Research Overview > Basic Summary

Why is "The Enchanted Forest" so useful?

The design and content of The Enchanted Forest is based on the principles and methodology of ImaginationGYM®.

These are:

• Multiple Intelligence Theory
• Assisted Imagination Techniques (A.I.T.)
• Right / Left Brain Integration

1 - Multiple Intelligence Theory

Howard Gardner is currently Professor of Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education and Professor of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine. In his 1983 book he proposed that there is not a single "Intelligence," but rather seven. Since then he has added an eighth intelligence - naturalist - which is particularly prominent in The Enchanted Forest. The other seven intelligences are

• Visual / Spatial Intelligence
• Musical Intelligence
• Verbal Intelligence
• Logical / Mathematical Intelligence
• Interpersonal Intelligence
• Intrapersonal Intelligence
• Bodily / Kinesthetic Intelligence
  

ImaginationGYM® did not set out to develop products around Howard Gardner’s theories on multiple intelligence. Rather we had identified 17 personality traits of positive character building that we wanted to encourage. Through over 5 years of field testing in more than 400 sites we began to acquiesce to the structure of Multiple Intelligence Theory as a better way to describe one of the major objectives of ImaginationGYM®.

2 - Assisted Imagination Techniques (A.I.T.)

A.I.T. can be described as the way in which ImaginationGYM® harnesses the imagination of the individual to deliver on the development of that individuals intelligences and their capacity for whole brain learning and action.

Integrated principles include:

• Creative freedom
• Assistance in accessing imagination
• Guidance in structuring imagination
• Translating imagination into reality
• Encouraging feeling of relaxation in the learning process
• Encouraging feeling of fun in the learning process
• Focus on sense of achievement being in the process rather than the outcome
• Focusing on the outcome being positive rather than the problem

3 - Right / Left Brain Integration

The logical, detailed, directed and structured parts of The Enchanted Forest turns on left-brain activity while the free, imaginative, intuitive and spontaneous parts turns on right- brain activity.

The integration of these two activities at the same time allows the child to practice and choose their own elements of integrated learning. This is highly unique and very few tools or activities offer this to children.

Its important to know that brains are not all the same. Take the early research on left-right hemispheric differences with respect to language. For most individuals, the left hemisphere is critically involved in most normal language functions.

We know this because damage to the left hemisphere in adults leads to language impairment, which is often permanent

However, approximately 10% of normal right-handed individuals have a different pattern of lateralization; their right hemispheres or both hemispheres play a critical role in language.

Males and females have somewhat different patterns of lateralization, with males being more left-hemisphere dominant than females.

In the domain of reading, brain maps of students with dyslexia demonstrate that there are very large individual differences in the areas of the brain that underlie their difficulties (Bigler, 1992)

ImaginationGYM does not set out to strengthen one hemisphere of the brain or another. In fact it is immaterial on which side of the brain certain attributes are carried out. Instead ImaginationGYM is interested in integrating all attributes so that the individual uses a whole brain approach to life. For example someone who is left-brain/ logical may have one or two ways in which they could solve an interpersonal problem. However if they have integrated the right side of their brain/ creative they may come up with several more ways of solving the problem.

One of these may be to carry out an action that bypasses the problem altogether so that the problem ceases to exist. From ImaginationGYM®’s point of view, it does not matter whether logic is physically on the left or creative is on the right. ImaginationGYM® just focuses on the positive outcome.

Needless to say, if the problem solver has developed their interpersonal intelligence (as per multiple intelligence theory) their outcome will be even more beneficial. This shows how the Assisted Imagination Techniques of ImaginationGYM® can integrate these powerful aspects of human behaviour for beneficial outcomes.