Effects of Brain Gym Learning

Menu on Handwriting of
Elementary School Students Placed
in General Education Classrooms
Who
Direct Occupational
ANNIE Receive
GUILIANO/OTS
LEVEL II FIELDWORK PROJECT CCSD
Therapy
T O U R O U N I V E R S IServices
T Y N E VA DA
HENDERSON, NV

What is Brain Gym?

Consists of a series of movements that
activate the brain, promote neurological
repatterning, and facilitate whole-brain
learning (Dennison & Dennison, 1994).
Laterality
Focusing
Centering

Research Question
Research Question:
Does performing the Brain Gym Learning
Menu improve handwriting legibility of
elementary school students in general
education classrooms who receive direct
occupational therapy services?

Background Literature Review

Lack of evidence-based research
Anecdotal

Cammisa (1994)
Khalsa, Morris, and Sifft (1988)
Hyatt (2007)
Retrieved from and used with
permission from Microsoft

Methods- General Design of

Study
Pre Test
Brain Gym Learning
Menu
Arm activation
Double doodles
Infinity alphabet

Post Test

Retrieved from:
http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com
/blog/2013/04/homeschool-handwritingcurriculum-forum.html

Participants
9 Elementary School Students
General education classrooms
Direct occupational therapy services
Convenient sampling
9 Boys
0 girls
2 Smalley ES, 2 Kesterson ES, 1
Robert Taylor ES, 4 Sewell ES

Total of 18 Pre & Post Tests

Retrieved from:
http://www.sonshineblog.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/09/minions.png

Participants
Grade Level
4
1
2
1
1

First Graders
Second Grader
Third Graders
Fourth Grader
Fifth Grader

Special Education Eligibility

8 Specific Learning Disability
1 Visual Impairment

Assessment
Tool
Evaluation Tool of Childrens
Handwriting (ETCH)
Designed to evaluate the
writing legibility of children in
grades 1-6 with learning
disability, mild developmental
delays, and/or neuromuscular
impairments

Near-Point Copying
Pre and Post test

Retrieved from http://s-media-cacheak0.pinimg.com/236x/68/73/a9/6873.jpg

Results

Results
LETTER LEGIBILITY

WORD LEGIBILITY

100

100

90

90

80

80

70

67

66

70

60

60

50

50

40

40

30

30

20

20

10

10

Pre Test

Post Test
Series 1

44

44

Pre Test

Post Test
Series 2

Results- Letter Legibility

Pretest
Average score =
67%
Post Test
Average score =
66%

100
90
80
70

67

66

Pre Test

Post Test

60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Series 1

Results- Word Legibility

Pretest
Average score =
44%
Post Test
Average score =
44%

100
90
80
70
60
50

44

44

Pre Test

Post Test

40
30
20
10
0

Series 2

Data Analysis
Data from letter legibility
Results- Slight decrease in legibility
-1%
Data from word legibility
Results- No change

Limitations
Convenient Sampling
Unable to generalize
the results
Gender
Sample size
Assessment Tool
Writing style
Participant response
Retrieved from
www.careerchangebreakthrough.c
om

Limitations
Standardization
Different times of day
Different schedules
Consistency with
intervention

Cause and Effect

Does not follow
progress over time
Retrieved from
www.careerchangebreakthrough.c
om

Implications
More Research Needed
Support Colleagues
Support American
Occupational Therapy
Foundation (AOTF)
Stay updated on current
research
AOTA
AJOT
Evidence-Based Research

Retrieved from
http://library.nyu.edu/research/subjects/health/pyramid.jpg

References
Amundson, S.J. (1995). Evaluation tool of childrens handwriting. ETCH Examiners
Manual. Homer, Alaska: OT KIDS, Inc.
Cammisa, K.M. (1994). Educational kinesiology with learning disabled children: An
efficacy study. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 78, 105-106.
Dennison, P.E., & Dennison, G.E. (1994). Brain Gym teachers edition Revised.
Ventura, CA: Edu-Kinesthetics.
Hyatt, H.J. (2007). Brain Gym building stronger brains or wishful thinking? Remedial
and Special Education, 28, 117-124.
Khalsa, G.K., Morris, G.S.D., & Sifft, J.M. (1988). Effect of educational kinesiology on
static balance of learning disabled students. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 67, 51-57.