LATERALITY AND DIRECTIONALITY-DEVELOPIN THE FOUNDATION OF MOVEMENT AWARENESS

LATERALITY AND DIRECTIONALITY-DEVELOPIN THE FOUNDATION OF MOVEMENT AWARENESS

1. Evolution of the body plan

Children’s development follows natural stages that happen throughout the years. Regarding physical development, it necessarily goes through two important processes that occur during childhood. These processes are considered the foundation for directional awareness if not the foundation for movement awareness itself: Laterality and Directionality.

 

Laterality refers to the right and left body sides. Children naturally develop an internal awareness that their bodies are composed of two sides working together and in opposition to each other. Children start also developing a preferred body side during this process which lays the foundations for hemispheric dominance. This internal awareness begins around 3-4 years of age but many pedagogists believe that it actually starts much earlier. During pregnancy, the hand used for thumb sucking might refer to an early form of dominance expression.

Directionality internal awareness begins around 3-4 years of age but many pedagogists believe that it actually starts much earlier. During pregnancy, the hand used for thumb sucking might refer to an early form of dominance expression.

 

internal awareness begins around 3-4 years of age but many pedagogists believe that it actually starts much earlier. During pregnancy, the hand used for thumb sucking might refer to an early form of dominance expression.

Considering laterality and directionality only as evolutionary stages is extremely restrictive. Even when we become adults, real life gives us daily challenges about spatial awareness and orientation that are strongly connected to laterality and directionality. Some examples are when we follow directions on google maps, when we need to find where our car is in a parking lot, when we are looking for a particular room in a big building, etc.

In sports this orientation process happens constantly. Being aware of our position inside a playing area, predicting where a tennis serve might land, identifying the ball trajectory for a goalkeeper, etc. are all spatial awareness situations whose foundations are laid in laterality and directionality. This explains why every teacher, coach or instructor who teaches sports to kids should promote bilateral body development for the purpose of spatial awareness.

Also, sports technique and skills development are strongly associated with laterality as it enhances those cognitive skills required to understand a certain movement. For this reason, especially at an early age, laterality and directionality development should be highly recommended to support the sport’s technique.

LATERALITY AND DIRECTIONALITY-DEVELOPIN THE FOUNDATION OF MOVEMENT AWARENESS

One of our activities on body awareness

3. The impact of laterality and directionality on learning

3. The impact of laterality and directionality on learning

3. The impact of laterality and directionality on learning directional terms 3. The impact of laterality and directionality on learning

Even writing letters correctly involves directionality as we form letters in specific directions. Starting letters at the top and moving down is easier and faster and coincides with how we read. Additionally, laterality and directionality also impact your ability to mentally visualize objects and rotate them in space. This becomes relevant when distinguishing a ‘d’ from a ‘b’ or a ‘p’ from a ‘qEven writing letters correctly involves directionality as we form letters in specific directions. Starting letters at the top and moving down is easier and faster and coincides with how we read. Additionally, laterality and directionality also impact your ability to mentally visualize objects and rotate them in space. This becomes relevant when distinguishing a ‘

Even writing letters correctly involves directionality as we form letters in specific directions. Starting letters at the top and moving down is easier and faster and coincides with how we read. Additionally, laterality and directionality also impact your ability to mentally visualize objects and rotate them in space. This becomes relevant when distinguishing a ‘

 

 

LATERALITY AND DIRECTIONALITY-DEVELOPIN THE FOUNDATION OF MOVEMENT AWARENESS

A final project on “finding my dominance” at Wells International School

 

Physical education in school should support students in developing their body awareness through activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left sides of the body and the understanding of directions. Our company is already promoting many laterality and directionality activities for elementary school students. Check them out in the school section of our Neuromove YouTube channel.

 

Physical education in school should support students in developing their body awareness through activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left sides of the body and the understanding of directions. Our company is already promoting many laterality and directionality activities for elementary school students. Check them out in the school section of our Neuromove YouTube channel.

  • “Physical education in school should support students in developing their body awareness through activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left sides of the body and the understanding of directions. Our company is already promoting many laterality and directionality activities for elementary school students. Check them out in the school section of our Neuromove YouTube channel.”Physical education in school should support students in developing their body awareness through activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left sides of the body and the understanding of directions. Our company is already promoting many laterality and directionality activities for elementary school students. Check them out in the school section of our Neuromove YouTube channel.
  • “Five minutes to better reading skills”Physical education in school should support students in developing their body awareness through activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left sides of the body and the understanding of directions. Our company is already promoting many laterality and directionality activities for elementary school students. Check them out in the school section of our Neuromove YouTube channel.
  • “Laterality and lateralization – Evolution of the body scheme”Physical education in school should support students in developing their body awareness through activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left sides of the body and the understanding of directions. Our company is already promoting many laterality and directionality activities for elementary school students. Check them out in the school section of our Neuromove YouTube channel.

Physical education in school should support students in developing their body awareness through activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left sides of the body and the understanding of directions. Our company is already promoting many laterality and directionality activities for elementary school students. Check them out in the school section of our Neuromove YouTube channel.

Written by Giacomo Pezzo


Physical education in school should support students in developing their body awareness through activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left sides of the body and the understanding of directions. Our company is already promoting many laterality and directionality activities for elementary school students. Check them out in the school section of our Neuromove YouTube channel.

The development of the child follows natural stages throughout childhood. With regard to motor development, there are two fundamental processes considered the foundations of space-time orientation if not the basis of the movement itself. These processes are laterality and directionality.

 

Laterality. It refers to the right and left side of the body (hemicbodies). Babies naturally develop internal awareness that the two sides of the body work together and in opposition to each other. During this process they also begin to develop a preferred side of the body, setting the stage for hemispheric dominance. This internal awareness begins around the age of 3-4 but many educators claim that it even begins during pregnancy, when the child uses one hand or the other during thumb sucking.

It refers to the right and left side of the body (hemicbodies). Babies naturally develop internal awareness that the two sides of the body work together and in opposition to each other. During this process they also begin to develop a preferred side of the body, setting the stage for hemispheric dominance. This internal awareness begins around the age of 3-4 but many educators claim that it even begins during pregnancy, when the child uses one hand or the other during thumb sucking. This is the concept of laterality applied to the outside world and is directly connected with visual perception and space-time orientation, allowing children to identify objects in space and to identify themselves in relation to these objects. Since directionality is a consequent process to that of laterality, those children who will have difficulty in recognizing right from left they will be This is the concept of laterality applied to the outside world and is directly connected with visual perception and space-time orientation, allowing children to identify objects in space and to identify themselves in relation to these objects. Since directionality is a consequent process to that of laterality, those children who will have difficulty in recognizing right from left

 

This is the concept of laterality applied to the outside world and is directly connected with visual perception and space-time orientation, allowing children to identify objects in space and to identify themselves in relation to these objects. Since directionality is a consequent process to that of laterality, those children who will have difficulty in recognizing right from left

Considering laterality and directionality exclusively as processes that occur during childhood is extremely reductive. Even in adulthood, daily life presents us with challenges in the context of space-time orientation that are closely connected with the development of these two processes. Some examples are when we follow the directions on the navigator, when we look for our car in a parking lot, when we have to go to a particular room inside a large building, etc.

At a sporting level these abilities are constantly stimulated. Being aware of our position within a playing area, anticipating an opponent, predicting the bounce of a ball, are all situations that are based on orientation, lateral and directional skills. This explains why every teacher, instructor or coach who works with children and adolescents should propose activities aimed at the bilateral development of the body in function. At a sporting level these abilities are constantly stimulated. Being aware of our position within a playing area, anticipating an opponent, predicting the bounce of a ball, are all situations that are based on orientation, lateral and directional skills. This explains why every teacher, instructor or coach who works with children and adolescents should propose activities aimed at the bilateral development of the body in function.

Furthermore, the specific sports technique and its learning are based precisely on the coordination skills developed through laterality, since it completes the cognitive faculties necessary to understand a certain movement. For this reason, especially in school age, the development of laterality and directionality should be strongly considered in support of specific sports technique.

 

Furthermore, the specific sports technique and its learning are based precisely on the coordination skills developed through laterality, since it completes the cognitive faculties necessary to understand a certain movement. For this reason, especially in school age, the development of laterality and directionality should be strongly considered in support of specific sports technique.

Considering the wide range of skills that physical education covers in school, it certainly makes it one of the most important subjects. It is scientifically proven that the development of motor awareness plays a very important role in the overall learning of the child.

Each language follows a specific orientation for its reading and writing. The English language, like all Western ones, is read and written from left to right and from top to bottom. Understanding terms such as left, right, top, bottom, above, below, side, in between, beyond, through, behind, in front is essential for learning reading, writing and other fundamental skills.

Even the method of writing individual letters requires the development of directionality, since the pen should follow a specific direction. Writing the letters starting from the top would be easier and more intuitive because it would coincide with the reading method. Furthermore, laterality and directionality affect the ability to mentally visualize objects and how to rotate them in space. This becomes extremely important in distinguishing one d' From one 'bEven the method of writing individual letters requires the development of directionality, since the pen should follow a specific direction. Writing the letters starting from the top would be easier and more intuitive because it would coincide with the reading method. Furthermore, laterality and directionality affect the ability to mentally visualize objects and how to rotate them in space. This becomes extremely important in distinguishing onep' From one 'qEven the method of writing individual letters requires the development of directionality, since the pen should follow a specific direction. Writing the letters starting from the top would be easier and more intuitive because it would coincide with the reading method. Furthermore, laterality and directionality affect the ability to mentally visualize objects and how to rotate them in space. This becomes extremely important in distinguishing one

Finally, the ability to place numbers in columns, align words on one side of the page and space them appropriately and equally between them are all capabilities dependent on directionality.

In supporting the theses reported, Neuromove strongly believes that the teaching of physical education should include activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left side of the body and of space-time orientation. Our project already offers numerous activities in support of physical education programs in elementary schools available on our YouTube channel in the school section.

 

Sources:

  • “Physical education in school should support students in developing their body awareness through activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left sides of the body and the understanding of directions. Our company is already promoting many laterality and directionality activities for elementary school students. Check them out in the school section of our Neuromove YouTube channel.”Physical education in school should support students in developing their body awareness through activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left sides of the body and the understanding of directions. Our company is already promoting many laterality and directionality activities for elementary school students. Check them out in the school section of our Neuromove YouTube channel.
  • “Five minutes to better reading skills”Physical education in school should support students in developing their body awareness through activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left sides of the body and the understanding of directions. Our company is already promoting many laterality and directionality activities for elementary school students. Check them out in the school section of our Neuromove YouTube channel.
  • “Laterality and lateralization – Evolution of the body scheme”Physical education in school should support students in developing their body awareness through activities that reinforce the concept of the right and left sides of the body and the understanding of directions. Our company is already promoting many laterality and directionality activities for elementary school students. Check them out in the school section of our Neuromove YouTube channel.

 

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Author: Giacomo Pezzo

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