Benefits of Yoga in a Special School Setting

At Ysgol Pen Coch we focus on educating the whole child, mind, body and spirit.

Yoga, by nature, supports this learning. 

We have investigated whether Yoga would be a useful addition to  the therapies we provide for  our pupils.

• According to neuroscience our sense of who we are is anchored in our connections with our own body. 
• All yoga programmes are made up of postures and stretches ( asanas) , and breathing (pranayama) and meditation.
• A significant proportion of our pupils are not aware of their breath, so learning to focus on breathing in and out and to count their breaths can actually be helping them get in touch with their bodies whilst reinforcing their number skills. 
• Our emphasis is not on getting poses accurate but on helping pupils notice which muscles are active at different times.
• The sequences are designed to create a rhythm between tension and relaxation which we hope will help them in their daily lives.
• It is difficult for people with autism to feel completely relaxed and physically safe in their bodies.The majority of our pupils cannot understand what is going on in their bodies. They are unable to tell anyone whether they feel physically unwell. They can't tell us what makes them feel better or worse.
• Yoga can help those with autism to begin to appreciate sensory experiences. Cultivating sensory awareness is particularly important for children with autism so that they learn to anticipate and act on the ordinary demands of their body. 
• Sometimes children with autism find it hard to tolerate their own sensations. In yoga they learn to focus their attention on their own breathing and on their sensations moment to moment. Yoga therefore helps them to pay attention to how their actions make them feel.

Staff volunteered to attend Yoga classes and training sessions in their own time. It was unanimously agreed that Yoga would benefit the pupils. There are many many Yoga programmes available for schools to follow nowadays. 

The programme that classes chose to follow in Ysgol pen Coch is the Cosmic Kids programme, which is easily available for free on YouTube at:

https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga

The following are some of the benefits of yoga to support the education of the whole child, thus maximizing the learning process:

• Provides pupils healthy ways to express and balance their emotions
• Promotes a more relaxed, comfortable state of being - the perfect state for teaching and learning
• Brings pupils into the present moment – the most basic requirement for learning
• Encourages community and connectedness within the classroom
• Helps to create an atmosphere of confidence, enthusiasm and non-competitiveness where everyone can succeed
• Helps to ease anxiety and the flight or fright mode that many of our pupils have to deal with
• Enhances focus, concentration, comprehension and memory
• Provides opportunities for reflection, patience and insight, reducing impulsivity and reactivity
• Supports social and emotional learning
• Improves listening skills
• Wakes up sluggish minds and creativity as needed
• Enhances organizational and communication skills
• Improves posture,
• Helps pupils to sit comfortably for long periods
• Enhances motor skills and balance
• Improves mind/body awareness and connection
• Improves confidence and self-esteem
• Encourages respect for self and others
• Creates a calm, harmonious classroom

Follow the link to see more information about the use of therapies in a special school setting http://ysgolpencoch.org/