BRAIN-BASED

LEARNING
DEPOL, MICAHELA F.
Brain-based learning refers to teaching methods, lesson designs,
and school programs that are based on the latest scientific
research about how the brain learns, including such factors as
cognitive development—how students learn differently as they
age, grow, and mature socially, emotionally, and cognitively.
The application of a meaningful group of
principles that represent our
understanding of how our brain works in
the context of education.
THEORY OF THE BRAIN-BASED LEARNING

It assumes that when the brain fulfills its

normal processes, learning will occur. It is
based on current research about the structure
and function of the brain.
UNDERSTANDING A BRAIN-BASED APPROACH
TO LEARNING AND TEACHING

PRINCIPLES AND
IMPLICATIONS
EDUCATION
FOR
BRAIN-BASED LEARNING AND TEACHING

Educators who become aware of

recent research on how the brain
learns will gain exciting ideas about
condition and environments that can
optimize learning.
PRINCIPLE 1 : THE BRAIN IS A PARALLEL PROCESSOR

The brain performs many functions simultaneously.

-Thoughts, emotions, imaginations operate concurrently. They interact with
other brain processes such as health maintenance and the expansion of
general social and cultural knowledge.
IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION;

Teacher need a frame of reference that

enables them to select from the vast array of
methods and approaches that are available.
That is because this leads to a good teaching
which should orchestrate all dimensions of
parallel processing.
 PRINCIPLE 2; LEARNING ENGAGES THE ENTIRE PHYSIOLOGY

Like the heart, liver or lungs, the brain is a complex

physiological organ functioning according to physiological
rules.
Learning is as natural as breathing and it is possible to
either inhabit or facilitate it.
Neurons growth, nourishment, happiness, stress and
threat affects the brain.
The actual writing of the brain is affected by school and
life experiences.
 IMPLICATION FOR EDUCATION;

Brain-based teaching must fully

incorporate stress management, nutrition,
exercise, drug education and other facets of
health into learning process.
 PRINCIPLE 3; THE SEARCH FOR MEANING IS INNATE

Making sense of our experiences is

survival and basic to the human brain.
The brain automatically registers the
familiar while searching for the novel stimuli.
People are meaning makers.
 IMPLICATION FOR EDUCATION;

Educators should be able to satisfy the

brain’s enormous curiosity and hunger for
novelty, discovery and challenge.
 PRINCIPLE 4; THE SEARCH FOR MEANING
OCCUR THROUGH “PATTERNING”

The brain is both scientist and artist, attempting to

discern and understand patterns as they occur and giving
expression to unique and creating patterns of its own.
***IMPLICATION FOR EDUCATION:
Teacher should not stop learners from patterning but they
can influence the direction
Teacher should provide learners with problem solving and
critical thinking.
 PRINCIPLE 5; EMOTIONS ARE CRITICAL TO
PATTERNING
What we learn is influenced and organized by
emotions and mind-sets involving expectancy, personal
biases and prejudices, self-esteem, and the need for
social interactions.
***IMPLICATION FOR EDUCATION:
Teachers should make sure of that the emotional climate is
supportive and marked by mutual respect and acceptance.
Reflection and meta-cognitive approaches should be
encouraged.
 PRINCIPLE 6; EVERY BRAIN SIMULTANEOUSLY
PERCEIVES AND CREATES PARTS AND WHOLES
There are differences between the left and the right
hemisphere of the brain. One is to reduce such
information into parts, the other is to perceive and work
with it was a whole or series of wholes.
***IMPLICATION FOR EDUCATION:
Teacher should have to know that vocabulary and grammar
are best understood and mastered when they are incorporated in
genuine, whole language experience.
 PRINCIPLE 7; LEARNING INVOLVES BOTH FOCUSED
ATTENTION AND PERIPHERAL PERCEPTION
The brain absorbs the information of which it is directly
aware and to which it is paying attention. It is also absorbs
information and signals that lie beyond the immediate focus
attention.
***IMPLICATION FOR EDUCATION:
The teacher can and should organize the materials that will
be outside the focus of the learner’s attention.
 PRINCIPLE 8; LEARNING INVOLVES
CONSCIOUS AND UNCONSCIOUS PROCESSES

We learn much more than we ever consciously

understand. We remember what we experience, not just we are
told.
***IMPLICATION FOR EDUCATION:
Teaching should be designed to help students benefit
maximally from unconscious processing. Teachers should
deliver his students the ways of reflection and meta-cognitive
strategies.
 PRINCIPLE 9; TWO TYPES OF MEMORY (SPATIAL
MEMORY & ROTE LEARNING MEMORY)
We have natural spatial memory system which doesn’t need
rehearsal and allows for instant memory of experiences. This memory
registers our experiences.
Rote memory works for facts and skills that are dealt in isolation
and which need rehearsal and memorization. These facts are organized
differently in brain and need more practice.
***IMPLICATION FOR EDUCATION:
Educators are adept at focusing on memorization of facts. Common
examples include; multiplication tables, spelling, and sets of principles in
different subjects.
PRINCIPLE 10; THE BRAIN UNDERSTANDS AND
LEARNS BEST WHEN FACTS AND SKILLS ARE
EMBEDDED IN NATURAL SPATIAL MEMORY
Our native language is learned trough
multiple interactive experience involving
vocabulary and grammar. Its shaped both by internal
processes and by social interactions.
***IMPLICATION FOR EDUCATION:
Teachers should use a great deal of “real life” activity
including classroom demonstrations, projects, field trips, stories,
metaphors, drama and interaction of different subjects and so on.
 PRINCIPLE 11; LEARNING IS ENHANCED BY
CHALLENGE & INHIBITED BY THREAT
The brain learns optimally when
appropriately challenged and down-shifts under
perceived threat. The brain is most sensitive to
stress.
***IMPLICATION FOR EDUCATION:
Teachers and administrators should strive to create a state
of relaxed alertness in students. This means that they should
provide an atmosphere that is low in threat and high in
challenge.
 PRINCIPLE 12; EACH BRAIN IS UNIQUE
Although we have the same set of systems, including our
senses and basic emotions, they are integrated differently in
each and every brain.
In addition, because learning changes the structure of
the brain the more we learn, the more it become unique.
***IMPLICATION FOR EDUCATION:
teaching should be multifaceted in order to allow all
students to express visual, tactile, emotional or auditory
preferences.
STRATEGY 1; TALKING

Research has taught us that learners don't learn

much from sitting and listening. Sure, they need
to listen a bit, but they need the opportunity to
talk! The talking internalizes what they've
learned.
 STRATEGY 2; EMOTIONS RULE

If you think about the strong memories you have from your past, I'll bet they are closely
related to strong emotional experiences, both positive or negative: your wedding, your
child being born, a death, strong emotions. This works with learners. Hopefully, our
teaching won't bring out too many negative emotions, but there are ways to get to the
positive ones. Students love games. Some are very competitive. Getting up in front of their
classmates brings out plenty of emotions. Of course, different learners feel different things,
so just be careful about playing with the emotions of students. What works for one might
traumatize another.
 STRATEGY 3; VISUALS

Vision is the strongest of the senses. Talking alone

isn't enough. Make sure the learners have plenty to
look at in addition to what we say. Use posters,
drawings, videos, pictures, and even some guided
imagery with the learners to help them learn.
 STRATEGY 4; CHUNKING

The typical attention span is the learner’s age plus or minus a couple of
minutes. That means that many of our students can't attend past 5 minutes.
Again, proof that typical "lecture" type teaching just doesn't work. That
means they need a chunk of information, then an opportunity to process that
in some way. Here's where "turn and talk" works, as well as an opportunity to
write, draw, or even move.
 STRATEGY 5: MOVEMENT

Combining movement with the learning almost

guarantees stronger learning.
Here are some ideas: Counting by tens while
doing jumping jacks, touch three desks while naming
the three states of matter.
 STRATEGY 6; SHAKE IT UP
If you do exactly the same thing, exactly the same way, it
becomes boring and the brain tunes out. Don't get me wrong, there
are a lot of good things about sticking with a routine, but once in a
while you need to shake it up! Have a backwards day, turning the
whole schedule around (within reason, of course!) change the
seating arrangement, do one part of the day completely different. We
need this in our own lives, too, don't we?
 STRATEGY 7: THE BRAIN NEEDS OXYGEN

They say 20% of all the oxygen used in the body is used by the brain.
That means we need to get the kids up out of their seats regularly and
moving. Book is one of the best recommendations but there are also
plenty of Youtube videos on brain gym that will model the exercises for
you and tell how they help learning. Of course, there's nothing better than
old fashioned jumping jacks or running in place. And the learners will
love it.
 STRATEGY 8; MAKE CONNECTIONS

We talk about connections in books a lot, but connections are

important for the brain. It can't hold random information, it
needs to connect to something else that's already there. Did you
ever hear a learner say, "I remember that because I know...." You
can make connections through your own experience and stories.
STRATEGY 9; FEEDBACK IS ESSENTIAL

Practice doesn't make anything better

unless the practice is accurate. Students
need to hear they are on the right track.
 STRATEGY 10; MUSIC IS MAGICAL

There are many studies on music and learning. One

way to use music is that often play "happy music"
first thing in the morning. That way the learners
enter feeling good.
Thank you for listening!