Scheduled for Poster Session: Research Strands Across the Alliance, Thursday, April 10, 2008, 3:15 PM - 4:45 PM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall, Reseach Consortium Poster Sessions


Brain Gym Integration and Improvement of Standardized Test Performance

Bill Johnson, Santa Clara Unified School District, Saratoga, CA, Michael D. Hall, University of North Alabama, Florence, AL and Gayle L. Bush, Troy University, Troy, AL

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of "Brain Gym" versus non-"Brain Gym" activity on the reading scores of 4th grade students on a Southern State's Mandated Standardized Test. Method Thirty-one fourth grade students (19 male, 12 female) from a Title I elementary school in West Texas served as subjects for this study. Following parental consent, all students received reading and writing instruction from the same teacher. Six students were exempt from taking the State's mandated test (SMT) due to special education classification, two students moved into the area after the SMT pre-test administration and two students moved out of the area prior to the SMT test administration. Students were assigned to either a control (no brain gym activity integration) or treatment (brain gym activity integration into the reading curriculum) group based upon their homeroom assignment. The control group was provided with reading lessons and activities only. The treatment group was provided a minimum of 10-15 minutes of brain gym activities: brain buttons, cross crawl, and hook ups, every day and twice each day the week prior to the SMT test administration day. The pre-test (the previous years actual 4th grade SMT) was administered in December prior to any instruction on brain gym activities. The SMT test (post-test) was administered in April. Both classes received the identical reading lessons, prompts and instructional activities from the same teacher. Results T-tests revealed that students who participated in brain gym and reading instruction integration activities demonstrated a statistically significant improvement (xpre =27.9 Vs xpost =34.33; p= .0096) on the reading portion of the SMT test when compared to their pre-test. Students who did not receive brain gym and reading instruction integration activities did not demonstrate a statistically significant improvement (xpre =32.75 Vs xpost =33.14; p= .900) on the SMT reading scores when compared to their pre-test. Conclusion As in Hannaford's 1989 fifth grade special education student study using the Brigance Inventory of Basic Skills, it appears that non-Special Education students who are provided formal reading instruction combined with brain gym activities can also receive significant benefit.
Keyword(s): assessment, elementary issues, research

Back to the 2008 AAHPERD National Convention and Exposition (April 8 - 12, 2008)