HeartMath Tools Improve Reading Proficiency in Elementary School Special Education Students
Creighton Elementary School District Summer Acadamy, Phoenix, Arizona.
Independent investigation conducted by Edie Fritz, Ed.D
Key findings: Fourteen days of instruction in the HeartMath techniques allowed a special education class of fifth and sixth graders to significantly im-prove their reading proficiency
Summary
Dr. Edie Fritz, an educational psychologist at an inner city Phoenix elementary school, has worked with learning disabled students using the HeartMath tools. During a 3-week summer session in 1996, a small group of struggling fifth and sixth graders, most with behavioral and/or academic problems were placed in her class—"How to Be Cool: Learn to Man-age Your Anger and Improve Reading." The class was intended to improve reading skills and thereby allow many of the children to be promoted to the next grade. The class met for 1.25 hours each day for a total of 14 days within a 3-week period. Pre and post evalua-tions of students’ reading skills were accomplished using the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT).
In their regular classes, the students had already practiced a variety of learning methodologies for years, with very minimal improvement, and their self-es-teem was extremely low. Dr. Fritz perceived that the students were under tremendous stress, and had learned to cope in one of two basic ways: acting out the frustration and rage they felt in a defiant, aggres-sive manner or withdrawing and retreating from these feelings of being battered. Given the short time period available and her perception of the children’s true needs,
Dr. Fritz decided to focus on teaching the students the HeartMath techniques and provided very little traditional reading instruction. At the end of the three weeks, not only were improvements in the class-room environment, children’s attitudes and behavior apparent, but every student’s reading scores improved dramatically, ranging from a two month jump in reading proficiency for a bilingual student to over three years’ growth (average growth of 1.5 years in grade level).
Improvement in Reading Skills in Special Education Students After HeartMath Program
Average Reading Skills
Figure 1.
Shows the average improvement in reading skills in fifth and sixth grade students with learning disabilities, after the children practiced HeartMath techniques for three weeks. Reading skills were measured by the Wide Range Achievement Test test before and after the program, and scores shown represent average reading grade level. Students demonstrated an average improvement of 1.5 years’ growth in reading proficiency over the 3-week period.
"The students had no idea they were capable of creating peace within themselves in the same way they could create fear or worry."
—Edie Fritz, Ed.D
Dr. Fritz’s conclusion: "When techniques are presented that children are able to internalize and use to reduce stress, reduce the emotional pain of perceived failure, develop more sensitive communication and relax, they are able to access what they have already learned."
"No matter what the physiology, socio economic background, home environment, personal value system and/or learning problems, children need to feel good about themselves. They want techniques to help them access more of who they really are."
