engrave it into their neural connections and the best way to do this is through movement

(Gözüyeşil & Dikici, 2014; Shore, 2012). Hall (2007) goes on further to suggest that the more

muscles students are using and activating, students are learning new information and concreting

this new information within their brains. Young children have more connections than adults do

thus it is imperative to support student learning as much as possible to create stronger

connections in the brain (Stevens-Smith, 2004). The stronger those connections in the brain are,
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 10

allows students to have a stronger connection to the new information presented to them (Stevens-

Smith, 2004) . This happens because when students use more muscle movements during a

physical activity as it is integrated in their learning, the stronger the connection to that learning

is, and a stronger connection to remembering that learning for later use in the classroom or in

day-to-day life. The movement part of the brain and the part of the brain for learning are both

stimulated creating these stronger connections (Hall, 2007; Shore, 2012; Stevens-Smith, 2004).

While students are moving and learning, the chemicals in their brain helps strengthen and grow

neurons that are within the brain (Shore, 2012; Stevens-Smith, 2004). When students have

stronger neurons and are growing new neurons, the movement then creates more circulation of

chemicals to all the neurons within the brain to allow the students to retain new and old

information easily into their day-to-day lives (Shore, 2012). With students being able to retain

new and old information more easily, they are able to understand, comprehend, remember, and

retrieve more information and to access it quicker when the need arises (Hall, 2007). As students

move and learn, they are creating new and stronger neural connections that will allow them to

increase their learning. Movement increases clearer thinking, improves grades, and increases

alertness in students (Stevens-Smith, 2004).

With the strong research on the brain and how movement affects students’ learning, the

idea of brain-based learning and action-based learning has been mentioned more and more

within the school community. When using brain-based learning, educators can affect a student’s

learning by improving students’ attention, memory, sequential order, motor skills, higher order

thinking, language, social thinking, and spatial ordering (Lombardi, 2008; Hall, 2007). Through

action-based learning, students are participating in their learning through physical movement

instead of sitting at a desk, absorbing information that is presented to them with just using their
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 11

eyes and ears (Chisholm & Spencer, 2017). With the idea of the brain-body connection, action-

based learning is all about the acquiring of new knowledge through the use of movement. It

allows students to have the opportunity to get away from behind their desk and to interact with

their environment and with their peers. Action-based learning also makes the claim that active

learning leads to enhanced and prolonged, long lasting learning outcomes and more developed

psychological results. With the high demands for standardized testing, an increase of English

Language Learners students in schools, and students struggling in schools, increasing scores on

standardized tests through movement of action-based learning sounds like an admirable choice to

choose when thinking about improving students’ academic success (Chisholm & Spencer, 2017).

Movement provides students with more oxygen to their brains, granting students the chance to

have a break to help them absorb key concepts and new ideas during instructional times

(Chisholm & Spencer, 2017).

Conflicts

Brain-based learning and action-based learning is not a one-fits all solution for all

students and does not boast that it is something that will benefit all learners (Bird et al., 2005;

Mundiandy & Shuib, 2016). Like all new trends within education not one new strategy will work

on all students but may help the vast majority of students but, there are conflicts that may go

against this new trend. One conflict that affects schools is the increase for student achievement.

With a need to increase student achievement, with a heavy focus on the increase of standardized

tests there are schools that are dwindling their specials classes (Hall, 2007). There are some

districts that even cut physical education, music, and art classes due to budget cuts within

districts (Long, 2017). Not only do students and teachers lose an experienced physical education

teacher but then physical activity must then fall on the shoulders of the classroom teacher, who
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 12

do not have as much experience or knowledge as physical education teachers, to provide

movement for their students (Long, 2017).With schools taking away or reducing the number of

minutes in classes like physical education students are losing movement and physical activity.

With reduced physical activity levels, an increase in sedentary lifestyle and seat work, students

develop an increase of poor eating habits, there has been an increase of type II diabetes, obesity,

heart disease, and other negative health issues that affect children's health (Hall, 2007).

With the increase of the demand of student achievement, educators have been focusing

on how to meet the needs of students by increasing academic work (Hall, 2007; Long, 2017). By

increasing student work, educators decrease the chance for students to participate in physical

movement, whether it be in the classroom or it be in a physical education classroom, if the

physical education classes are cut due to the academic demands or budget cuts (Long, 2017). The

high demands of student academic achievement tend to weigh more than any other needs (Hall,

2007, Long, 2017).

Another conflict that has been drifting around is the idea that students can learn just as

much from observing actions as they would actually participating in the physical movements.

There have been a few studies that have indicated that when it comes to knowing how to perform

actions that are a part of a specific goal, learners can learn through observation of actions of the

teacher, not just by following along with their own actions (Osman, 2008). This form of learning

is called observation-based learning. In a study conducted by Osman, observation-based learning

shows a better understanding of rule-based knowledge (2008). Osman, in her study, explains that

rule-based knowledge can lead to better control over performance and become more accurate at a

task when it was compared to only instruction-based learning or in other words teacher-lead
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 13

lessons. With her study, Osman argues that there was no advantage over action-based learning

when comparing to observation-based learning in performance (Osman, 2008).

In another study, Bird et al. (2005) claim that action-based learning may be best used for

when a task is implicit, or when learning occurs without the learners conscious mind focused on

what it is they are learning. Bird et al., claim that observational learning can also be part of the

implicit learning as well as explicit learning, or learning that is done when a student is learning

conscious or aware of their learning, whereas action-based learning is solely a form of implicit

learning (2005). Within the study, Bird et al. (2005), found no evidence that showed a difference

between observation-based learning and action-based learning, yet they could that action-based

learning can occur without awareness while observational learning cannot. But, if learners where

to study a model’s, or teachers, actions through observation as a source of learning, when it came

to learning a sequence, learners were able to learn implicitly as well (Bird et al., 2005). Their

claim is that their experiments suggest that learners can encode these observations of actions as

representations as if the learner had themselves completed the actions (Bird et al., 2005). The

results highly suggests that when learning implicitly, actions are necessary, yet it can also be

done or learning can be gained from observing the movements of the model, or the teacher (Bird

et al., 2005). Overall, Bird and his team insist that their results revealed that learners can observe

learning since there was no significant differences between observational-learning and action-

based learning and when observing actions, this may engage the same learning process as if the

learner was engaged in the physical action themselves (Bird et al., 2005).

The research that has been done on observation-based learning needs to be taken with a

grain of salt because this research has been mostly focused on students in higher education, while

not much has been conducted with students in the K-12 setting (Bird et al., 2005; Osman, 2008).
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 14

With knowing this, further study would need to be completed with students in the K-12 setting

when moving further on with observational-learning and its affects and connections with action-

based learning.

Impact on Students

Action within the classroom has impacted the classroom and the students within. The

impact of action-based learning include the effects of on-task behavior of English Language

Learners, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and students who struggle to stay on-

task (Mahar et al., 2006). Action-based learning impacts student understanding of abstract ideas,

and impact English Language Learners’ ability to understand new content while learning a new

language (Block et al., 2008).

Effects on On-Task Behavior Chances for students to be physically active are becoming

limited due to the high pressure for academic performance and budget cuts, hence movement and

physical activity within the classroom can become a positive route for not only increase students’

physical activity but also academic performance (Mahar et al., 2006). Classroom teachers can

conduct physical activities within their classrooms that can increase student on-task behavior

during academic instructions. There is research that declares that students who participate in

physical activity during recess or physical education classes tend to be more attentive within the

classroom, behave more appropriately, and perform better academically after these activities as

well as build up 21st century skills such as cooperating with others, problem solving by oneself

or with others, positive communication with team mates or classmates when working together

(Iowa Department of Education, 2017). As students enter the classroom, they are expected to sit

still during extended periods of academic instructional time, often becoming more fidgety and

experience decreased concentration during academic instructional time (Mahar et al., 2006). A
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 15

way to combat off-task behavior during academic instruction is to incorporate movement within

these times.

Allowing students to stand and move during academic instruction can provide students

the necessary opportunities to allow them to increase their on-task behavior. By increasing

movement within the classroom, just ten minutes, can improve a students’ on-task behavior

(Mahar et al., 2006). In a research study conducted by Mahar et al. (2006), they wanted to see

how a classroom-based physical activity program could affect students’ on-task or off-task

behavior during academic instructional time. Within their study they used a program called

Energizers. Energizers is a program that are short physical activities, about ten minutes, that

grant students the chance to stand up and move during academic instruction, it is integrated

within the learning material, and usually involves no equipment, and little teacher preparation is

needed (Mahar et al., 2006). Within their study, Mahar et al. (2006) trained teachers in the use of

the program and activities, allowed teachers to choose their own activities from the program that

fit their needs, and were told when their classrooms would be assessed or observed through the

study.

Through their research and findings, Mahar et al., (2006), found strong evidence that

shows a positive effect of the Energizers activities on on-task behavior in their classroom,

showing an improvement of student on-task behavior during academic instruction time. Mahar,

et al., declare that even among a small sample of students with intellectual disabilities, they can

reduce their off-task behavior after participating in physical movement during academic

instruction (2006). Mahar et al., highly recommend that administrators and educators should

incorporate 10 minutes of physical activity within their classrooms to increase student on-task

behaviors during academic instruction and with the increase of on-task behavior, students’
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 16

academic performance should in all likelihood will also increase as an additional benefit for

teachers and students (2006).

Students who tend to be less on task during academic instruction tend to generate more

disruptions than peers who are on-task. Students who are normally off-task during academic

instruction and who then use movement during academic instruction are found to be the students

with the most improvement of on-task behavior than the improvement of the class as a whole

(Mahar et al., 2006). With students now being more on-task with the incorporation of movement,

teachers have found a large improvement for not only on-task behavior but also extremely

helpful for classroom control and performance (Mahar et al., 2006). Mahar’s study is supported

by Shoval’s (2011) study on mindful movement and cooperative learning when teaching young

students angles in math. In this study, Shoval (2011) found that there was a positive correlation

between movement and improvement of student academic achievement of angles as well as

retaining what they learned about angles for future use. Classroom teachers who want to increase

physical activity within their classrooms for their students' physical activity levels and on-task

behavior can use programs like Energizers to accomplish their goals (Mahar et al., 2006; Shoval,

2011).

Understanding Abstract Ideas Abstract ideas such as peace are harder to understand

than concrete ideas (e.g., father) for students in the primary grades (Block et al., 2008). Through

kinesthetic movements, students in the primary grades can create a more concrete understanding

of abstract ideas as they are reading or being read to. A study conducted by Block et al. (2008),

proposed that through the use of kinesthetic movements that could be designed to represent the

different abstract ideas of reading comprehension of main idea, inferring, making predictions,

and clarifying as an instructional strategy to increase student comprehension of a story being

MOVEMENT AND ACTION 17

read to them or a story read by them. In their study, Block et al. studied the effectiveness of the

Comprehension Process Motions (CPMs) in primary-aged students in urban schools where the

majority of the students were of low socioeconomic status backgrounds or who came from non-

English-speaking families, or also known as English Language Learners (2008).

CPMs uses kinesthetic hand placements and movements that represent a physical and

visual of an abstract idea that is an unseen reading comprehension process for instance main

idea, clarifying, inferring, and predicting (Block et al., 2008). The way CMPs work is to help

primary-age students build their metacognitive understanding of comprehension ideas through

the mind-body connection of movement and learning. Creating more learning connections within

their brains through movement and learning comprehension ideas. CMPs build stronger

connections by creating an image to when, where, and how to use a specific comprehension tool

as they are reading as well as communicating with the teacher what they have internalized as

they are reading (Block et al., 2008). Based on their research, Block et al. (2008) express that

their research is important for educators because the research provides pre-kindergarten all the

way through third grade teachers with a way that they can increase the effectiveness of

traditional learning through the use of movement (CMPs) that represents the unique mental

process of comprehension. They claim that their research done on the CMPs lessons improve a

student’s understanding of how the comprehension process works, when and where to use a

specific comprehension process, thus eventually allowing students to have the beneficial

outcome of being able to initiate own comprehension processes on their own (Block et al., 2008).

In their findings, Block et al. (2008) reaffirm the idea that CPMs lessons help students

who struggle to understand the meaning of what they read, help those who struggle with self-

monitoring, not to mention as a way to support younger students as well as more active, hands-
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 18

on students. Block et al. (2008) also found that their study demonstrates primary-age students

who participated in CPMs lessons, their comprehension and vocabulary scores significantly rose

over those students who did not participate in CMPs lessons, furthering strengthening the idea

that actions and movement when paired with learning have great positive effects on student

achievement.

Movement and English Language Learners Research has been conducted that suggest

brain-based learning and action-based learning have a positive effect on our English Language

Learners. English Language Learners are students who come to the classroom either from

another country or those students who have spoken another language or languages before

entering the classroom. English is their second (or third, fourth…) language learned and they

maybe the students who mostly speak English yet when they were younger they were in an

environment that did not speak English or spoke little English. English Learners can benefit from

brain-based learning and action-based learning as they have the added necessity of learning

content objectives while also learning how to speak, read, write, and listen in English.

As mentioned before, movement allows the brain connect what the student is learning to

the action they are creating with their bodies, thus creating connections from the neurons in the

brain to speak to one another. When students use movement they are developing neural functions

within the brain that can help play an important role in a student’s attention, memory, language,

spatial order, sequential ordering, motor system, higher level thinking, and social thinking within

the classroom (Lombardi, 2008). The brain is social and wants to be in social situations and to

pretend to others (Lombardi, 2008). By allowing English Language Learners to interact with

classmates through movement like games or interactive lessons, they can develop social skills
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 19

and collaborate with peers, while learning the social cues and social language in

English (Lombardi, 2008).

English Language Learners have a preferred learning style, or a preferred way of

collecting new information and knowledge, just like any other student that walks through the

door and into the classroom (Muniandy & Shuib, 2016). According to a study conducted by

researchers Muniandy and Shuib (2016), they found that students who studied English as a

Second Language preferred to use their preferred learning style. Action-based learning is

preferred by most students to use in the classroom because students preferred kinesthetic

learning compared to auditory and visual learning styles in their native language (Muniandy &

Shuib, 2016). Knowledge of vocabulary and the complexity of sentence structures in English can

be difficult, however when paired with action-based learning, students were able to increase their

understanding of English and increase their test scores. If students are allowed to follow a

teacher-centered approach, an approach where the teacher teaches and students sit in their desks

taking notes, then they are more likely to become passive learners who will rely on their teachers

completely during the learning process (Muniandy & Shuib, 2016). When students are able to be

a part of a positive learning environment that allows them to move around and take action within

a lesson, students become more engaged. When English Language Learners are able to role play,

a form of brain-based learning and action-based learning, they are able to remember the

vocabulary and language structure more easily through social interaction and through the

motions of actions that come with role playing (Muniandy & Shuib, 2016). For many English

Language Learners, kinesthetic learning is mostly preferred and with the research, educators can

see that movement can help students increase their language skills. Students though don’t just
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 20

need their bodies when they learn, but they can also use technology and movement as a way to

increase their learning.

With the increase of technology in the world, English proficiency also grows.

Technology is being more and more integrated within the classrooms with the uses of iPads,

laptops, Chromebooks, interactive whiteboards, and some schools going 1:1 or Bring Your Own

Device (BYOD), teachers are using more and more technology each year. Teachers of English

Language Learners can use movement and technology and have a positive effect on student

learning and motivation. With the use of Microsoft Kinect technology, English Language

Learners can increase their retention of vocabulary and grammar for a longer period of time than

if a student were to learn in a setting without movement or technology (Hwang et al., 2014). The

program allows students to work in pairs and applying their knowledge to the interactive

component of the Kinect by using vocabulary, grammar and gestures. Not only can this improve

students’ retention on what they are learning in class, at the same time movement and technology

can increase students’ motivation within the classroom. Physical movement of one's body can

enhance the learning process because when students are involved with interactions with others

using gestures, they create a positive learning environment that increases student motivation for

learning (Hwang, et al., 2014).

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Synthesis

As much of the literature suggests, action-based learning has many benefits for student

learning when incorporated in their day-to-day lives in and outside the classroom. With the

research that has been conducted there is still much more that educators and researchers can

learn from action-based learning in the K-12 setting. Much of the research that has been

conducted has been done from more than ten years ago, in recent years more research has been

done on students in higher education, i.e. students in universities, or studies done on the

classroom as a whole and taking specific scores from different group sets like ELLs or low

socioeconomic status groups from these whole group studies.

The research done by Bird and his team (2005) and the research done by Osman (2008)

on observational-based learning and comparing it to action-based learning was done mostly with

students in higher education, as mentioned previously, would to have further study to determine

the relevance for students in the K-12 setting. Future researchers though, can use Bird and his

team and Osman’s research to begin their work on observational-based learning and action-based

learning within the k-12 classroom. Future researchers may need to look at how these two

different theories impact students academically, behaviorally, and how students interact with

each other. There are two studies that, when focus on the class as a whole and then look at

specific groups of children, for example those students who are English Language Learners and

those of low socioeconomic status in passing. The two researches were done by Mahar and his

team and Block and her team of researchers. The research that was conducted by these two teams

did not look at individual student progress, academically or behaviorally, but looked at the

classes in the study as a whole or groups of students (e.g., ELL students, low socioeconomic

students, or disruptive students) within the classrooms that were part of the study.
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 22

The research conducted by Mahar et al. (2006) not only looked at students as a whole

group but they also suggests that there is more need for data to show students’ academic

performance over time. As reported by Mahar and his team (2006) in their study there is much

more work to be done. They report more research can be done to evaluate the effectiveness of

classroom-based physical activity programs, or action-based learning, for an on-task behavior in

combination with academic performance of students (Mahar et al., 2006). They make this claim

due to the fact that their study is more focused on movement on on-task behavior immediately

after a specific observed instructional time not taking into consideration of students’ academic

performance through benchmarks, standardized tests, or other measurable academic

performances (Mahar et al., 2006). Yet, it would be difficult to measure on-task behavior through

benchmarks or some other standardized test, but using Mahar et al. method of research and to

further their studies by adding another portion that would measure academic performance may

either support action-based learning in the classroom as a way of increasing student academic

and on-task performance do correlate with each other or do not.

Block et al. (2008) declare their study to be among the first of its kind to examine the

ways of transactional strategy instruction or Comprehension Process Motions (CMPs) can be

used to reinforce students' ability to build their metacognition. Due to the fact that this is the first

of its kind, more research needs to be conducted on how effective this form of action-based

learning is within the classroom. Even though that this is specific study is the first of its kind, it

does strongly suggest that CMPs does not only substantially increase primary age students’

comprehension abilities but it also suggests that there is the possibility that when providing

concrete images through hand movement, a key part of action-based learning, primary students

will heighten their understanding of learning other abstract ideas within the academic setting
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 23

(Block et al., 2008). The research for CMPs was focused on and developed for primary age

students, thus, it would be interesting to think about how the CMPs concept would affect

students in upper grades like fourth through twelfth grade. It is fascinating to muse about the idea

of how this may affect these students and to also think about how this form of action-based

learning can affect students with special needs as well.

As the exploration was being conducted for this literature review, the findings strongly

suggest that action-based learning is in fact beneficial for English Language Learners and

students of low-socioeconomic, which was the purpose for this literature review (Block et al.,

2008; Lombardi, 2008; Mahar et al., 2006; Muniandy & Shuib, 2016). Yet, as the investigation

on action-based learning was being conducted, more inquirers came up regarding students and

action-based learning. The findings did not discussed how average to advanced students

progressed in their learning, if at all, during a time when movement was incorporated within

academic instructional time or as brain breaks. It’s curious to think about the effects action-based

learning has had on these students as it has affected English Learners and students of low-

socioeconomic status. Not only does the research not touch much on students of average or

advanced, or non-English Language Learners, on action-based learning, but in an article written

from the Iowa Department of Education briefly discussed how movement affects students of

special needs, or more specifically students on the autism spectrum. The article mentions that it

is evidence-based that physical movement and physical activity does increase students on the

spectrums’ ability to be more focused and decreases challenging behaviors that may arise during

academic instruction time (Iowa Department of Education, 2018).

Throughout the literature review, not one research article mentioned students in the

spectrum or any other students with special needs within their studies. Not only with the increase
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 24

of English Language Learners in the classroom, it is also important to see how effective action-

based learning is towards students with special needs. This should be noted because the effects of

action-based learning for students with special needs are also being included within the

classrooms depending on their IEPs and their personalized goals. Not only that, there are

students who are English Learners who are also students with special needs or who may have

learning disabilities. As this research was set out to see the impact or effects of action-based

learning in English Language Learners, research should be conducted to examine the effects of

action-based learning, or movement, on students of both non-English background and special

needs or learning disabilities as they too, can be found within the classroom.

Even though there is still more work to be done in the area of research in the effects of

action-based learning, the research already conducted strongly implies that movement within the

classroom academic times is an important step in creating a space where students can build their

connections with students as well as developing their mind-body connections for learning. With

the mind-body connection, students are able to use movement as a way to develop their brains to

retain more knowledge through this connection, the basic framework for action-based learning,

along with developing a visual representation of ideas, objectives, and concepts, the basic

framework for brain-based learning, and perhaps in some cases oral and audible representation of

ideas, objectives, and concepts.

MOVEMENT AND ACTION 25

Application of the Literature

The research on action-based learning can improve and create long lasting learning

outcomes for students as well as creating positive psychological outcomes for students within the

classroom to support student academic goals and achievements (Chisholm & Spencer, 2017).

With such a positive development for student learning, student achievement, and on-task

behavior, it is no wonder that educators have found ways to add movement in their classrooms as

well as the wide variety of resources for action-based learning ideas that the Iowa Department of

Education has in its archives.

McGlynn and Kozlowski (2017) have come up with a few strategies for adding

movement that educators can use in a middle school science classroom. Even though these

strategies are for the middle school science classroom, many of the strategies can be changed to

implement in elementary schools, high schools, and in a wide variety of different content classes.

Games are a great fun way for educators to add to any lesson or review of objectives. Educators

can use Kahoot! as a way to review objectives and materials for an upcoming assessment or as

an exit ticket before leaving the room or moving on to the next activity. Kahoot! (McGlynn

&Kozlowski, 2017) is an active way for students to interact with each other while using

technology to respond to questions about the content students are learning (McGlynn &

Kozlowski, 2017). Educators can also use games like Twister to boost students’ engagement and

progress in their learning. Some ideas on how educators can use Twister for learning, but not

limited to, are short vowel Twister, long vowel Twister, and parts of speech Twister to help

students identify and analyze phonic rules (Bezet, n.d.). These form of action-based learning can

be adaptive to add pictures, words, concepts, or objectives that are being learned at any level.

Educators can also create a sight word hopscotch where student jump on squares of sight words,
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 26

calling out the word as they jump on each word, instead of numbers (Bezet, n.d.). Not only are

the games a great way to add movement into a lesson of review, but they also build on the mind-

body connection as well, concreting ideas and learning for students learning process. Games are

sloe not the only way to get students moving within the classroom, but just having students

moving to you as a response to a question as well (McGlynn & Kozlowski, 2017).

When action is used as a way to respond, educators can build student engagement within

a lesson. One simple way to do this is by having students do a specific moment when responding

to a question or comment by the teacher (McGlynn & Kozlowski, 2017). An example of this

would be for a teacher to say, “Stand up if you have eye color as your parents” as a way to open

up a unit on genetics to show students visually and to think about hereditary genes and to get

moving (McGlynn & Kozlowski, 2017). Educators can simple split their classrooms in half

where one side is true and one side is false and when asked a true/false question, students walk to

the specific spot for their answer. A great way to gage student understanding of material and a

great way to get they up and out of their seats. This kind of activity can be changed in different

ways for sequencing and comparing and contrasting as well.

Movement breaks, or brain breaks, are tremendous ways of giving students a small break

and move, giving educators a chance to regroup and gain more student attention and on-task

behavior (K., n.d.). Brain breaks can be as simple as having students turn a page in their

textbook, stand up, turn around, sit down again or walking up to turn in a paper, and stand or sit

to as a response to a question (K., n.d.). Brain breaks are something that does not take much

time, not more than three minutes, yet gives students the chance to move and refocus on the

takes at hand (Chisholm & Spencer, 2017). GoNoodle is a popular website for educators to

incorporate brain breaks in their classroom with short, action packed videos for students to
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 27

follow along with. GoNoodle boosts improvement on focus and behavior or also known as on-

task behavior, increase academic performance build getting the blood moving towards the brain

and throughout the body, as well as strengthening classroom cohesion and collaboration

(GoNoodle, Inc., 2019; Hall 2007). Educators can not only use brain breaks and other kinesthetic

activities in their classrooms, but they can also become a part of research as well.

As more educators add kinesthetic activities in their learning and in their classroom's

need to more research can be done. Educators can take part in their own research in the field of

kinesthetic learning or they can volunteer and be a part of the Iowa Department of Education and

with the Iowa Department of Public Health as they partner up in creating and updating their

resource, “Get Movin’ Classroom Activity Break”, for implementing physical activity in the

classroom (2018). For educators who want to share and help improve student academic

achievement and student on-task behavior, being a part of sharing your own ideas for kinesthetic

learning in the classroom is a wonderful way to share these ideas. “Get Movin’” allows educators

to gain new insights and ideas on how they can incorporate physical movement within their

lessons and activities in a free to use resources provided by the state of Iowa.

Not only do McGlynn and Kozlowski (2017) give educators an idea of the different kinds

of physical activity in the classroom but they also proved a way for educators on how to

implement kinesthetic activities in the classroom. Like most strategies and trends in the

educational world, it is necessary for educators to plan these activities with purpose. When

planning kinesthetic activities, McGlynn and Kozlowski (2017) give educators five strategies to

follow. First, educators must plan where and how students will move within the classroom,

making sure that students are able to move safely during the activity (McGlynn & Kozlowski,

2017). Second, educators should think about the possibility of the different challenges that may
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 28

occur (McGlynn & Kozlowski, 2017). For example, educators can think about how they are

meeting the needs of all students and how can they make accommodations when necessary. And

if so, how can the activity be changed to meet the needs of all of the students in the classroom.

Third, educators should create a classroom space that will allow for the movement of the

activities to help it occur naturally (McGlynn & Kozlowski, 2017). Educators may need to move

desks, rearrange the classroom, have materials ready on hand and in place, and again making

sure that the area is safe for students’ movements. Fourth, plan for a way to get students attention

before, during, and after the activity as well as reminding them of your expectations during the

physical activity being done (McGlynn & Kozlowski, 2017). When students are participating in

anything involving action, they tend to get excited. Thus, during organized chaos that can arise,

having a way to get students’ attention and teaching it them beforehand will be beneficial for

time management for when it is time to talk, time to stop and listen, and when to clean up.

Finally, have a backup plan for when it does not go well or as expected (McGlynn & Kozlowski,

2017).
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 29

Conclusion

As educators and students begin to merge into the world of technology, computers are

starting to become more and more popular in the classroom with one-one technology or Bring

Your Own Device, students become more and more sedentary as they progress through school,

or so it seems (Hwang, et al., 2014). With educators and students using more technology in the

classroom, one goal for educators and schools that remains the same is the academic success of

the students that are being taught. Educators still need to keep up with the high demands of

standardized testing that happens throughout the year, while at the same time making sure

students are learning and not being taught to the test (Hall, 2007). Student achievement and

success can be enhanced with the help of action-based learning or kinesthetic learning, steaming

from brain-based learning (Chisholm & Spencer, 2017; Hall, 2007; Lombardi, 2008; Stevens-

Smith, 2004).

Through action-based learning, educators can enhance student achievement by using this

form based off of research supporting the mind-body connection that happens during learning.

Through the movements students create as they are learning, they are building stronger neurons

in their brains, causing them to be able to make faster connections to previous learning and to

learning in the future and for faster memory recall (Diamond, 1996; Shoval, 2011; Stevens-

Smith, 2004). The idea that educators be a part of the process of growing the brains of our

students’ learning is incredible, but being able to grow their brains and have the power to make

them become faster to recall information and retain what they learn is awe-inspiring (Diamond,

1996). Students who have the chance to move as they are learning to get an added benefit of

moving away from their desks and the chance to interact with their surroundings and with each

other in a safe and positive environment.

MOVEMENT AND ACTION 30

Action-based learning can give students the chance to create images and motions for

abstract concepts. Creating images through motions, just like comprehension process motions

(CPMs) give students a concrete image of an abstract concept, helping solidifying their

understanding of the abstract concept that is being learned or being used in learning (Block et al,

2008). When used correctly, CMPs allow students a better understanding of learning

comprehension skills that are necessary for reading as well as gaining an understanding of what

they know about their own reading process and awareness of when to use reading comprehension

skills as they are reading (Block et al., 2008). The more students use CMPs, the more they come

to recognize when and where to use specific comprehension skills (Block, et al., 2008). As an

added bonus, teachers can also assess quickly what their students know or don’t know about the

different comprehension strategies through the motions their students are doing as they are

reading (Block, et al., 2008).

As students can use movement to solidify abstract ideas, educators can use movement as

a way to increase student on-task behavior, especially those students who tend to become

distractors the longer they sit still (Mahar et al., 2006; Shoval, 2011). As students advance to the

next school year, the demand to sit still in one stop for a long period of time gets bigger and

bigger, give space for students to become more off-task. With the framework of action-based

learning, educators can increase student on-task behavior by allowing brain-breaks or movement

throughout their lessons and activities (Mahar et. al., 2006; Shoval, 2011). Movements and

actions give students a chance to take a break from their learning as well as giving them space to

make connections through movement and the content of objective that is being presented to them

(Mahar et. al., 2006; Shoval, 2011). Educators can apply the framework of action based learning

in their classrooms quite easily, granting them the chance to increase on-task behaviors
MOVEMENT AND ACTION 31

seamlessly. Educators can incorporate action-based learning in their classroom through five easy

steps: planning where and how to move, thinking about potential challenges, organization of the

classroom for natural movement, finding ways to get student attention during and after the

activity, and having a backup plan increase it does not work out as planned (McGlynn, &

Kozlowski, 2017). Movement and action in the classroom has many benefits like adding physical

movement during the day to increase blood flow to the brain, to creating faster retrieval of

information due to the growth of neurons in the brain, to increase on-task behavior, and to an

increase in student achievement. Educators who have English Language Learners and students

who are placed in an academic support program will get all these benefits when educators

implement the action-based learning framework, increase student achievement and success

within the classroom and outside the classroom.

MOVEMENT AND ACTION 32

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