Studying the Victorians? Make your break a chance to walk like the queen crawl like a child chimney sweep march around the classroom like a strict Victorian schoolmaster and so on. For example, a seaside-themed movement break would give pupils two minutes to wobble like a jelly fish, walk like a crab, jump like a star fish or waddle like a penguin. Try creative breaks that boost language, too – if possible, topic-inspired. Get pupils to roll dice for numbered fitness activities on a poster – hopping, knee lifts, heel touch, star jumps.įor calm, try a yoga equivalent – rag doll, frog, mountain, cobra, star or child’s pose would be good ones to try. The most effective physical breaks are time limited, such as two-minute movement bursts getting pupils to dance or run around then freeze into statues when they hear an agreed ‘alarm’ running outside and picking up as many leaves as they can in one minute. What’s important here is that breaks do not interrupt the flow of learning – in fact, the more you do this, the more you will see that pupils approach the next stage of learning activities with more energy and enthusiasm. Pressing the reset button in this way is quick, effective and inclusive, giving all pupils in the room a short learning break. The element of surprise also boosts attention and concentration. It’s not unusual for my pupils to get out-of-the-blue instructions like, ‘Hands in the air, reach for the sky, touch your nose, stand on one leg’. If pupils are lagging or low-level noise is building up, get pupils’ attention and direct them to a sequence of short physical activities – the more creative, the better, as it generates curiosity and boosts listening. Good for brains, and a no brainer. # Physical breaks in the classroom So, giving pupils a break re-energises them for the next chunk of learning. This then helps them to arouse their attentional system towards the task in hand and supports their ability to sustain their focus upon that activity.” “By moving, the child stimulates and increases the dopaminergic activity in their brain. “Physical movement compensates for under arousal or underactivity in some areas of the brain associated with ADHD,” explains Tony Lloyd, CEO of the ADHD Foundation. Learning breaks are not only critical for pupils with ADHD and autism to self-regulate – they help all learners engage their sensory systems, effectively turning back on the ignition for cognition.Īnd using them with your whole class is more inclusive than restricting them for use with a few. In most cases, that means individual breaks, managed by a TA… and here’s where may be missing a trick. “But I already use learning breaks with my SEN kids!” I hear you shout. In the course of any primary school day, breaks are essential, not only for preventing disruption but for resetting our pupils’ brains, making them more receptive to learning. What’s the formula for a successful day’s learning? It’s the million-dollar question – and one trick comes from good SEN practice.īrain breaks.
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