Rhythmic Writing


There is no technique more central to the success of NILD Educational Therapy® than Rhythmic Writing – it improves cognitive functioning. Rhythmic Writing is a visual-motor task which integrates what a student is saying, what he is looking at, and what he is doing with his gross and fine muscle control.

Rhythmic Writing improves directionality, attention, handwriting, mental calculation, working memory, sequencing ability, copying skills and tracking.

Grey8lettersNILD’s logo, the figure eight, represents four key components developed through NILD educational therapy-cognition, perception, emotion, and academics. Rhythmic Writing is based on current research that proves the importance of the connection between our body and brain.


In order to make sense of the world around us, to give meaning to our experiences and to develop the ability to learn new information, we are dependent upon our cognition. Cognition refers to thinking processes such as reasoning, reflecting, attaching meaning, remembering and evaluating. Thinking about how we think allows us to adjust our responses, adapt our learning behaviors, develop new strategies and problem solve. All of these are essential for developing independent, successful learners and productive members of society.

This refers to how we receive and process information either through sight, sound, touch, movement, smell or taste. We need to perceive information correctly in order for the brain to process the world around us. If the way a student perceives information is not correct the product or outcome that he is expected to produce in school/work will be impacted negatively.

The way we feel about the world around us, our relationships with others and our approach to life is largely impacted by our emotions. Self-confidence plays a key role in successful acquisition of new information, forming relationships and communicating our needs.

In order for students to successfully learn the required content and respond well to standards-driven instruction students must be taught “how to learn”. Teaching a student how to learn creates independent learning skills that build competencies in cognition and processing so that the acquisition of academics becomes more efficient and effective.

“We are doing Rhythmic Writing for one reason – we would like to have that brain functioning better than it does”

Deborah Zimmerman (Developed the NILD model)