A Study of Elementary Students Finds Movement Decreases Off-Task Behaviors

In a study of elementary students, researchers found a reduction in off-task behavior after four-minutes of physically intensive activities when compared with a short non-active break. I was very excited to find this article because my research project will examine this same question: whether a physical activity will reduce off-task behavior during the time span that follows it. This study’s findings support the practice of incorporating physical movement into the classroom because it can reduce off-task behaviors.

The study examined a fourth grade class of twenty-four students and a second grade class of twenty students. Every other day the students had a ten minute break that involved no physical activity, and on alternating days the students would have a ten minute break that included four minutes of “FUNtervals”, intensive physical activities. Each day, the off-task behaviors of the students were tracked for fifty minutes of class time that followed the active or non-active breaks. These off-task behaviors fell under three categories: passive, motor or verbal. In the fourth grade classroom, the number of passive and motor off-task behaviors was lower following the “FUNtervals” when compared with the non-active break. In the second grade classroom, all three types of off-task behaviors were reduced when students participated in the “FUNtervals” physical activities. Interestingly, the students that demonstrated higher frequencies of off-task behaviors on days with the non-active breaks were more likely to demonstrate a reduction of off-task behaviors on the “FUNterval” days. Therefore movement activities may be especially beneficial to students that tend to engage in off-task behavior more frequently.

I am looking forward to doing my research project in my classroom to find out whether doing a brief physical activity from the free website “GoNoodle” will reduce the number of behavioral disruptions in the lesson that follows compared to days with no such activity. The “GoNoodle” activities are not always high-intensity like the ones described in this study. Some are slower-paced yoga or stretching movements. Others are more high-intensity, such as a dance to a pop song. I wonder if both types of physical movement can be beneficial to reducing off-task behavior. Hopefully my study will give some insight into whether a variety of physical movements can be beneficial.

Ma, J.K., Le Mare, L., & Gurd, B.J. (2014). Classroom-based high intensity interval activity improves off-task behavior in primary school students. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 39, 1332-1337.