06 · The ingredients
Short breaks, time on task, and matching
Short activity breaks bring students back on task. In Mahar et al., the students who were least on-task showed the largest improvement.
Studies of brief activity breaks during the school day consistently find more on-task behavior afterwards. In Mahar et al., the students who were least on-task showed the largest improvement.
The studies
What was tested, and what it found
Mahar et al. 2006
Controlled trial of a classroom activity-break program (“Energizers”) in elementary schools.
- Who
- 243 students (135 intervention, 108 control); on-task behavior observed in 62 third- and fourth-graders.
- Found
- On-task behavior rose 8% across the class after the breaks (ES = 0.60). The least on-task students rose 20% (ES = 2.20).
Mahar, M. T., Murphy, S. K., Rowe, D. A., Golden, J., Shields, A. T., & Raedeke, T. D. (2006). Effects of a classroom-based program on physical activity and on-task behavior. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 38(12), 2086–2094. doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000235359.16685.a3
Watson et al. 2017
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Who
- 39 studies reviewed; 16 pooled in the meta-analyses; primary-school children.
- Found
- Classroom physical activity improved on-task behavior (SMD = 0.60, 95% CI 0.20–1.00). No effect was found on cognitive functions (SMD = 0.33, 95% CI −0.11–0.77).
Watson, A., Timperio, A., Brown, H., Best, K., & Hesketh, K. D. (2017). Effect of classroom-based physical activity interventions on academic and physical activity outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 14, 114. doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0569-9
Sarver et al. 2015
Study comparing movement and working-memory performance in boys with and without ADHD.
- Who
- 29 boys aged 8–12 with ADHD and 23 typically developing boys.
- Found
- More movement during a memory task went with better, though not normalized, working-memory performance for boys with ADHD, and slightly worse performance for typically developing boys.
Sarver, D. E., Rapport, M. D., Kofler, M. J., Raiker, J. S., & Friedman, L. M. (2015). Hyperactivity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Impairing deficit or compensatory behavior?. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 43(7), 1219–1232. doi.org/10.1007/s10802-015-0011-1
What it studied
How each source applies, and what it studied
Mahar et al. 2006
How it appliesShort activity breaks were followed by more time on task.In Mahar et al., brief classroom activity breaks were followed by more on-task behavior — and the students who were least on-task showed the largest improvement.
Watson et al. 2017
How it appliesAcross many studies, classroom activity breaks helped students stay on task.Across many studies, classroom activity breaks were associated with more time on task.
Sarver et al. 2015
How it appliesThe same movement can help one student focus and distract another.In boys aged 8–12, more movement during a memory task went with better performance for those with ADHD, and slightly worse performance for those without (Sarver et al. 2015). That's why a reset is matched to what a student needs, not handed to everyone.
What our research looks at
How a reset matched to an observed state compares with a one-size-fits-all break.
How we'll measure itHow Mind Circuit uses this
A reset borrows the part of this evidence that transfers: a short, structured pause that ends with a clear return to the lesson, in a form that fits inside a lesson. Sarver et al. is why a reset is matched to a state rather than handed to every student the same way; Mind Circuit's states describe what a teacher can see in the room, and they are non-diagnostic.