Evaluating the effectiveness of the Fit2Learn motor sensory integration programme on children’s capacity to learn

BACKGROUND

Many children in the UK are trying to cope with the demands of the schooling system without full sensory integration. The includes:
1. Motor skills: postural control and bi-lateral integration of motor skills, which should be in place by 7 years old, are absent
2. 80% of children under 5 years old experience an inner ear infection (Berman, 1994) which suppresses the inner ear’s ability to process sound. This sound processing abilities are not checked or on the national agenda despite the impact on global development via the vestibular system
3. Binocular vision and visual processing skills are not checked or on anyone’s agenda
4. With the retention of primitive reflexes, a child may never reach their full cognitive potential (Berne, 2006).
These are the foundation of proprioception (i.e. the sense of where one is in space) which can increase anxiety and sense of well-being.

PURPOSE

We worked with a small group of young people in alternative provision and secondary school settings who were recognised to be at risk from poor emotional and mental wellbeing, to improve their development and confidence, and subsequently, their capacity to learn.
Within this project, the young people took part in a range of specific activities designed by Fit2Learn in school to help their motor-sensory development. By providing this targeted support to young people, this program was intended to improve their future opportunities by providing them with the readiness to learn, and improve their movement competence, self-confidence and motivation to make more positive life choices, influencing their future education and employment.
The Fit 2 Learn program has proven to be successful in supporting children to overcome motor skill deficiencies and improve their sensory system. This has enabled the children to become more functional learners and engage better within a mainstream learning environment.

RESEARCH AIMS

The research objectives are three-fold:
1. Examine the relationship between completing the Fit2Learn program and children's readiness to learn.
2. Examine how completing the Fit2Learn program influences children's engagement in the classroom.
3. Evaluate the feasibility of the Fit2Learn program being implemented in school by teachers.