This presentation was prepared to take School-based Professional Development for Irushadhiyya School Teachers.

1. School-BasedSchool-Based
Professional Development 4Professional Development 4
Brain-based Teaching & LearningBrain-based Teaching & Learning
4th
October 2015
Sunday
10:15 am
Irushadhiyya School
Mohamed Nasir & Junaina Ismail

2. Brain Based Learning and
Teaching

3. What is Brain-based
Learning?
• An understanding of learning on the
structure and function the brain.
* knowing and understanding how
brain processes and remembers
information

4. What is Brain-based Learning?
•It is also based on the theory that
everybody does learn.
* Learning will occur if the brain
is not prohibited from fulfilling it’s
normal process

5. Core Principles of Brain Based
Learning
1. The Brain Is A Parallel Processor.
 Thoughts, emotions, imagination and
predispositions happen at the same time as
information from the environment is
processed.
Educational Value
 A variety of strategies and techniques need to
be used to engage the students. This ensures
that all aspect of the brain operation are
addressed.

6. Core Principles of Brain Based
Learning
2. Learning Engages The Entire Physiology.
 Learning is as natural as breathing, but it can be either
inhibited or facilitated. Everything that affects our
physiological functioning affects our capacity to learn.
Educational Value
 Stress management, nutrition, exercise, and relaxation,
as well as other facets of health management, must be
fully incorporated into the learning process. Students
need to be properly fed, their brains need to be
hydrated and their needs to be an acceptable balance
of comfort.

7. Core Principles of Brain Based
Learning
3. The Search For Meaning Is Innate.
 Trying to figure out or make sense of our experiences and
environment is automatic. The brain needs to and
automatically registers the familiar. The search for
meaning cannot be stopped, it can only be channeled or
focused.
Educational Value
 The learning environment needs to provide stability and
familiarity. Lessons need to be exciting yet meaningful and
offer a wealth of choices where the student can make
sense of the information presented to them.

8. Core Principles of Brain Based
Learning
4. The Search For Meaning Occurs Through
“Patterning”.
 The brain is designed to perceive and generate
patterns. Information is organized and categorized into
meaningful patterns.
 Meaningless patterns are resisted.
Educational Value
 Learners are constantly patterning perceiving and
creating meaning in one way or another. Even when
students are not engaged in the formal learning
activities.
 An educator can only influence the direction through
different approaches (Thematic teaching or integrated
lessons)

9. Core Principles of Brain Based
Learning
5. Emotions Are Critical To Patterning.
 What we learn is influenced and organized by
emotions and mind sets based on expectancy
personal biases and prejudice degrees of self
esteem and the need for social interaction.
Educational Value
 Educators need to understand that students’
feelings and attitude will be involved in the
learning process and will determine learning in
any desired context.(present or future).

10. Core Principles of Brain Based
Learning
6. The Brain Processes Parts And Whole
Simultaneously.
 Research shows that there is a significant
difference between the left and right hemispheres
of the brain. However, in a healthy person, both
brain hemispheres interact in each and every
daily experience. They are separate but they work
together to organize information. One reduces
information into parts and the other
Educational Value
 Good teaching should build understanding and
skills over time because learning is cumulative and
developmental.

11. Core Principles of Brain Based
Learning
7. Learning Involves Both Focused
Attention And Peripheral Perception.
 The brain absorbs information with which it is
directly involved, but also pays attention to
information outside of the direct involvement
field.
Educational Value
 All aspects of the educational environment are
important.
 Teachers need to engage the interest and
enthusiasm of students through their own
enthusiasm, coaching, modeling.

12. Core Principles of Brain Based
Learning
8. Learning Always Involves
Conscious and Unconscious
Processes
 We learn much more than we
ever consciously understand. Our
experiences become part of our
prior knowledge in both
conscious and unconscious ways
Educational Value
 Understanding may not take
place immediately and may occur
later.
 Reflection and processing time
are important to the learning
environment.

13. Core Principles of Brain Based
Learning
9. We Have At Least Two Ways
Of Organizing Memory.
I. A Spatial Memory System
II. A System of Rote Learning
 We have a
spatial/autobiographical memory
that does not need rehearsal and
allows for "instant" recall. It is
always engaged, inexhaustible,
and motivated by novelty.
Educational Value
 Learning by ROTE is sometimes
important (multiplication tables)
 In other settings, teaching
devoted to memorization does not
facilitate the transfer of learning.

14. Core Principles of Brain Based
Learning
10. We Understand And Remember Best When
Facts And Skills Are Embedded In Natural,
Spatial Memory.
 Our native language is learned through multiple
interactive experiences with vocabulary and
grammar. It is shaped both by internal processes
and by social interaction.
Educational Value
 All education can be enhanced when this type of
embedding is adopted.
 Real life activities are essential to the learning
process
 Learners need to be immersed into a multitude of
complex and interactive experiences.

15. Core Principles of Brain Based
Learning
11. Complex Learning Is Enhanced By
Challenge And Inhibited By Threat.
 The brain makes maximum connections when
risk taking is encouraged and supported;
however, it "downshifts" (helplessness) when
under perceived threat.
Educational Value
 Students need a safe place to think and risk.
 The threat of failure may inhibit instead of
encourage learners.

16. Core Principles of Brain Based
Learning
12. Every Brain Is Uniquely Organized.
 All humans have the same set of systems, yet we
are all different based on genetic endowments,
differing prior knowledge, and differing
environments. The more we learn, the more unique
we become.
Educational Value
 All learners are different and need to be
empowered to make choices and allowed to
understand the world from their own unique
perspective

17. General Implications
• It shifts the focus from the teaching process to
the learning process.
• The teacher becomes facilitator, guide, coach,
mentor and talent scout.
The role of the teacher changes but is not
eliminated.
• Orchestrated Immersion
The learning environments are created to immerse
students into a full learning experience.

18. General Implications
• Relaxed Alertness
An effort should be made to eliminate fear
while maintaining a highly challenging
environment.
• Active Processing
The learner consolidates and internalizes
information by actively processing it.
Reflection time becomes important.

19. General Implications
• The Brain Needs Nourishment
Food
Hydration
Air Quality
Light
Sleep

20. General Implications
•The Brain is a Social Organ
Do something with the information
Cooperative learning
Hands on learning
Active review
Peer Teaching
Peer interaction

21. General Implications
• The Brain Seeks Safety
Classroom environment
School culture
Relaxed environment
A sense of security
Predictable
Challenges

22. General Implications
• The Brain is
Emotional
Pays attention to
emotions naturally
Humor
Reflection
Role Play
Images in the brain

23. General Implications
• The Brain Seeks and Process Information
Makes it meaningful
Information in isolation is forgotten
Information that is interesting is retained
Connections to prior knowledge
Connections to real life
Choices
Reflection
Writing across the curriculum

24. TASTE
SENSORY
MEMORY
SHORT-
TERM
MEMORY
LONG-
TERM
MEMORY
SIGHT
SOUND
FEEL
SMELL
NOT TRANSFERRED TO NEXT STAGE
AND THEREFORE FORGOTTEN
Initial
Processing
REHEARSAL
Retrieval
Elaboration &
Organization

25. Group WorkGroup Work
In yourrespective groups please, discuss the issue and prepare aIn yourrespective groups please, discuss the issue and prepare a
presentation with the support of an effective referencing. Yourpresentation with the support of an effective referencing. Your
presentation can be a PPT , a Flipchart ora Role Play etcpresentation can be a PPT , a Flipchart ora Role Play etc
Group 1
1.Why do students forget? How can we help enhance students
'learning memory?
Group 2
2. “Humans are social creatures and, as such, learning cannot be
isolated from social contexts” (Tokuhama-Espinosa, 2011, p. 215).
Group 3
3. How can we maximize students learning during instructional
periods?
Group 4
What are we already doing that fit to the Brain-based research?
What else can we do to improve our teaching?

26. References
Chipongian, Lisa. (2005). What is “Brain Based Leaning. Retrieved
February 6 2005 from the World Wide Web:
http://www.brainconnection.com/topics/?main=fa/brain-based
D'Arcangelo, Marcia. (November 1998) The brains behind the brain.
Educational Leadership Volume 56 Number 3 Retrieved March 5,
2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.ascd.org
/publications/ed_lead/199811/darcangelo.html
Given, Barbara K. (2002). Teaching to the brain’s natural learning
systems. Alexandra VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development

27. References
Jensen, E ( 1998). Teaching with the Brain in Mind. Alexandra VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Lackey, Jeffrey A. (2002). 12 Design principles based on brain-based
learning research.Design Share The International Forum for
Innovative Schools. Retrieved February 6, 2005 from the World
Wide Web: http://designshare.com/Research/BrainBased
Learn98.htm
Wolfe, Patricia. (2001) Brain matters: Translating research into
classroom practice. Alexandra VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development