The Body is Key to Reading

There is more to reading success than meets the eye

Of course eye teaming, smooth eye pursuit across the midline, and visual accommodation near and far are important to reading success. Often overlooked is the body’s role in reading. For example, having good muscle tone in the core and leg muscles needed to sit still… integration of primary reflexes ATNR, and STNR allowing steady focus when the body or neck is moved… body awareness including a sense of laterality and directionality, allowing readers to distinguish between a ‘p’ and ‘q’ and ‘m’ and ‘w’ so ‘mom’ doesn’t become ‘wow’… and having a mature vestibular system unifying visual acuity, auditory discrimination and body-in-space skills.

How does one strengthen all of these body systems to assure reading success? Repetitive movement! Ample running, skipping, spinning, rowing, throwing, catching and other vibrant movement activities are essential.

Daily physical education with a focus on body awareness and movement exploration is a must to help young children mature all of the body brain systems involved with successful reading.

Not helping children mature their body brain networks will result in reading delays, dyslexia, and other challenges and learning disabilities we often hand over to Special Ed. Read Physical Activities for Improving Children's Learning and Behavior by Billye Ann Cheatum and Allison A. Hammond available from Human Kinetics for in depth understaning.

Learning Challenges Unfold

When physical movement is put on hold…

Writer’s block, reading delays, LD, ADD, ADHD, and a host of other learning and behavioral challenges can result from lack of movement.

Examples include a fetus frozen by excess stress in the uterus, C-section babies who fail to exert themselves during birth, infants lying on their back or trapped in a car seat, baby swing or playpen for extended periods, young children deprived of plenty of robust play, young learners sitting in their desks doing endless worksheets rather than learning concept through frequent sensory and motor activities, lack of repetitions writing, talking, reading, and primary reflexes (e.g., ATNR, STNR, grasp, spinal gallant) not integrated through repeated physical movement… the list goes on.

Daily Physical Education, morning and afternoon recess, and multiple movement opportunities during each class period will engage the body brain, helping resolve some of these learning issues taking root in body tissues. For more severe learning delays a more focused, remedial physical approach is needed to mature neural networks, helping people realize their living and learning potential. Movement is key!

Movement and Learning Development

Movement integrates primary reflexes to ease learning

Take time to read this article by Eve Kodiak explaining in detail Sensory Integration through Movement. Understand how infant or primary reflexes turn thought into language. Integrating reflexes through movement can remedy writing and other learning problems.

Eve has developed a new approach to learning combining developmental movement and music. She has a number of articles to share on her insightful website.