
How the Body Knows Its Mind: The Surprising Power of the Physical Environment to Influence
How You Think and Feel Beilock, Sian (2015) (Amazon.ca) (Amazon.com)
The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain
Murphy Paul, Annie (2021) (Amazon.ca) (Amazon.com)
Enhancing Children’s Cognition With Physical Activity Games
Tomporowski, P., McCullick, B., & Pesce, C. (2015) (Amazon.ca) (Amazon.com)
Mind in Motion: How Action Shapes Thought
Tversky, Barbara (2019) (Amazon.ca) (Amazon.com)
Movement Matters: How Embodied Cognition Informs Teaching and Learning
Macrine & Fugate (Editors) 2022 (Amazon.ca) (Amazon.com)
Nancy's book on skill-based movement:
Secret Code Actions™: A Resource to Support Learning to Read and Spell the English Language
Young, Nancy (2017)
Secret Code Actions™ is a resource which can be used AS NEEDED during code-based instruction to enhance learning of foundational skills by bringing in skill-based movements. This book is not a step-by-step program. It is a supplementary tool to support differentiated literacy instruction especially for students with reading/spelling challenges. The chapters within Secret Code Actions™:
-
Link sound-symbol correspondences to specific movements to provide ways for children up and physically active while learning and practicing code-based concepts, especially valuable for children with ADHD who are learning foundational reading skills
-
Provide information about features within the structure of the English language (orthography, morphology) and fascinating aspects of words (semantics and syntax) and their history (word origins) to increase teacher knowledge
-
Provide creative and engaging ways to carry out the repetitions some children require (especially children with dyslexia) to master the “secrets” of the code, including activities in the gym and outside playing areas.
NOTE:
The research on effective ways to teach decoding and spelling continues to evolve. Nancy is in the process of revising some parts of Secret Code Actions™ to reflect current understandings. Topics being revised/expanded in an update include:
-
differentiating code-based instruction (the range of needs)
-
phonemic awareness (for whom and how - cautions for educators)
-
research connecting movement and learning for children with ADHD
The research on movement just grows and grows, and the update will include more about this generally.
Because a revised edition is in the works, the first edition has been reduced in price and is only available print-on-demand:
TEACHER EDITION of Secret Code Actions™ is available at (click): Canada US Other countries
PARENT EDITION of Secret Code Actions™ is available at (click): Canada US Other countries
A 2nd edition of Secret Code Actions™ may be available in 2025.
Articles & Papers (A Summary)
Click HERE for a summary of articles on enhancing learning using movement (curated by Nancy in 2022)
Articles & Papers (Individual)
"A Narrative Review of School-based Physical Activity for Enhancing Cognition and Learning: The Importance of Relevancy and Integration" If you only have a few minutes, this MUST READ article explains why weaving skill-based movement into instruction and practice may be valuable for some children.
An Evolutionary Upgrade of Cognitive Load Theory: Using the Human Motor System and Collaboration to Support the Learning of Complex Cognitive Tasks (2011 - Open Access)
Effects of 8 weeks With Embodied Learning on 5–6‑Year‑Old Danish Children’s Pre‑reading Skills and Word Reading Skills: the PLAYMORE Project, DK (2022 - Open Access)
Effects of a Classroom-based Program on Physical Activity and On-task Behaviour (2006 - Open Access)
Exercise and Children’s Intelligence, Cognition, and Academic Achievement (2008 - Open Access)
How Seeing and Using Gestures Make Ideas More Memorable (2017 - Open Access)
Using Actions to Enhance Memory: Effects of Enactment, Gestures, and Exercise on Human Memory (2012 - Open Access)
Strategies for classroom physical activity in schools (CDC) (2018 - Open Access)
The Canadian Pediatric Society Physical Activity Guidelines (2023 - Open Access)