This book deals with the promotion of body awareness through use of educational gymnastics, with handicapped or non-handicapped but poorly coordinated children of all age levels. The method provides an analytical approach to movement, encourages children to listen to language, and assists them in creating their own activities. The activities and suggestions included in the book have been used with children with various conditions, including autism, deafness-blindness, hearing loss, Down's Syndrome, mental retardation, hyperactivity, spina bifida, muscular abnormalities, lack of confidence, poor sequential memory, poor understanding of body and spatial awareness, lack of knowledge of directional concepts, aphasia, learning difficulties, and poor motor coordination. The first section of the book provides an overview of the program's rationale and discusses promotion of body awareness, lesson format, and equipment. Section 2 contains descriptions and illustrations (photographs and drawings) of activities to develop body movement and awareness. Activities are listed for each part of the lesson format: introductory activity, general body movement, weight on two hands, push and pull, foot exercises, class activities, and group activities. The third section presents sample lesson programs for poorly-coordinated children and for very (multiply or severely) handicapped children. Ways in which to record student progress are suggested. An appendix contains posture models which can be used to teach children correct body posture. (CB)