Q and A: Masgutova Method and speech, language, and learning

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Question 1:  What stimulates speech production and language comprehension?

In her interview on motor reflexes in responses to various stimuli (visit

www.childwithchallenges.com), Dr. Masgutova states that " reflex integration indirectly influences future speech development including articulation and communication. For example, Babkin, Head Righting, TMJ Leveling, and Eye Leveling reflexes affect oral motor coordination and articulation. "

Dr. Masgutova has also mentioned in the recent Reflex Integration and Learning course that the tripod grasp is the only posture that activates certain areas on the sensory motor cortex at the same time bringing together motor performance, motor planning, postural control, decoding (of letters), coding, and dynamic comprehension.  Perhaps working to enable or strengthen a tripod grasp might also improve language skills.

In addition, one can use the MNRI Facial Reflexes Integration program which focuses on the neuro-anatomy and neuro-physiological aspects of oral-motor organization and articulation.

Question 2: What reflexes can be worked with to prepare a child for learning and to tune attentiveness and information processing? Going from general to more specific you can view learning support in different ways within MNRI:

Overall, integrating reflexes helps maturation of the nervous system and enables the brain to move beyond the reflex's primary role of protection and survival freeing more support for the development of higher brain cognition.  Integration helps a person move from uncontrolled reflexive movements to the intentional controlled movements used in the development of manual skills.  So, working with integrating one's reflexes already supports learning by promoting higher level brain development.

In

the Integrating Dynamic and Postural Reflexes manual, Dr. Masgutova covers the different Motor Coordination Systems (MCS) that describes the movements, motor skills, and abilities of a person based on the structural aspects of body organization and brain functions.  The Right-Left Sides MCS is concerned among other things with integrating the right and left hemispheres of the brain.  The Up-Down MCS influences organizational skills and habits at a personality traits level.  The Front-Back MCS creates the basis for concentration (visual, auditory, kinesthetic), both on the details as well as widening of the attention span at the same time.  Reflexes are listed in the manual according to the MCS each of the individual reflexes support.  The manual covers this topic much more in-depth and it is highly recommended for further reading of this area in-depth.  So, you

can work to support learning by working with these MCS dimensions and examine the functions of the MCS that you want to strengthen.  Then look at the associated reflexes for that MCS that you need to work with.In the course, Reflex Integration and Learning, Dr. Masgutova covers many reflexes that impact learning including academic skills used in school like reading, writing, calculation, sensory motor processing and abstract thinking.  This class covers the hand reflexes, coordination with visual skills, postural control (e.g. trunk extension), and other reflexes that help in differentiation in the body (e.g. leg cross flexion) and visual and auditory processing (e.g. STNR and ATNR).  For attentiveness and informational processing specifically it is helpful to work with Spinal Galant, Trunk Extension, eye tracking, and visual focusing among others.    You can check the calendar on the www.masgutovamethod.com website to find out when and where the Reflex Integration and Learning course is being offered.

Also, you can check the

Children with Challenges home page (/) under the Files section in the Masgutova Method Exercise Programs folder, you will find the Reflexes by Challenges chart  that lists the top reflexes found to be non-integrated in various challenges including Dyslexia, Low Motivation, Delayed Development, Hyperactivity, etc.  The course Children with Challenges on which this table is based also provides more in-depth information on working with the challenges in the table.  Please see the calendar on the www.masgutovamethod.com website to find out when and where the Children with Challenges course is being offered.

Val