| New SmartMoves DVD Combines Movement and Music in Short Physical Activities That Can Increase Students' Ability to Learn
FableVision and Thinking Moves ship research-based DVD that can increase focus, memory, and academic performance of students in grades 3-12 and addresses growing number of student learning disorders
BOSTON,
MA - February 12, 2008 -
Award-winning educational publisher FableVision,
and learning-development company Thinking Moves
unveiled their new SmartMoves DVD with a launch
party at FableVision’s studio in the Boston Children’s
Museum. This innovative DVD (52 min.) combines movement and
music in short segments of physical activities that increase
students’ ability to learn in class. Based on recent research
studies that link movement to learning, the program increases
focus, memory and academic performance of all students in grades
3-12 and helps teachers address the growing number of students
with learning disorders. By having students follow along with
the activities for just three to five minutes each day, teachers
can make a dramatic improvement in the effectiveness of their
lessons and valuable class time. This can be done anytime during
the day and works great as a transition between topics or to
refocus students after they return to class from recess.
Boston-based
FableVision and Wisconsin-based Thinking Moves partnered to
create SmartMoves based on the rapidly growing field of “embodied
cognition theory,” which suggests that body movement increases
the brain’s ability to learn. SmartMoves features a series
of 40 body movements, choreographed to music, that are designed
to increase students’ academic performance, information
retention, and focus. The technique used in SmartMoves, dubbed
“body puzzles” by the creators, is based on body
cognition, the scientific research into the relationships between
rhythm, pattern acquisition, movement, music, games and brain
development.
Recent studies
in the field of embodied cognition from the University of Central
Florida, University of Wisconsin's Laboratory of Embodied Cognition,
and Arizona State University have shown a clear link between
body movement and the brain’s increased ability to learn,
focus and retain information. Across all ages, from infants
to professional athletes to the elderly, and for a variety of
learning challenges including ADHD, autism and Alzheimer’s,
the benefits and necessity of physical movement is becoming
increasingly well documented. In addition, research has shown
a correlation between the sedentary lifestyle and obesity rates
of today’s children with decreased academic performance.
“SmartMoves,
embodies the creative, out-of-the-box approach to reach all
learners that is the hallmark of the FableVision educational
software product line,” said Jane Reynolds,
Executive Partner at FableVision and head of its Educational
Software Division. “This is a fun, easily accessible tool
for teachers and parents that has the potential not only to
expand students’ learning aptitude, but to reduce disciplinary
problems and time spent refocusing students between activities.
”
Roberta
Scherf, President and Founding partner of Thinking
Moves, created SmartMoves as a way to help her daughter, who
exhibited significant learning disabilities at a young age.
She discovered the relationship between movement and learning
10 years ago as she researched ways to help her daughter learn
to speak, read, and form relationships with others.
“The
results were nothing short of miraculous,” said Scherf.
“After one month of these rhythm and movement games, every
one of her switches turned from ’off’ to ‘on.’
I knew I had to create a resource to help other parents struggling
with these issues, and FableVision’s mission to foster
human potential in non-traditional ways made it a natural partner.”
The SmartMoves
DVD priced at $129 is available for purchase by visiting www.fablevision.com/smartmoves.
Or to order by phone, call 1-888-240-3734.
About
FableVision, Inc.
FableVision
(www.fablevision.com) is on a mission to bring the world to
a better place through media, storytelling and technology. With
new headquarters at The Boston Children's Museum in Boston,
and offices in Dedham, MA, Portland, OR, and London, the FableVision
team enjoys an international reputation for its unique brand
of innovative, technology-delivered storytelling and learning.
Its K-12 software product offerings -Stationery Studio, BrainCogs,
SmartMoves, Essay Express, and Get A Clue– are distributed
around the globe. Some of FableVision's partners and clients
include PBS, Maryland Public Television, MIT Education Arcade,
Sesame Workshop, Scholastic, Nickelodeon/Noggin, KCET, Carnegie
Hall, National Academy of Sciences, WGBH, Random House, Simon
Schuster, Pearson Education, the Girl Scouts USA, SARRC, the
Research Institute for Learning Development, and Boston University
and the Jim Henson Company.
About
Thinking Moves
Created
by a mother trying to help her child learn more effectively,
Thinking Moves, is the serendipitous outcome of her efforts;
the company has been built on the premise that learning improves
when the brain and body are connected through music and patterned
movements. Thinking Moves creates multimedia products which
transform the mind and body using intuitive and effective exercises,
ranging from simple to complex, and require just a few minutes
a day. The basis for the company's activities is the growing
body of empirical and anecdotal research on the relationship
between movement and cognition. The company is located in the
St. Croix River Valley of Western Wisconsin.
FableVision, Inc.
Leigh Hallisey
Director of Marketing
FableVision
308 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
617-956-5701
leigh@fablevision.com
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