Brain-Based Learning and Emotions

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Brain based learning is learning by participation in realistic environments that let learners try new things safely (Brain-based Learning, 1) as opposed to traditional schooling through lectures that inhibits the way the brain naturally learns new things.

Explaining how learning takes place, Lucas says that basically learners extract some type of meaning from all stimuli that that they encounter. A stimulus is anything with which the brain comes into contact through the five senses (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell) (2008, p.4)

This report has two parts: Part one shows how the sense of sight and the sense of sound can be used to help a grade 2 pupil learn how to measure time in a math lesson. Part two focuses on the importance of emotions in the learning process.

To demonstrate how the sense of sight can help in brain-based-learning, the teacher can come with a wall clock and place it where all the pupils can see. Allow the pupils to examine the clock. Ask them to count the calibrations on the clock face (see figure1) explain other visible features like the clock hands, the clock adjusting mechanism and so on so that the pupils have a pretty good perception of the workings of a clock. (Figure 2)

With this background information it is now possible to help pupils learn how to measure time. Make the students observe the seconds hand of the clock making a full revolution explain what that means. Use this same pattern to explain the minutes, and hours hands of the clock. This can form a basis to teach about seconds, hours, days, weeks, months and years. All this learning occurs because the pupils can see an actual clock at work.

The sense of hearing can also help in the learning process. Ensure that the class is so quiet that the ticking of the clock can be distinctly heard by everyone. Ask the students this question: What is time? Then tell them to listen to time as it passes.

The teacher can tell the pupils to close their eyes and count each click. As the clock ticks the teacher can have the students appreciate the interval between seconds as the basic measure of time. Tapping the tops of their desks in rhythm with the ticking of the clock will create a mental impression of time.

The importance of emotions in learning is that emotions are responsible for building academic constructs in the brain and provide a foundation for symbolic thought process, (Hirsh, 2009). Hirsh further explains that symbols are the genesis of learning. Teachers concentrate on helping children to be able to utilize symbols from different disciplines. For example linguistic symbols include letters and words, while mathematical symbols include numbers, patterns and algorithms (2009).

As explained earlier in this paper, learning occurs when the brain responds to stimuli channeled in through one or more of the five senses. How a symbol is encoded in the brain depends on the state of the stimuli or emotion triggered by the teacher. For example contrast between a tense math class and a relaxed history or poetry class.

In the math class scenario, the teacher demands nothing but exact and correct answers. To make matters worse the society associates math with geniuses like engineers and doctors. If a teacher portrays math as a difficult subject, pupils will find it stressful to follow and understand lessons. The appraisal emotions evoked by such an environment will affect retention of symbols and concepts. In future, instead of the learner taking math as a pleasant challenge they will try to avoid it believing that it is stressful.

On the other hand the poetry teacher has a poem read out in a relaxed class environment, and invites learners to say what they think. The learning process will be triggered by positive emotions and retaining of language symbols will not be a challenge. Hirsh recommended positive emotional states such as: joy/pleasure, anticipation/curiosity instead of fear/threat and sadness/disappointment (2009).

References

Brain-based Learning (2010) Funderstanding.

Hirsh, A.R., (2009). The Role of Emotions in the Development of Symbolic Thought, and Its Implications for Curriculum. Web.

Lucas, B., (2008). Engage Your Brain for Learning. USA: ASTD Press, Vol.25, Issue 0808.

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Brain-Based Learning and Emotions

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