ABSTRACT
In every classroom there are students who are calm and focused, those who are just a step away from becoming dysregulated, those who are dysregulated, those who have very low energy and those of high energy, and those who are anxious, traumatized, or living with a variety of sensory challenges. The challenge for teachers is to help all these students regulate their nervous system/brain functions in ways that allow them to focus and engage those cognitive processes that are needed to learn. There is no doubt that movement can help all students with regulation. That is the good news. However, when movement is integrated with rhythmic music and movement patterns, comforting voice frequencies, and visual patterns, and synchronized with expressive features of emotion and the movement of others, teachers and students realize many more benefits. This integrated process supports a number of biophysiological and neurological functions, including:
calming the hyper-aroused student, and energizing the hypo-aroused student;
creating a sense of safety;
improving social engagement, positive teacher–student interactions, and student–student interactions;
supporting cross-modal attention in students, increasing their focus and performance; and
reducing off-task behaviors.
