Brain Gym and Shichida Method

This article highlights two brain development centers that are well established in their respective countries and have training centers worldwide. One of these brain development centers is from the West (USA) namely "Brainy Gym" and the other from the East (Japan), "Shichida Method".

The article briefly describes the background and characteristic of these two brain development centers and the potential improvement that they could bring to your child's brain development. Finally, it will show you some testimonials and where you can find these brain development centers.

[Brainy-child has no financial endorsement or any other interest in the centers that provide them. The article provided here is strictly to be used as reference only. It is meant to give readers an idea of the choices of brain development centers and how they could possibly help to enhance your child's brain development]

Brain Gym
Brain Gym grew out of clinical studies started in 1969 by Paul E. Dennison, Ph.D., an educational therapist from USA, who was looking for ways to help children and adults who had been identified as learning-disabled.

Dr. Dennison's research led him to the study of Kinesiology, the science of body movement and the relationship of muscles and posture to brain function. At the time, it was already well established that moving in certain ways is necessary for brain development. Babies and young children naturally perform what are known as developmental movements.

Dr. Dennison discovered how to adapt these movements so we can use them to stimulate our brains, even at age eighty. The result is a simple and highly effective system of targeted activities that prepare your brain and entire nervous system for optimal performance in all areas, intellectual, creative, athletic, and interpersonal.

"Brain Gym" is a program of physical activities that can be used by anyone and the activities are easy and enjoyable. The 26 Brain Gym is a program designed to activate different cognitive functions, including communication, comprehension (reptilian brain and frontal lobes) and organization (limbic system and frontal lobes).

Brain Gym brings dramatic improvements in concentration, memory,
language and number skills, reading, writing, speaking, athletic performance and more. Learning with less stress and being able to express creativity are some of the benefits of Brain Gym.

Brain Gym can be integrated into different areas within the early years setting in a number of ways:

* Managing the learning environment e.g. to help children with transitions from busy times to story time, to develop listening and attention.

* As a way of helping children work through key developmental stages in their early years such as primitive and postural reflexes and motor patterns which are the basis for later learning. Integration of these reflexes can help develop balance and co-ordination, gross and fine motor control, attention and focus, speech, visual processing and self esteem.

Recognized in over twenty countries, Brain Gym has been named one of twelve programs representing "Successful Learning Innovations" annually by the National Learning Foundation since 1990.

Here is one testimonial:

"I found using Brain Gym® benefited all of the children, no matter what age they were. It generally helped them to concentrate and it helped them to become more receptive to information." (SB Carlton Nursery, Glasgow)

You can find more details about Brain Gym and Brain Gym's instructor in your country at the official Brain Gym web site http://www.braingym.org/

If you're interested in the Brain Gym movements and the science behind Brain Gym, "Brain Gym (Teacher Edition)" and "Smart Moves: Why Learning is not all in Your Head" by neurobiologist Carla Hannaford, Ph.D, documents how and why the Brain Gym movements work in the brain.

The Shichida Method: Right Brain Training
Professor Makoto Shichida has been researching education methods
of preschool children since 1951. He is thoroughly convinced of the theory that all babies are born geniuses. He is a well known public figure in Japan, having committed the past 40 years to developing techniques to stimulate early development of right-brain education in children beginning in the womb and continuing through adulthood. There are over 300 Shichida Child Academies in Japan.

The Characteristics of The Shichida Method Brain Training
The left and right hemispheres of the brain have different capabilities. The right brain possesses the ability to retain complete image of things seen at a glance in the memory. Also, it is the receptacle for inspiration and the site of expression for image abundant creativity.

The right brain controls the abilities to visualize images and the realization of those images physically. Nearly all-successful people, regardless of their field of expertise, demonstrate the right brain ability of distinct image visualization.

However, as the left-brain develops, it becomes harder to bring forth the abilities of the right brain. If the child's brain is stuffed with knowledge, it becomes very difficult to exercise and develop the right brain. (Note: This is where Shichida has different opinion from Glenn Doman teaching). The Shichida Method believes in not over-emphasizing on knowledge education, and that the cultivation of the child's ability to learn on his own is of utmost importance.

Right brain capabilities that all children possess are:

1.	The five senses of the right brain. Corresponding to the 5 senses of the left-brain (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell) the right brain also has its 5 senses. However, they are not the senses of sight and hearing in the normal manner, but the ability to see, hear, sense things through waves translated into images. These 5 senses of the right brain are its basic abilities. When these abilities are released, man becomes capable of seeing images as motion pictures.
2.	The ability to see images in the form of motion pictures.
3.	Photographic memory
4.	The ability to do complex mental calculations.
5.	The conversion of images to words, numbers, symbols and the reverse.
6.	The ability to master foreign languages easily.
7.	The ability to receive inspiration and use it towards unique creativity.
8.	The ability of photographic speed-reading.
9.	The ability to receive information on an intuitive level, and to use that information accordingly.

Here is one testimonial:

"My son started answering math problems in writing at age of 2 and a half years old. He has no problem solving the four rules of arithmetic in 4 to 6 digits. In a matter of a minute, he can solve all these problems" (T.K. mother of a 3 year old, Okayama)

Here is the official site of Shichida Child Academy in Japan. The Shichida Child Academy outside of Japan that I know of can be found in Singapore (Phone: 65-6220-9555) and Malaysia (Phone: 603-4258-1232). In USA, there is a Master Shichida trainer living in Montana, her name is Pamela Hickein. You can contact her for more detail information:

Brain Development Centers