Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur lärare och elever i lågstadiet upplever brain breaksunder matematiklektioner. Begreppet brain break innebär att, i detta fall, läraren sätter in en mental paus under matematiklektionen. Detta för att uppnå förbättrad koncentration och resultat hos eleverna. I studiens brain breaks utövas en pulshöjande aktivitet som varar i cirka två till fem minuter. Samtliga lärare och elever som deltagit i studien är bekanta med- och utövar brain breaks kontinuerligt under matematiklektionerna. För att kunna söka svar på mina forskningsfrågor i studien har jag använt mig av observationer med kompletterande semistrukturerade intervjuer i tre klasser, i samma skola, i årskurs två. Valet av skola låg nära till hands då jag tidigare har genomfört verksamhetsförlagd utbildning och även vikarierat på skolan. För att kunna analysera resultatet av de semistrukturerade intervjuerna gjordes en tematisk analys. Denna tidsbegränsade studie visar att både lärare och elever upplever brain breaks som positiva men att det även finns kritiska punkter i användandet av brain breaks. Samtidigt som man såg att eleverna kunde hålla fokus längre stunder då de har fått genomföra en brain break, fanns det elever som upplevde brain breaks som ett störningsmoment. Under intervjuerna med lärarna framkom det många positiva aspekter med att genomföra brain breaks i undervisningen, dessa positiva aspekter överväger de negativa sidorna. Jag har under studiens gång skapat mig en större förståelse kring hur lärare och elever upplever brain breaks i matematikundervisningen.

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This study examines the immediate and chronic effects of physical activity (PA) breaks on reading fluency. While many teachers recognize the value of PA for increasing engagement and focus (getting the wiggles out) in academic endeavors, these results reveal increases in academic achievement in reading fluency are also possible.This study examines 384 second and third grade students with low income backgrounds from the Rocky Mountain region. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine the effects of chronic and acute brain breaks via GoNoodle© (McQuigg, 2013) on reading fluency and physical activity (steps). Between group differences were further examined using a series of Bonferroni adjusted one-way ANOVAs. A significant acute main effect was evident for (a), and (b) WR (F(1, 380) = 14.54, p < .001). Also, there was a trend toward a significant acute main effect on WPM (F(1, 380) = 4.02, p = .046) and chronic effects on WPM (F(1,380 = 3.13, p = .078) and accuracy (F(1, 380) = 4.45, p = .036).Correlational analysis reveals relationships among selected variables were in the anticipated direction. Analysis reveals significant, positive correlations between free and reduced lunch (FRL) status and reading fluency scores. Moving off free and reduced lunch status is related to small to moderately higher fluency scores: WPM (r = .34), accuracy (r = .14), WR (r = .22), and WIDA (r = .35). Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) fluency indices show strong positive correlations among themselves and share significant and strongly positive correlations with WIDA scores. Data suggests that higher SES are positively related to higher levels of reading fluency on both the DIBELS and WIDA measures. Also, as anticipated, the DIBELS and WIDA appear to share a strong relationship in measuring reading fluency.In today's educational landscape of high stakes testing perhaps the value of frequent PA breaks such as GoNoodle© have merit. Reading fluency (WPM, accuracy, and WR) and PA are linked and PA has been found to have a positive impact on the reading culture in the classroom.

Sensory processing disorder (SPD)is a neurological disorder that effects how sensory stimuli is translated in the brain and then incorrectly circulated into responses. It is estimated that one in twenty people may have been diagnosed with SPD. Children diagnosed with SPD have responses to stimuli that are over-responsive or under-responsive and find it challenging to correctly process sensory input compared to their peers. <div>This IRB approved study focused on investigating the benefits of brain breaks for middle school students with SPD. Sixteen middle school teachers in one school participated in a needs assessment survey regarding their knowledge of sensory processing disorder and brain breaks and how they implemented brain breaks into their classroom.Questions were based on prior knowledge of sensory processing and brain breaks. Regarding the level of prior knowledge about sensory processing disorder, 6.25% of participating middle school teachers reported that they are very familiar with SPD, 50% of teachers reported they are somewhat familiar with SPD, 12.5% of teachers reported they are not so familiar with SPD, and 31.25% of teachers reported that they are not at all familiar with SPD. Teachers were also asked how effective they thought brain breaks are on student learning and its impact on behavior in the classroom with teachers responding that, “students seem more engaged after we do a brain break in class,” or, “I feel that they are effective because it gives students the opportunity to energize and restart.”<br></div><div>A handbook was created to help teachers understand what SPD is and how to recognize it in their classroom. Guidelines are included in the handbook for ways to use brain breaks in the classroom to help with sensory seeking students needing movement.<br></div><div><br></div>

Afrikaans text / Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal wat die invloed van motoriese oefening op die leervermoë van die leerder in die grondslagfase is. Vyf en twintig leerders is ewekansig verdeel in `n eksperimentele en kontrole groep. Oor `n tydperk van vyf weke, voor die aanvang van elke leerafdeling, het die eksperimentele groep, saam met die onderwyseres, klaskamer gebaseerde motoriese oefeninge verrig terwyl die kontrole groep geen intervensie ontvang het nie. Die Copeland’s checklist for Attention Deficit Disorder vraelys is as voor- en natoets gebruik. Na die afloop van die empiriese ondersoek het die eksperimentele groep `n verbetering getoon in onoplettendheid/afleibaarheid, impulsiwiteit, ooraktiwiteit/hiperaktiwiteit, onderaktiwiteit en aandagvermoë, terwyl die kontrole groep oor dieselfde tydperk verswak het of onveranderd gebly het. Die veranderinge was egter nie statisties betekenisvol (p≤0.05) nie. Hierdie resultaat dui slegs op „n tedens dat motoriese oefening 'n positiewe effek op die leerders se leervermoë in die grondslagfase het. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Educational Studies)

Afrikaans text / Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal wat die invloed van motoriese oefening op die leervermoë van die leerder in die grondslagfase is. Vyf en twintig leerders is ewekansig verdeel in `n eksperimentele en kontrole groep. Oor `n tydperk van vyf weke, voor die aanvang van elke leerafdeling, het die eksperimentele groep, saam met die onderwyseres, klaskamer gebaseerde motoriese oefeninge verrig terwyl die kontrole groep geen intervensie ontvang het nie. Die Copeland’s checklist for Attention Deficit Disorder vraelys is as voor- en natoets gebruik. Na die afloop van die empiriese ondersoek het die eksperimentele groep `n verbetering getoon in onoplettendheid/afleibaarheid, impulsiwiteit, ooraktiwiteit/hiperaktiwiteit, onderaktiwiteit en aandagvermoë, terwyl die kontrole groep oor dieselfde tydperk verswak het of onveranderd gebly het. Die veranderinge was egter nie statisties betekenisvol (p≤0.05) nie. Hierdie resultaat dui slegs op „n tedens dat motoriese oefening 'n positiewe effek op die leerders se leervermoë in die grondslagfase het. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Educational Studies)