Comments on: The TEFLbs detective Part One – Brain Gym and ELT

By: Susie Johnston

Susie Johnston — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:40:42 +0000

Was interested to read your points. My husband is a huge Ben Goldacre fan and so I have had to listen to many a lecture. The BBC programme Bang goes the theory are currently running experiments on the benefits of brain training. We have both signed up and have to log on three times a week to complete our brain training exercises. The programme I believe will be aired in March but they are looking for as many people to sign up as http://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/experiments/braintestbritain/

By: Vicki Hollett

Vicki Hollett — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:03:24 +0000

Love this post and ensuing comments. For an excellent TED talk making the tongue in cheek case for placebos (about 2.5 minutes in):
http://www.ted.com/talks/rory_sutherland_life_lessons_from_an_ad_man.html
Anyway, I’m with Mr Goldacre and hope you’ll keep ‘em coming Philip.

By: Diarmuid

Diarmuid — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:43:26 +0000

Sandy – I don’t think ANYBODY could accuse you of being uncharitable. As usual, you are being far too accommodating here. “it NEVER words for ANY people in ANY contexts” is what Philip probably meant to write. More accurate still would have been, “It’s a load of [ ], but it has a placebo effect that sometimes works for some people in some contexts.” Now this IS eminently suitable for the TEFL trade, I would suggest.

By: Sandy Mac

Sandy Mac — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:12:02 +0000

I would say that if “it’s a load of tosh, but it sometimes works for some people in some contexts” (P.Kerr), then it’s entirely suitable for the Tefl Trade.

Or am I being a little too uncharitable here?

By: Diarmuid

Diarmuid — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:58:59 +0000

It IS a load of tosh and Ben Goldacre’s work is an enlightening read. Brain Gym offers advice about how to yawn in such a way that there is “increased oxidization” (ie more rusting) of the brain. As Goldacre says, perhaps they meant oxygenization. Water should be held in the mouth before swallowing, because then it can be absorbed directly into your brain. Your carotid arteries can be massaged to increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Goldacre: “I’m yet to meet any child who can stimulate his [sic] carotid arteries inside his ribcage. That’s probably going to need the sharp scissors that only mummy can use.”
BrainGym says that processed food, ie things like soup etc, do not contain water! They say that if we connect our fingers together, we connect the electrical circuit of our body. Conclude, if you will that Brain Gym is utter b*llocks. It doesn’t work for anyone because it is utter b*llocks. But there are people who want to think that it does work for them. Goldacre offers a view on why this might be. Firstly, its basic message: have regular breaks when studying, do some light exercise and drink water, is a fairly safe bet. Secondly, it says all this in pseudo-scientific mumbo jumbo which has the effect of serving as a placebo (and Goldacre is fascinated by the potential of all placebos), but also has the effect of trademarking common sense in order to turn a quick buck.

By: Philip Kerr

Philip Kerr — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:07:59 +0000

Pauline’s post is very interesting. Her site, happinesspages.com, has a whole section on brain gym, and it seems to work for her. But this doesn’t really constitute proof of any kind. An anecdote or two is not really sufficient data. The visitor who gave feedback describes himself / herself as a ‘believer’, and this set my alarm bells ringing.
So when I got to the last paragraph, I was feeling more skeptical than usual and decided to check out BIBIC. Contrary to what Pauline believes, BIBIC does not ‘work to repattern brain damaged individuals by homolateral and cross-crawl movements’. There are occasional references to Brain Gym on the BIBIC site, but (fortunately for the children involved), Brain Gym is only a very small part of what they do.
Brain Gym is often associated with ‘Neuro Linguistic Programming’, and I see that Pauline is a Master Practitioner of NLP and an NLP Coach. I was surprised that Pauline referred to ‘brain damaged individuals’ as I’d understood that one of the tenets of NLP is that no one is damaged or broken. Anyway, more to the point, NLP, like Brain Gym, might ‘work’ for some people, but it’s based on claims that are not supported by neuroscience. Should I conclude that it’s a load of tosh, but it sometimes works for some people in some contexts?

By: Alex Case

Alex Case — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:11:17 +0000

An email from a regular TEFL.net book reviewer who can reveal her secret identity if she wishes reminded me that SAGE online stuff is free until Oct 31st. Although I couldn’t work out how to see the whole thing for free here for myself:

http://rse.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/28/2/117

- she also sent me it in pdf format so I’ll read it soon and let you know the highlights

By: pauline

pauline — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:48 +0000

As a specialist teacher I used cross crawl and lazy 8′s from brain gym very effectively for years with kids who have special educational needs.
My website http://www.happinesspages.com details some case studies and here is feedback received recently from a visitor to my site.

‘Last night we got video of our daughter army crawling. That was the first time she really did it, she normally rolls every where she wants to go. And, she is now clapping! All because we’ve been so diligent with her cross crawl exercises. Once she
crossed the midline she has just thrived!

I’m a true believer than these exercises have helped her – thank you so much for giving me ideas and encouraging us!’

Take a look too at the work of BIBIC (British Institute for Brain Injury). They work to repattern brain damaged individuals by homolateral and cross-crawl movements and it was through being part of a group of 40 volunteers repatterning a brain-damaged child that I was introduced to the power of these developmental movements!

By: Lindsay Clandfield

Lindsay Clandfield — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:30:26 +0000

Hi there

Very nice post there, Philip (thanks Alex for getting Philip to do this, or was it Philip who approached you?). I notice you are a bit circumspect about Brain Gym. I’ll be interested to hear any big defenders of this come along and leave their ideas here. Meanwhile, I tried the brain buttons thing – don’t know how much it worked. I’ll try it again once before a plenary talk or something and let you know!