ABSTRACT
The major part of the brain involved in movement is the cerebellum, and even though the cerebellum itself only takes up about 10 percent of the total mass of the brain, it houses almost half of all the brain's neurons. The cerebellum has neural pathways from it that lead to the areas of the brain associated with memory, attention, and spatial perception. Movement can impact our brains and their ability to learn in other ways, too. When students are active and moving, there are chemical alterations at the synapses that allow new content to be encoded for easier access and recall down the road. Educators often believe that movement is more for younger students, preferring a more traditional lecture style for older students. Movement can help to build vocabulary by helping students create a mental image, and it is especially helpful for more abstract concepts.
