Natural Learning Process and the Brain

1. Natural Learning Process and the Brain Created by: Jennifer McCabe M.Ed.

2. The Brain Phineas gage

3. Lobes of the Brain (4) • Frontal • Parietal • Occipital • Temporal http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/image/1/1-8.tif.jpg * Note: Occasionally, the Insula is considered the fifth lobe. It is located deep to the Temporal Lobe.

4. Lobes of the Brain - Frontal • The Frontal Lobe of the brain is located deep to the Frontal Bone of the skull. • It plays an integral role in the following functions/actions: • - Memory Formation • - Emotions • - Decision Making/Reasoning • - Personality (Investigation: Phineas Gage) Investigation (Phineas Gage) Modified from: http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/image/1/1-8.tif.jpg

5. Frontal Lobe - Cortical Regions • Primary Motor Cortex (Precentral Gyrus) – Cortical site involved with controlling movements of the body. • Broca’s Area – Controls facial neurons, speech, and language comprehension. Located on Left Frontal Lobe. • Orbitofrontal Cortex – Site of Frontal Lobotomies • Broca’s Aphasia – Results in the ability to comprehend speech, but the decreased motor ability (or inability) to speak and form words. * Possible Side Effects: - Epilepsy - Poor Emotional Responses - Perseveration (Uncontrolled, repetitive actions, gestures, or words) • * Desired Effects: • - Diminished Rage • - Decreased Aggression • - Poor Emotional Responses • Olfactory Bulb - Cranial Nerve I, Responsible for sensation of Smell

6. Lobes of the Brain – Temporal Lobe • The Temporal Lobes are located on the sides of the brain, deep to the Temporal Bones of the skull. • They play an integral role in the following functions: • Hearing • Organization/Comprehensionof language • Information Retrieval (Memory and Memory Formation) Modified from: http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/image/1/1-8.tif.jpg

7. Parts of the cerebrum alcohol and the brain

9. This is your brain… • Brain cells are called neurons. • You are born with at least 100 billion neurons. • Dendrites (fibers) grow out of the neurons when you listen to/write about/talk about/ practice something.

10. The Brain and Learning NATURAL LEARNING PROCESS: CLASSROOM/FIELD RESEARCH More than 8,000 people—from 2nd graders to graduate students to educators—have reported how they learned to be good at something outside school. Every group, without exception, has reported the same sequence of stages by which they learned. Created by: Jennifer McCabe M.Ed.

11. Learning is natural! • Neurons know how to grow dendrites, just like a stomach knows how to digest food. • Learning = Growth of dendrites. • New dendrites take time to grow; it takes a lot of practice for them to grow.

12. Connections form between neurons. • When two dendrites grow close together, a contact point is formed. A small gap at the contact point is called the synapse. • Messages are sent from one neuron to another as electrical signals travel across the synapse.

13. Practice builds strong connections! • Special chemicals called neurotransmitters carry the electrical signals across the synapse. • When you practice something, it gets easier for the signals to cross the synapse. That’s because the contact area becomes wider and more neuro- transmitters are stored there.

14. Practice builds faster connections. • When you practice something, the dendrites grow thicker with a fatty coating of myelin. • The thicker the dendrites, the faster the signals travel. The myelin coating also reduces interference.

16. Practice builds double connections. • With enough practice, the dendrites build a double connection. • Faster, stronger, double connections last a very long time. You remember what you learned!

17. THE NATURAL LEARNING STAGES STAGE 1: Motivation Motivation/watch, have to, shown, interest STAGE 2: Start to Practice/practice, trial & error, ask ?’s STAGE 3: Advanced Practice/practice, lessons, read, STAGE 3: Advanced Practice/practice, lessons, read, confidence STAGE 4: Skillfulness/practice, some success, enjoyment, sharing STAGE 5: Refinement/improvement, natural, pleasure, creative STAGE 6: Mastery/teach, recognition, higher challenges Created by: Jennifer McCabe M.Ed.

18. THE NATURAL LEARNING PROCESS We learn through those stages because this is how the brain learns--by constructing knowledge through sequential stages. Created by: Jennifer McCabe M.Ed.

19. THE BRAIN’S CONSTRUCTIVE LEARNING PROCESS Like twigs on a tree that can grow only from a twig or branch that is already there, so dendrites can grow only from a dendrite that is already there from dendrite that is already there--from something the learner already knows. Then, like twigs growing on a tree, learning is constructed, higher and higher, skill and understanding increasing. Created by: Jennifer McCabe M.Ed.

20. HOW THE BRAIN LEARNS Each neuron has thousands of dendrites (like tree branches and twigs--“dendrite” means “tree-like”) which receive chemical-electrical messages from other neurons’ axons across the synapses.

23. HOW THE BRAIN LEARNS As we learn (as we experience, practice, process), specific dendrites grow so that specific neurons connect at specific synapses to create larger and more-complex specificneural networks. These networks are what we know. The more we grow, the more we know, i.e., our ceiling level rises.

24. Short-term memory is VERY short! • If you learn something new and do it only once or twice, the dendrite connection is very fragile and can disappear within hours. • Within 20 minutes, you remember only 60%. • Within 24 hours, you remember only 30%. But if you practice within 24 hours, and then practice again later, you remember 80%.

25. Make the most of practice time… • You grow dendrites for exactly the same thing you are practicing. • Ifyou listen or watch while math problems are solved, you grow dendrites for listening or for watching. • If you actually solve the problems yourself, you grow dendrites for solving.

26. Major Points to Remember, #1 • You are naturally smart, because …

27. You are naturally smart, because … • Your brain knows how to grow dendrites just like your stomach knows how to digest food. • Think about a baby who learns to speak in its native language without any special classes or training!

28. Major Points, #2 You must do something active (explain, solve, draw, write, etc.) in order to learn, because…

29. Mistakes are essential, because… • Making mistakes, and getting feedback so you can correct them, allows you to check the accuracy of the connections in your brain. • Be sure to get feedback quickly so you don’t practice the wrong thing and build a strong, but wrong, connection! UNDERSTANDING HOW THE BRAIN NATURALLY LEARNS Rita Smilkstein, Ph. D. www.borntolearn.net

30. EMOTIONS AFFECT LEARNING When learners feel unconfident or anxious, certain chemicals flow into the synapses to shut them down: “Danger! No time to think! Just run away!” This is the flight reaction. Teachers mistakenly think they have poor students. Students mistakenly think they have a poor memory, but it is their emotions that are sabotaging them. When learners feel confident, different chemicals flow into the synapses that make them work quickly and well: “I can handle this.” This is the fight reaction

31. What can emotions do to you? • Anxiety floods your body with adrenaline (“fight or flight”). • Adrenaline makes it hard for the neuro-transmitters to carry messages across the synapses in your brain. • That causes “blanking out” on a test.

32. How can emotions help you? • Endorphins make you feel calm. • Your body produces endorphins when you relax, exercise, laugh, or learn new things. • If you practice producing calming hormones, it will help when you are under stress.

33. Academic Discrepancy Areas • Oral expression • Listening comprehension • Written expression • Basic reading skills • Reading comprehension • Mathematical calculation • Mathematical reasoning

34. THE BRAIN’S CONSTRUCTIVE LEARNING PROCESS As a learner goes through the stages of this natural learning process, the learner’s brain constructs its neural networks from the lowest twig up networks from the lowest twig up. Thus, the first lesson must be a no-fail activity to which every student can make a personal connection to a twig already there, to something already known.

35. IMPLICATIONS If students haven’t had the opportunity to grow the foundation dendrites for a new topic or skill, they don’t have the basis from which to grow —on which to connect and construct— the dendrites skill for the higher levels of skill and knowledge. Should we judge them as incapable or of less intelligence or talent and throw them and their potential away because they never had that opportunity?

36. What are Learning Disabilities Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)Definition:  Specific Learning Disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. 

37. Connecticut Longitudinal Study •  Yale University School of Medicine (Sally Shaywitz, MD) conducted a 20 year study- beginning in 1983 •  445 children tracked beginning in kindergarten •  dyslexia is a specific and diagnosable neurological condition •  dyslexia is recognized by the American Medical Association •  1 in 5 people have some degree of dyslexia •  dyslexia is one of the most common neurological conditions Created by: Jennifer McCabe M.Ed.

38. Dyslexia • Dyslexia is an impairment in the brain's ability to translate written images received from the eyes into meaningful language. Also called specific reading disability, dyslexia is the most common learning disability in children. • A learning disability is a condition that produces a gap between someone's ability and his or her performance. Most people with dyslexia are of average or above-average intelligence, but read at levels significantly lower than expected. Other types of learning disabilities include attention difficulties, an inability to perform well at writing skills and an inability to perform well at math skills. • Learning disabilities affect about 5 percent of all school-age children in public schools in the United States. The majority of schoolchildren who receive special education services have deficits in reading, and dyslexia is the most common cause.

39. COGNITIVE and NEUROLINGUISTIC The phonological weakness occurs ‘at the lowest level of the language system,’ and in turn impairs decoding. Individuals have difficulty accessing and manipulating the sound structure (phonemes) of spoken language. Created by: Jennifer McCabe M.Ed.

40. The hallmark of dyslexia is difficulty processing speech sounds:   genetically transmitted   neurobiological   occurs in people of all ages, races and backgrounds and all levels of intelligence   persistent (not developmental, not outgrown)   improves with explicit instruction and practice   causes difficulty with reading & spelling words Created by: Jennifer McCabe M.Ed.

41. Dyscalculia • Resources: http://www.dyscalculia.org/ • The word "dyscalculia" means difficulty performing math calculations. In other words, it just means "math difficulty". And specifically, it means a learning disability which affects math. Sometimes confusion arises when we start dealing with the term "dyscalculia" as it relates to "special education services". • There are very strict criteria (which can differ quite a bit from State to State) which determine if a student has a learning disability as it is defined by special education rules. • When a student's math difficulties are severe enough to meet this criteria, special education services are indicated. On the other hand, "dyscalculia" has no clearly defined criteria. A student with any degree of math difficulty may be considered to have "dyscalculia" by some educational specialists. This frequently occurs when a student receives an educational evaluation outside of the public school system.

42. Dysgraphia • "Dysgraphia" is a learning disability resulting from the difficulty in expressing thoughts in writing and graphing. It generally refers to extremely poor handwriting. • Each State has its own criteria which determine if a student has a learning disability as it is defined by special education guidelines. When a student's writing or graphing difficulties are severe enough to meet these criteria, special education services are indicated. • Problems arise because "dysgraphia" has no clearly defined criteria. A student with any degree of handwriting difficulty may be labeled "dysgraphic" by some educational specialists, but may or may not need special education services. • Most learning disabled students experience difficulty with handwriting and probably could be considered "dysgraphic". However, the term is seldom used within public schools because of the lack of any generally recognized or measurable criteria. (everything on Dysgraphia is from) • http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/dysgraphia.html

43. Dysgraphia STRATEGIES • Encourage students to outline their thoughts. It is important to get the main ideas down on paper without having to struggle with the details of spelling, punctuation, etc • Have students draw a picture of a thought for each paragraph. • Have students dictate their ideas into a tape recorder and then listen and write them down later. • Have them practice keyboarding skills. It may be difficult at first, but after they have learned the pattern of the keys, typing will be faster and clearer than handwriting. • Have a computer available for them to organize information and check spelling. Even if their keyboarding skills aren't great, a computer can help with the details. • Have them continue practicing handwriting. There will be times throughout a student's life that they will need to be able to write things down and maybe even share their handwriting with others. It will continue to improve as long as the student keeps working at it. • Encourage student to talk aloud as they write. This may provide valuable auditory feedback. • Allow more time for written tasks including note-taking, copying, and tests. • Outline the particular demands of the course assignments/continuous assessment; exams, computer literacy etc. so that likely problems can be foreseen. • Give and allow students to begin projects or assignments early.

44. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a group of chronic disorders that begin in childhood and sometimes last into adult life. • Problems generally associated with ADHD include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. They can affect nearly every aspect of life. Children and adults with ADHD often struggle with low self-esteem, troubled personal relationships and poor performance in school or at work. • The best treatment for ADHD is a matter of debate. Currently, psychostimulant drugs are the most common treatment. But although these drugs can relieve many symptoms, they don't cure ADHD. Counseling, special accommodations in the classroom, and family and community support are other key parts of treatment.

45. Special Learning Needs Only 5% of students have ADD, but more than 25% are given ritalin, which stifles normal brain growth. These students say they are so bored they can't sit still, be quiet, listen and obey; they want to think, figure things out themselves, be creative.

46. IMPLICATIONS Students from different cultures have different experiences and learn different things, grow different neural networks. However, we all learn by the same brain- , y based natural-learning process. When students have this metacognitive knowledge, they are curious about what and how other people learn rather than disrespect them for being ignorant or wrong.

47. Criticisms of the Discrepancy Method • Problems with IQ tests • Intelligence of students with LD may be underestimated; high correlation with achievement measures • Failure to discriminate between groups of poor readers • Difficulty in identifying students in the early grades

48. Learning is all about empowerment. The brain is our survival organ. It is born to learn is impelled to learn STUDENTS AS EMPOWERED, ENGAGED, SUCCESSFUL LEARNERS born to learn, is impelled to learn. The brain produces endorphins, the pleasure hormone, when it is learning. What if we had a way to help students, in any class, be the motivated, engaged, natural learners they are born to be? Created by: Jennifer McCabe M.Ed.

49. ESSENTIAL TRUTHS ABOUT LEARNING AND TEACHING The brain starts all learning from where it is and constructs the new from there. The seven magic words that are the mating call of the brain are “See if you mating call of the brain are, “See if you can figure this out.” When these seven magic words are implicit or explicit in any lesson, the brain says, “I want to do that!” and the learner is motivated, engaged, and empowered. UNDERSTANDING HOW THE BRAIN NATURALLY LEARNS Rita Smilkstein, Ph. D. www.borntolearn.net

50. TEACH ESSENTIAL TRUTHS ABOUT LEARNING When learners have all this invaluable metacognitive knowledge, they are empowered to be self-responsible and to have self-efficacy. When teachers have this knowledge, they can better help their students become the natural, motivated, successful learners they are born to be. UNDERSTANDING HOW THE BRAIN NATURALLY LEARNS Rita Smilkstein, Ph. D. www.borntolearn.net