Movement in learning

Movement in learning is an educational method that incorporates various forms of physical activity into a student’s school and studying experience. It is based on the concept that motion enhances learning and improves academic success because of the connection between the brain and body. The idea that movement helps people, particularly children, to learn more readily has been promoted by some experts for decades. However, differing opinions and the more cost-effective model of teaching children while they remain seated have generally prevailed. In the twenty-first century, new research and enhanced medical imaging results seem to indicate that movement may benefit education and have renewed interest in this approach to learning.

Background

The human brain is made up of a large collection of neurons, or nerve cells, that transfer information to each other through specialized cells called dendrites and axons. Neuroscientists have determined that these cells are grouped into different areas and specialize in different functions. For example, the brainstem regulates the body’s automatic functions, such as breathing. The cerebrum, which is the largest part of the brain, controls speech, reading, planned movements, senses such as vision and hearing, and much of learning. The cerebellum, a smaller area at the back of the brain, controls muscle control, balance, and coordination. However, because all the areas of the brain are interconnected, most play a role in all human functions.

For example, research has determined that the cerebellum, which represents only about one-tenth of the total brain, contains almost half of the total number of neurons in the brain. The majority of these neurons send information out to the rest of the brain. This has led researchers to believe that the cerebellum plays a bigger role in other brain functions than was once thought. Since the cerebellum plays a large role in how the body moves, experts see this as evidence of the importance of movement to learning.

Throughout the earky twenty-first century, rates of childhood obesity rose. According to the Centers for Disease Control, between 2017 and 2020, the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents in the United States was almost 20 percent, meaning almost 14.7 million U.S. youths were obese. Because of these numbers, healthcare providers, youth advocates, and non-profit groups began turning to schools to help ignite change. One focus was adding movement into the school day.

Overview

The idea of incorporating movement into learning is not new. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, some educators supported the viewpoint that it was not developmentally appropriate for young children to be made to sit still for long periods of time. While it might be more convenient for adults, it is contrary to how children’s minds and bodies work. Some of these experts began to endorse alternatives to education that required children to sit still.

For example, in the early 1900s, Italian educator Maria Montessori promoted the idea that movement was essential to learning. She developed an education model that encouraged children to be active participants in their education in many ways. Her methods included allowing children to physically count blocks to learn math and moving to various learning stations according to the child’s interest.

However, not many people agreed with this approach, and for many decades people felt the best way to educate children was to have them sit at desks in a classroom and listen to the teacher. This model was cost-effective because it allowed a minimal number of personnel to supervise and teach a group of children.

In addition, in more recent decades, budgetary concerns have removed many of the aspects of education that did incorporate movement. Recess and physical education have been eliminated or limited in some areas. Music, art, and activities such as dance are also less likely to be incorporated into the school day.

However, new research in the twenty-first century has indicated that movement may play a much more important rule in education and learning than previously thought. Exercise helps the body take in more oxygen, and oxygen helps cells function more efficiently. While this is often seen in connection with cells in the muscles, heart, and lungs research has indicated that oxygen not only helps the brain work more effectively, it also helps to generate new brain cells.

Breaks from sitting to allow for motion may also help learning by helping to “clear the head” and reset the brain for new tasks. Experts note that adults take breaks during work for a short walk or move around their workplace, but children are often expected to sit still at a desk for hours without such a break. Research has indicated that short breaks for movement and changes in activities benefits learning in children as well.

Experts recommend a number of ways to incorporate the benefits of movement into education, and many schools have followed the recommendations. Many have provided time, or additional time, for recess and increased time spent in physical education or gym class. Others have found opportunities to include dance, yoga, and other movement-focused activities and breaks. Such breaks have sometimes been referred to as "brain breaks."

Experts have further noted that there are other simple methods to increase movement during the school day. One way is to set up activities in different parts of the room and have the class rotate through them at set intervals. Children can also walk to the front of the room to hand in papers, or simply taking a brief walk before starting a test.

Some schools have also begun to incorporate “fidget desks” or other forms of active work spaces. A fidget desk has some aspect of movement associated with it, such as bicycle pedals underneath so students can move their feet and legs while listening or reading. Fidget desks can also incorporate a walking desk with a treadmill. Some schools also use large exercise balls as seats or have chairs that allow students to bounce slightly in place while learning. Simple jumping jacks or yoga poses also provide enough movement to improve learning, experts say.

The benefits of movement in learning are likely to be even greater for students with some learning challenges. Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conditions on the autism spectrum often benefit from being allowed to move. Some children are also what experts call kinesthetic learners and learn better when they are allowed to move and interact with the learning environment.

Experts note that children are not the only ones who learn better when movement is part of the day. Research has determined that adults who exercise often have bigger brains and more brain cells than those who do not. In addition, movement breaks are now understood to be important to allowing the brain to absorb and process new information. Some colleges encourage students to take exercise breaks or to use more active methods of studying, such as standing desks or using a whiteboard to work out problems instead of working on paper or a computer.

In 2024, the Centers for Disease Control estimated that one in five children were obese. As rates have risen over the twenty-first century, more non-profit organizations and programs have advocated for movement in schools. Active Movement is a program that integrates movement into lessons, such as standing up to answer questions or walking around the classroom. A study found that children in the program had an 8 percent reduction in their waist-to-height ratio. InPACT, a program developed by the University of Michigan, is another program that incorporates bursts of moderate-to-high-intensity exercise into the class day. Such programs benefit both the mind and body of students, and teachers and administrators have noted positive results from their implementation.

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