Dr Martin McPhillips
Dr Martin McPhillips a former special needs teacher and now a member of Staff at the School of Psychology at Queens University in Belfast has formed a professional research relationship with Belvoir Park Primary School. Martin's research interests include the motor development of young children and movement intervention programmes for children with developmental difficulties.
Primary-reflexes are movement patterns that emerge during fetal life and are critical for the survival of the newborn but should be inhibited during the first year of life. The persistence of primary-reflexes beyond this time indicates developmental delay and has been linked to a diverse range of learning difficulties, including dyslexia.
The prevalence of persistent primary-reflexes and motor problems was evaluated in a representative, cross-sectional study of 409 children attending primary school in N. Ireland.
Results showed that children experiencing reading difficulties had very high levels of retained reflexes. 12-15% of children reading at their chronological age or above also displayed lower levels of persistent reflexes.
A randomised, double-blind, controlled trial was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of a specific movement intervention programme that was based on replicating the movements generated by the primary-reflex system during fetal and neonatal life. The results showed that it was possible to inhibit significantly persistent reflexes and that there were significant academic effects, e.g. improved reading levels.
A new approach to the treatment of children with reading difficulties is proposed that involves the assessment of underlying developmental delay and appropriate remediation. This could complement traditional teaching interventions.
"For example, average reading, spelling and maths attainment levels rose significantly for those children completing the movement programme when compared with those who did not. Most importantly, this study shows that the impact of the programme is evident across a wide range of children including those with very significant learning difficulties. The programme could be used to complement other teaching strategies and is not intended to replace good teaching practice."(Dr McPhillips)
Martin has published the results of his double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in The Lancet. The reading scores of his control group improved by about seven months, those of children following his primary movement programme by 15 or 19 months, depending on the test.
His work is used extensively in schools in the UK and Ireland, as part of their school improvement programme. His work has been the subject of a television programme in Northern Ireland. Teachers who would like to access additional information on Primary Movement can check out the web site at www.primarymovement.org
Both Martin and his work is highly respected in Belvoir and we are implementing the Primary Movement ethos throughout the mainstream school and Communication Centre. If you are interested please come and view our classes at work.
