All students can benefit from added movement opportunities during the school day. Anyone who has sat through a long lecture or meeting can attest that the longer they sit, the harder it is to pay attention. Minds start to wander, the fidgeting starts, and before they know it, they have no clue what the speaker is saying.
Some students with disabilities such as Attention Deficit Disorder or Autism, and some other disabilities have an even more difficult time paying attention without having some kind of movement. To help all students, especially students with disabilities remain focused in the classroom, teachers can incorporate frequent movement breaks into the daily instruction.
Adaptive Seating
Different types of seating allow for movement and use of muscles while seated.
Therapy balls are a popular option in classrooms. They are available in different sizes to accommodate shorter or taller students. Sitting on a therapy ball allows the student to move but still remain seated and doing school work. Many students find that they are better able to focus when using this type of seating.
There are some other options available such as, different types of seat cushions, bean bags, or stools with one leg shorter than the others.
Altering the chair by tying therapy bands or bungee cords around the legs to allow the students to manipulate them with their feet while sitting has also been beneficial for some students. These tools can be used in many different ways at the desk. Students may prefer to stretch them with their hands and arms to move their upper bodies. Get creative and let your students figure out ways to use them.
Other students prefer sitting on the floor while they are working or listening to the teacher. As long as the student is learning and not disrupting other students, there is no reason not to let the student sit on the floor or even under the desk.
Movement Breaks
Plan movement breaks into your instruction. Movement can be breaks from the instruction, part of the instruction, or even part of a transition. Students who need to move more than others can be the paper passer, errand runner, or the board eraser. Get creative, there are a lot of things you an have the students do that will allow them to move.
It is also important to keep an eye on the level of alertness in the classroom. If many of the students appear to be losing focus, there is nothing wrong with taking thirty seconds or so to have the students stretch and move around a little. Of course, the expectations need to be taught to keep the chaos at bay. You will need to teach them that they have thirty seconds to stretch and move but they are to stay within the vicinity of their desks and when time is up, they are to sit back down. It will take some practice but the students will soon learn what is expected.
Some teachers have an area of the class designated for the students to pace back and forth. The students can get up and pace while they are thinking or listening. This, too needs to have clearly established rules. The teacher will need to set limits on when the area can be used and the number of students allowed in the area at any one time. The teacher also needs to establish that the area is not to be used as an escape from work and the assignments are still expected to be completed. The area is to allow the students to move and regain their focus.
Encourage Walking
When you are setting up your classroom, keep in mind that the students will probably need to get up and move. Make sure that you have enough room between desks to allow for students to easily move without tripping (also a good idea to allow for students in wheel chairs to easily move around).
Rather than having the students pass their assignments forward, have a basket set up in the back of the room where the students must place their assignments. As with any routine, you will need to spend some time teaching the expectations for handing in assignments. For example, no crowding, put the assignment in the basket and then sit down, talking should be kept to a minimum.
You might consider having the students change seats for different parts of the lesson. For example, the students may be sitting in one seating arrangement during the lecture portion of the lesson and then move into groups for the independent or group work.
Allowing students opportunities to move around during class does not need to be disruptive to your instruction. In fact, you might just find that you have fewer disruptions as students are having their need for movement met. You will likely find that rather than causing a distraction, allowing students to move during the lesson increases their focus.
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