Teetering and Tottering – Balance Problems in Young Learners
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Balance problems can affect different areas of a learner’s life.
As a teacher you will need to be able to discern when there are balance problems for any learner in your care.
Balancing is a multi-sensory activity that requires the correct functioning of the vestibular system. It is extremely important as it allows the body to maintain controlled positions when performing tasks.
Balance utilises a multi-sensory network in conjunction with:
• visual acuity;
• motor skills;
• body posturing;
• tactile feedback;
• motor coordination;
• and visual processing input.
Effective balance is necessary to:
• aid fluid body movement;
• performance of tasks;
• and prevent injury.
Balance Problems Can Be Seen in Developmental Milestones
It is necessary to detect balance problems in young learners as they require a strong and stable foundation of:
• Alertness and attention
• Muscle control and strength
• Body awareness with good alignment
Balance Problems can be Seen as You Assess Your Learner’s Developmental Level
Assess in all areas by observing for the following:
• Clumsiness
• Falling easily
• Slow recovery when off balance
• Movement that is non-fluid
• Physical activity, such as climbing, is avoided
• A tendency to not move themselves but invade the personal space of others by pushing them
• New activities are approached with fear and reluctance.
Quite often young learners will display a weak understanding of the rules of games; either a tightness or floppiness of muscles; have an inability to plan how to play a game and they will quite often tire more frequently and easily than their age appropriate peers.
How Can We Help Our Learner Overcome Balance Problems?
• Balance beams of differing widths, inclinations and heights. Assisting the learner to advance from holding your hand to walking on their own.
• Unstable climbing equipment. Rope ladders, swings, steps, jungle gyms, stilts, and balance boards all aid in building balance skills.
• Unstable surfaces. Bean bags, obstacle courses, and undulating terrain all assist in learners acquiring stability of balance.
• Hopscotch, skipping, twirling, jumping, and standing from a sitting or kneeling position using ‘no hands’.
• Games with stepping stones, blind man’s bluff, rolling hoops, pin the tail on the donkey, and charades all help to develop good balance.
It is easy for you to become a role model by joining in activities to enable you to help those learners still developing balance skills. This will help the child gain confidence and not give the impression that they need your help.
Be a role model and join in the activities so you can assist those children still developing their balancing skills without them feeling they need your help. Your joining in will give them confidence to have a go and participate in activities where their confidence may be lacking. this strategy will help overcome balance problems as your learners develop.
Have fun helping your learners overcome balance problems!
– FOR ALL YOUR TEACHER RESOURCE NEEDS