[senco-forum] Brain Gym

Hi Chris

Hear hear (or is it "here here"?) to that!!!
Mary

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Philip
MacMillan
Sent: 01 November 2006 22:30
To: Amanda; chris white; 'senco forum'
Subject: Re: [senco-forum] Brain Gym

Brain gym may well work as most of the exercises require a crossing f the
mid line, however there is little in the way of peer reviewed research that
involves either matched groups or random allocation of subjects, no control
groupas and little also in the way of hard number statistics and without all
this it is difficult to say how effective any method is.  Education is well
known for its porpensity to jump on bandwagons that are well marketed and
appeal to the 'wholsitic' and touchy feely brigade, remember whole language,
real books and all the rest of half thought out methods that affected
children's learning and all without a shred of proof that they wouuld work.
If you want to teach someone to read then pick a method that has been
properly evaluated, not the NLS, ALS or even ELS as they have never been
properly tested for outcomes either.  The sooner education starts to think
in terms of the scientic method the sooner it wills tarrt giving children
what they need and not what it wants.

Philip EP.

Philip EP
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Amanda" <amandavh at btinternet.com>
To: "chris white" <chris19251 at blueyonder.co.uk>; "'senco forum'"
<senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>
Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2006 8:01 PM
Subject: Re: [senco-forum] Brain Gym

> Hi Chris
>   Is Brain Gym mumbo jumbo?  As it is 'sold' probably.  I don't trust
anything which costs so much money to deliver what is actually good old
common sense.
>
>   Is the theory of 'more exercise means better learning' mumbo jumbo?  I
don't think so.  Nearest thing to a magic wand I've ever seen is
'Developmental Dyspraxia: Identification and Intervention' by Madeleine
Portwood.  We use a combination of that, some of the 'Brain Gym' exercises
and some stuff we invented ourselves to develop the physical ability of
pupils in Year 7, especially those with dyslexia and possible dyspraxia.  We
don't do much of it with groups in higher years though I'd like it to be
used throughout the school as it is in some places.
>   We were trained by an AST who works locally.  I suppose someone out
there is buying 'Brain Gym' training at whatever price it is but we got ours
free.
>   We only use one TA to work with groups.  It would be great to have a
whole school initiative - I'm working on it.
>
>   Amanda
>   Secondary SENCO
>   Cornwall
>
> chris white <chris19251 at blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>
> I know this has been discussed before but....
> Opinions please:
>
> I've seen the Guardian Article of a couple of years ago-
> Is this really pseudo science and a lot of mumbo jumbo?
>
> More importantly does it work?
>
> Is it OK for primary but not secondary?
>
> Is it one of those band wagons that people jump on and works for a short
> time?
>
> If it is any good - Who should we get to carry out staff training?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Chris
> Secondary Senco
> West Mids
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Amanda
> Secondary SENCO
> Cornwall
>
>
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