Thoughts on Movement and Learning

The following information was shared by Marcus Conyers, professor at Nova Southeastern University, at the 2009 Iowa Reading Conference.

Movement is absolutely essential for learning.

Keep kids active to keep them learning.

More is less.

You can train your brain to be more optimistic.

Learning changes the physical structure of the brain by making new connections.

There is a 20% increase in new connections from a cognitive activity such as reading.

There is a 60% decrease in the loss of WM (working memory) when cognitive activities take place.

The more modes you use the more the brain learns.

Our brains are hard wired to copy.

15% of students arrive at school as left hemisphere, linear & auditory processors

Retention Probability Index (D. Sousa, 1995)

5% lecture

10% reading

20% A/V

30% demonstration (teacher modeling)

50% discuss

75% do (action encodes a lot of learning

95% teach