I discovered Bal-A-Vis-X on FaceBook when a reflex integration friend mentioned a colleague's training workshop. It intrigued me enough to visit the website and get trained.
When I discovered they no longer have a formal training program I ordered all the materials and started reading and practicing. News report from Scott Kilbury at KOLD 13 in Tucson, AZ
Very quickly it made a huge difference in my
own coordination! Then I looked for children to practice with. What an amazing experience that was! I ran a month of sessions 3 days a week with children age 5-12—and they all made improvements in their coordination!
So what is this all about? Bal-A-Vis-Ex stands for Balance Auditory Vision Exercises. I don't use the trade name because of the certification requirements. We pass beanbags and bounce tennis balls and racquet balls in patterns with a common timing. It's a beautiful thing to experience, and the more complicated patterns look like juggling.
It all began with Bill Hubert, a first grade teacher who noticed his students were not excelling in school. He set out to discover why and found that children with poor rhythm and coordination had the most trouble learning. He started teaching physical skills like throwing, catching, walking on a balance beam and skipping. As they improved their balance and coordination, their academic skills also improved. As he moved to a middle school setting he noticed the same patterns and began to develop this program. It was implemented in a controlled setting where they measured student progress with test scores and found improvements in both academics and self-confidence.
Here's the story in Bill's words if you're curious.
Since then Bill—and many other practitioners—have begun working with the elderly population. This is a fun way to improve coordination that helps anyone who needs to keep moving.
Here is a video from an occupational therapist who explains how the curriculum works with the body.
Here are video clips showing the various ways Bill uses the program.
I plan to incorporate this program in my Building Better Focus work, but there will also be dedicated practice sessions during the week. Check the website for details or email me with questions. I'm always happy to share information to help children learn more easily and effectively.
And watch for news of demo sessions to try it out for yourself!
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