Teaching yoga to special needs children in school is as challenging as it is rewarding. During the past five years I have worked with many children who suffer from a range of special needs including Autistic Spectrum disorders (ASD), Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), of which the official term in the UK now is Hyperkinetic Disorder (DfES, 2003.)
ADHD is a neurological condition where the circuitry of the brain is impaired to an extent that the child lacks the normal self-control expected of that age. Typically a child with ADHD lacks the ability to maintain attention and therefore concentrating in an educational setting is fraught with problems. An ADHD child will tend to show hyperactive-impulsive behaviours such as fidgeting, unable to wait for his turn, flitting from task to task without finishing and shouting out answers instead putting up a hand. Stillness, even for the shortest period, is very difficult.
UK figures from the DfES claim that one in every hundred children is affected, whilst research from USA suggest that 1.46 – 2.46 million children have ADHD, that is a staggering 3- 5% of the student population.
Inattention and Hyperactivity Impulsiveness are the main symptoms of ADHD. The symptoms are more clearly seen as three subtypes, namely, (i) predominantly inattentive, (ii) predominantly hyperactive – impulsive and (iii) a combination of both. Children who are predominantly hyperactive – impulsive often show aggressive behaviour, whereas those who are predominantly inattentive may be withdrawing behind a shield of silence, which is a problem if it stays undetected by the class teacher. These elements will certainly affect the social lives of the children as well as their academic performance, which in turn can damage their self-esteem.
Day to day classroom activities for children with ADHD are frustrating as they struggle with reading, writing and maths. Recent research shows that other disabilities may also often accompany the predominant types. These may include disruptive behaviours, dramatic mood swings and anxieties, tics and sometimes Tourette’s syndrome.
The causes of ADHD are still a mystery although current research is pursuing the quest on three fronts, genetic, biological and environmental. Imaging techniques, used to compare brains of ADHD and NON–ADHD children show a reduction in size of the parts of the brain in ADHD children that control attention, namely the basal ganglia and the right prefrontal cortex. Scientists are suggesting that gene mutations are a likely cause, though we are a long way off definitive evidence. Other elements that have been suggested include premature birth, maternal alcohol and/or tobacco use, high exposure to lead and the possibility of neurological damage in the womb. No substantial evidence supports any of these avenues and nor, indeed, is there any to support the influence of food additives, sugar, yeast or poor child rearing.
My involvement in teaching children for over 10 years many of whom have these problems, then becoming a qualified BWY teacher, inspired me to set up YogaBuds. The aim is to expand yoga in schools and make it part of the curriculum, rather than an after school activity. Typically primary year groups across all levels of ability are taught in whole class situations. In special needs schools I tend to teach smaller selected groups and adapt the approach to meet the challenge. I have recently launched a new, accredited teacher training course, The BTEC Advanced Diploma for Teaching Yoga to Children which deals with all aspects of teaching yoga in mainstream primary and special needs schools ranging from classroom management to linking yoga to the curriculum. At the core of the course will be developing expertise in teaching children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
There are three ways to treat ADHD. A Behavioural Approach, a pharmacological approach i.e. with drugs, and a combination of both known as the Multimodal Approach. Teaching Yoga to children with ADHD involves using the Behavioural Approach.
The Teacher’s first task is to recognise that ADHD is a chronic condition and to be aware that the core symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness often co-exist with sub symptoms such as aggression, defiant-behaviour, anxiety and depression. The second task is to recognise that children with this disability can learn successfully and can be encouraged to change from inappropriate to appropriate behaviour. And thirdly, to plan a variety of key approaches that will create the best setting for learning and changing behaviours.
YogaBuds Teachers target specific learning outcomes for children with ADHD. They aim to:
The above outcomes govern the planning of the course and each lesson. Instructions are expressed simply and kept to the minimum. Children are taught a variety of activities in whole class, pairs and small groups. We use a variety of teaching approaches including story, games, and simple demonstration. Pace and voice changes and total involvement ensure the students’ attention throughout the session. Children are rewarded for appropriate behaviour, for their comparative ability to be still, for showing kindness to a peer or a member of staff, for their improving ability to concentrate, and showing self-discipline in the face of distraction. When the children come to recognise the structure and routine of the lesson and how easy it is to feel a sense of accomplishment, they soon relax.
Children love the postures and are thrilled to see their own progress. They realise that they can do it to the best of their ability irrespective of shape, weight or culture. The effect of stretching and exercising makes them feel good about their bodies. They enjoy stillness, quiet and calm, during which time they can relax and reflect. The yoga inspires positive values, optimism, persistence and self-worth. There are always opportunities for genuine praise for the children, which they relish.
“Trying to write, spell, be in a world they can’t make sense of can make these children very tense. Yoga is away of releasing their burdens, of easing their agony and frustrations.”
Christine Evans, Special Needs Teacher, London
Several studies have established that positive results occur when the major shareholders in the child’s life collaborate to tackle ADHD. For example, parents sharing information with teachers about hobbies, interests and behaviour at home will help inform decisions made by the class teacher and Special Needs Co-ordinators when formulating an Individual Learning Plan. Likewise parents can promote consistency at home if they are aware of rewards systems, behavioural strategies and the language used in school. The same applies to the Yoga that the children learn in the YogaBuds lesson. For example they are taught how to relax and how to help themselves get to sleep when sleep seems evasive. They are also taught specific postures that have a calming influence and could be practised, for example, after a sibling disagreement when tempers are high.
“…..Luke loved the stretching exercises. He tried a few of the relaxation techniques on our family and we were all most impressed at the success of the simple techniques”
L.P ( Parent ) Woodford E18
Charlie had been diagnosed with ADHD. He attended a Special Needs School and was one of a class of 14 pupils, with a variety of special needs. Charlie took to the yoga immediately. The initial postures, like Tree Balance, are demanding in terms of concentration and co-ordination. Charlie very quickly demonstrated a high degree of concentration and the ability to focus on a specific nominated point was clearly evident. As the lesson progressed and the postures became increasingly challenging Charlie showed his ability to listen and to grasp the finer points of the work. He was very keen to perform the postures to his peers and towards the close of the lesson when the children were guided through relaxation he applied remarkable discipline to himself in terms of body stillness. In subsequent lessons Charlie showed the same enthusiasm with the added bonus that he did, without prompting, help some of his classmates in some of the postures. I have been teaching yoga to Charlie for over four years. Over this time he has had three class teachers who have shown remarkable enthusiasm for the yoga, and is now in the senior part of the school. During that time there have been occasions when Charlie was obviously irritated, angry, defiant, in conflict with a classmate and yet was still able to draw himself into the discipline and concentration that the yoga demanded. There have been notable, and, frankly, moving occasions when Charlie has admitted in feedback time that he had the ‘hump’ with whoever, or that he knew that his behaviour was unacceptable. I do not know about Charlie’s academic progress nor how he fares at home, and nor do I claim that Yoga has cured his ADHD, however it is obvious that the yoga has provided Charlie with a respite from the pressure of academic expectation and a space to feel that he is in control of his life.
Find out more about YogaBuds in schools
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| BTEC Advanced Diploma for Teaching Yoga to Children | |
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