Movement as part of teaching

The simplest way to introduce movement into learning is to give students explicit permission to move. Standing up and walking around in a full auditorium can feel awkward unless the teacher makes it clear that this is allowed. The best way is to have all students stand every 30 minutes and move briefly before continuing the lesson. After this, they can return to the lesson feeling refreshed. 

You can give students permission to move around in several ways: 

• Verbally at the start of the lesson (by saying, for example: “Feel free to move around during this lecture if you need to.”)  
• In writing in the footer of your slides (by writing, for example, “You may also listen to this lecture while standing.”)  
• By adding activity icons to your slides at suitable intervals. 

Agree with students on regular breaks (for example, every 30 minutes), when everyone stands up and moves in place or joins a short exercise video together. You can also invite students to share their favourite workout moves.  

It is easy to integrate movement into functional teaching methods to add exercise and boost energy. Different types of assignments bring variety, activate students and strengthen the sense of community. Examples of ways to increase movement include:  

• chat walks  
• summarising class discussions while standing 
• tick tasks   
• exhibition walks and learning cafés   
• drama methods  
• line activities  
• physical activity votes  
• walking lessons  
• assignments returned as images, videos or other formats.  
• teaching and guidance walks (outdoors or indoors)  
• orientation activities using apps (such as ActionTrack).

Learning is influenced by many dynamically interacting factors, one of which is perceived alertness. Alertness refers to how a person perceives the state of their body and mind at any given moment. It can also be thought of as a measure of activity or energy levels. Students may be hyper-aroused, hypo-aroused, or optimally aroused.  For learning, the best state of alertness lies somewhere between hyper- and hypo-arousal. In this state, it’s easiest to focus and interact with others. Learning becomes smooth and meaningful.  

Gas or brake? – Regulating alertness with break-time exercise: 

• Assess your current state of alertness: 
  • Hyper-arousal: Sense of urgency, hyper-alertness, irritability, excitement, happiness. 
  • Optimal alertness: Ability to concentrate, a sense of balance, relaxation, feeling of safety, ease in regulating emotions, smooth interaction, and learning. 
  • Hypo-arousal: Sadness, dullness, fatigue, slowness, calmness, relaxation. 

Choose the type of break-time exercise based on whether you need to “press the gas” (increase alertness) or “press the brake” (decrease alertness). If you feel your alertness is good for learning/work, aim to maintain that level.

• To increase alertness (gas): 
  • Stand up. 
  • Observe your surroundings using different senses. 
  • Move with rhythmic and repetitive motions like stomping feet or jumping. 
  • Perform strong strokes or pats on the body’s limbs. 
  • Strengthen and lengthen your inhalation, either on its own or combined with movement. 
• To reduce alertness (brake): 
  • Observe your environment and notice the space around you. 
  • Use stroking, massaging, or hugging. 
  • Apply strength, such as squeezing or pushing movements. 
  • Gently lengthen your exhalation, either on its own or combined with movement (activates the vagus nerve, which promotes relaxation).

Reassess your alertness after the exercise. These exercises are designed to be suitable both for individual practice and group settings in classrooms. A teacher can observe the general state of alertness in the class and select the necessary exercise accordingly or allow students to assess their own alertness and independently aim to regulate it. Discussions can also be held on how these practices will benefit well-being and the ability to learn. 

Learning is influenced by many dynamically interacting factors, one of which is perceived alertness. Alertness refers to how a person experiences the state of their body and mind at any given moment. It can also be considered a measure of activity or energy levels. Students may be hyper-aroused, hypo-aroused or optimally aroused. For learning, the ideal state lies somewhere between hyper- and hypo-arousal. In this state, it is easiest to concentrate and interact with others. Learning becomes smooth and meaningful.  

Students can assess their own alertness and choose either an activating or calming exercise depending on the situation.