Juggling
What does juggling have to do with literacy and learning?
According to scientists at Oxford University in England, complex tasks such as juggling produce significant changes to the structure of the brain.
24 healthy young adults were studied. None of them could juggle. After being trained and told to practice 30 minutes a day for six weeks, scientists saw a 5% increase in white matter (the cabling network) in the brain! Juggling ability varied greatly but all of them showed changes in white matter.
Let's compare.
Literacy & Learning
- Need the basics before going to the whole
- Need to practice
- Repetition
- Eye-hand coordination
- Use of body and all senses, the best way to learn
- Changes the brain
- Need to take risks
- Should be fun, hard to do if stressed
- Need positive reinforcement to continue
- Lots of different tools (book, computer, voice, pens, paint, sculpting, body)
- Lots of different methods (technology, art, music, speaking, writing, dance)
Juggling
- Need the basics before going to the whole
- Need to practice
- Repetition
- Eye-hand coordination
- Use of body and all senses
- Increases white matter in the brain
- Need to take risks
- Should be fun, hard to do if stressed
- Need positive reinforcement to continue
- Lots of different tools (chainsaws, balls, hoops, sticks, fruit)
- Lots of different methods (cascade, 4-balls, two-in-one hand, different patterns)
Resources
Check our resources for more information on fun ways to learn.
