Susan Hartley (‘Yoga Sue’) shares her passion for yoga and how it can be adapted for any body and ability to support health, mental and emotional well-being.
Children go to nursery and school to learn, but learning is not limited to these establishments, as children learn from every interaction and this is especially important from birth to the age of seven. At this time the child’s brain develops more than at any other time in life, early brain development has a lasting impact on a child’s ability to learn and succeed in school and life. The quality of a child’s experiences in the first few years of life and beyond, both positive and negative, shape how their brain develops.
Starting from birth, children develop brain connections through their everyday experience, through positive interactions with their parents and caregivers, using the senses to interact with the world. A young child’s daily experience, the amount and quality of care, stimulation and interaction they receive in their early years and onwards makes all the difference. For children with SEND, these daily experiences may need extra support and adaptations, and yoga sessions can be a valuable way to improve basic functions such as breathing, balance control, postural control and social interactions.
Children learn with their whole bodies, especially when the activities are child-led, play-based and developmentally and cognitively appropriate. Encouraging full body movement that includes the full range of fine and gross motor skills, helps children to acquire a deep-level of learning through their experiences.
Yoga, which means union of body, mind and breath is an activity long proven to incorporate all of these attributes to learning in a safe non-competitive environment providing the techniques are presented and adapted in a way that is safe and appropriate for children. Our yoga sessions support social, emotional and motor skill development in an inclusive format, incorporating visual aids, for example. Over the years, many children with SEND have thrived and managed to achieve challenging goals. Fun activities incorporated in the classes support learning by stimulating both sides of the brain, as well as crossing the midline of the body and developing spatial awareness.
What you might observe:
• Cross Crawl exercises as part of the warm up
• Using the same arm and leg in unison in postures (asana)
• Use of gross and fine motor skills (asana)
• Movements that develop a sense of security in their
surroundings and in body control
• Visual timetables to reinforce names and symbols
• The use of different ways to model movements
• Cause and effect, taking turns
• Learning to sing along
• Practising the animal postures
Research from many countries has shown strong links between movement and learning, and schools are beginning to integrate more diversity into their movement programmes that recognises the ways in which yoga can develop fundamental movement skills in an inclusive format.
Sessions that provide a range of gross motor skills and a range of movement through the spine are beneficial to maintaining a healthy body. Yoga combines the full range of movement of the spine and, through the use of visual symbols, we can ensure that each session includes all of these movements including balances that help with focus and concentration. Using movement is a great way to learn new things by enhancing the neural connections in the brain and strengthening these through repetition of movements and the use of an enriching vocabulary.
Routine and Repetition
Routine and repetition are important aspects of learning for children with SEND. Repetition and regular routines help the child to remember what is coming next and what is expected of them. Visual timetables support all children. They can remember actions they observe and convert them into cause and effect. For children who are non-verbal, yoga can provide a way of participating that is non-threatening and they can become more able to express themselves through their body movements. Routine and repetition also help in ‘overlearning’ for those children who need multiple exposure to activities in order for them to become embedded.
Our sessions are based around a visual timetable, which we have found is very effective at enabling the children to feel safe, to take ownership of their own learning and to lead others in the activity. Delivering the traditional flow of a yoga practice in this way allows children the safety to try new things and to experience adopting different behaviours; to set an intention, to be active and to relax.
Over stimulation can be distressing for some children with learning disabilities, and using the visual timetable the children can seek the comfort of predictability. I developed sessions to mirror the way children learn. Our motto is to ‘keep it simple’, as this empowers children to take ownership and deliver sessions to their peers. Routine, repetition and structure make it accessible for the children to copy and follow and with space for children to bring in their own individual creative flair.
Creativity
Allowing the children to take the lead brings many creative moments. They expand on their experience during certain postures, become able to name and express sensations using their own language, bring about new names to the postures and even invent some of their own. There are no winners or losers in yoga. It is an individual activity even though it is practised with others, allowing children to express their individuality in each posture and to build acceptance of differences. Children set the pace of the activity and demonstrate kindness, patience and empathy towards others. These things suggest they are creating ways to inspire or help others achieve what they set out to achieve.
Research suggests that people with profound and multiple learning disabilities may be more susceptible to mental health conditions than the rest of the population. It is important that careful attention is given to these needs and that the right treatment and support is found to meet them. We have seen the joy and sense of accomplishment that children with SEN experience when taking part in the enrichment sessions. How they support their development and give them the opportunity of choices during challenging circumstances, this in turn gives the children a sense of accomplishment and confidence.
When we take part in physical movement that we enjoy doing, we are more likely to maintain that physical activity in the future supporting our health and wellbeing. An important part of this enjoyment is a feeling of achievement. This can only be met by bringing yoga to the child in a way that satisfies their unique needs.
Our sessions were developed with this in mind and can be adapted for those who are seated or are floor based according to the physical abilities of each child. We find that the key worker/parent who supports the child is best placed to make the necessary adjustments according to the child’s health plan. Children are not miniature adults, and yoga practice must support their growth—not all yoga techniques are suitable. This is something to consider before implementing a yoga
practice in your setting.
Author: Susan Hartley
Susan Hartley
Susan Hartley runs Yoginis, which provides yoga sessions and training to schools and nurseries including special needs. She is a qualified British Wheel of Yoga teacher with more than twenty years experience in her field.
