In the Memory Methods class, different therapies, namely basic skills, handle, brain gym, reading skills, eye kinetics and spelling rules are combined to enhance reading, learning and spelling.
Eye kinetics is a series of eye exercises which is used in order to strengthen the eye muscles. Like any other muscle in the body, the eye muscles can also be strengthened through exercise. When the muscles in the eye are strengthened, it leads to smooth eye movement which is very important when reading. It is important to realise that these exercises won’t better vision.
Handle therapy includes several exercises which strengthens the underlying Microsystems in order to make the body work optimally as a unit or macro system. Human functioning is of ecosystemic nature, in other words, all systems in the body work together as a whole and form a unit. Through exercise the weaker Microsystems are strengthened and therefore the functioning of the child will benefit because of this. An Activity like “crazy straw” will for instance improve eye movement, articulation, tongue and lip control, sound sensitivity and blow control, in other words several macro systems are strengthened by one exercise to make the body function as a macro system.
Brain Gym is a series of small body movements used to integrate all parts of the brain to enhance learning. The movements of Brain Gym help the child to strengthen the nerve-endings between all his senses and brain, by the repetition of easy exercises.
Brain Gym focuses on the physical and not the cognitive aspects of reading and learning. When the physical working of the brain is strengthened and improved the reading- and learning process will also be strengthened and improved. Good physical development means that both ears, eyes, hands, feet and senses work together like one practised team.
The aim of brain gym is not to change a child’s dominance profile (right-handed, left eyed, right ear) as determined with the initial evaluation, but to enhance the working together of the eyes, ears and sense. A person has the lifelong ability to build new nerve paths which will then lead to better writing- learning and reading skills. Remember that the right half of the body is controlled by the left brain and the left part of the body by the right brain.
Brain gym integrates laterality, centring and focus successfully which help the child to much better take in and process new information.
Laterality coordinates left and right sides of the brain to communicate effectively. Centring coordinates the top and bottom parts of the brain for organisation of thoughts and action.
Focus coordinates the back receptive and introvert part of the brain for comprehension and perspective.
The basic skills of reading, like eye span, spatial relations, laterality, form perception and auditory perception are enhanced to equip the student with a much better reading ability.