Learn To Speak English -
Make Language Learning Physical

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About The Brain

Although an average size brain comprises 2 percent of a person's total body weight, it requires 25 percent of all the oxygen used by the body. By contrast, the heart only requires 7 percent.

We might be tempted to liken the brain to a large vehicle known as a "gas guzzler" but such an analogy would be quite inappropriate.

Whereas a "gas guzzler" is defined as a large automobile with inefficient fuel consumption, the brain, on a typical day, processes trillions of pieces of information.

The brain is a highly efficient organ, the capacity of which is almost beyond comprehension. So the 25 percent share of the oxygen supply the body receives is well utilized!

Learn To Speak English Using Brain Power

As learning a new language is primarily a brain exercise, it is logical that keeping the brain well serviced with a healthy, oxygenated blood supply, will certainly help it function at an optimum level.

How do we get oxygen into the blood? By moving around, exercising, doing physical things.

So here is the main point: to get the brain to function at its best in any learning period, a student needs to be physically active.

A variety of learning methods need to be carefully woven into the overall syllabus that require the student to regularly get out of their seat, move around, and be active. Sitting still in one position for more than 15 minutes or so gradually sends the brain into a low level state of activity. If it continues, the brain can start preparing for sleep!

With a little imagination, a learning session can be a very active affair.

Balloons and Juggling

Are there lists to learn such as days of the week, months of the year, word groups, numbers etc.?

Then use a bean bag or a balloon, have the students stand around in a half circle, and toss the bean bag or tap the balloon to anyone in the group while saying a word in the sequence.

The one receiving the bean bag or balloon now says the next word in the sequence as they toss or tap the object to another individual in the group at random. This keeps everyone alert as they don’t know where the bean bag or balloon is going next.

Juggling is a subject that could easily occupy an essay all to itself. It is known to have a dramatic effect on harmonizing brain activity.

As the book Lessons from the Art of Juggling states: "Juggling develops ambidexterity. It promotes rhythmic coordination between the two sides of the body and the two sides of the brain. Ambidexterity offers an important key to high performance and balanced living." (p. 7.)

In the context of this discussion, it is excellent for getting students active and physically involved. By repeating words and expressions as they juggle, the mind easily grasps the vocabulary and remembers it.

Sidenote: It is much easier for students to learn to juggle using silk scarves rather than balls or other objects.

Acting

Having short role plays at the front of the group also gets students up and out of their seats. They should be encouraged to make wide, exaggerated gestures to highlight the words they are saying. All students can be involved, taking in turns with the various roles. This makes for a highly productive learning environment.

Writing sentences on the board leaving gaps where high frequency words like conjunctions and prepositions should go is yet another way to get students moving around in class.

With a one-to-one teaching session, the student can be invited to stand in front of the board and fill in the gaps with the word they believe is the most appropriate.

In a class setting, all the students can be invited to the front and stand in a half circle around the board while volunteers take turns with the marker filling in the gaps.

The key here is not to let students sit for too long. The brain thrives on activity. Movement makes a person breathe more so more oxygen gets into the blood supply, which then nourishes the brain cells.

If teachers want students to learn to speak English and excel at it, they regularly need to make their lessons physical!