Brain Research in the Foreign Language Classroom
VER ESTA PÁGINA EN ESPAÑOL

Latest Information:

Current Biology: Newborns' Cry Melody is Shaped by Their Native Language (December 2009)

E-School News: Frontiers of Brain Research: Neuroscience is shaping classroom practice (August 2009)

USA Today: New "science of learning" could reinvent teaching techniques (July 2009)

Science Daily: How Does Language Exist in the Brain? (June 2008)

Phi Delta Kappan:  Brain-Based Education--A fresh look (February 2008)

Northwestern University: Learning a Second Language: Is It All In the Head? (July 2007)

Phi Delta Kappan: Which Brain Research Can Educators Trust? (April 2007)

NSTA: Calcium's role in the Brain (calcium regulates the recharging of high-frequency auditory nerve cells after they have fired a burst of signals, April 2007)

NewScientist: Tell Students to Feed their Brains! (March 2007)

NewScientist: Bilingualism delays onset of dementia (January 2007)

NSTA: Science and the Brain (January 2007)

...scroll down for links to more information!
 

CREATING A BRAIN-COMPATIBLE CLASSROOM

The first step for creating a brain-compatible classroom is to consider the emotional and physical factors that affect learning a second language.  Eight important factors to consider are:

            1) ensuring a relatively threat-free learning environment for students; 
            2) providing meaningful content teamed with choices for learning and assessment; 
            3) incorporating many different teaching methods, choosing each approach based on the appropriate stages of the teaching/learning process; 
            4) utilizing collaborative learning methodology frequently; 
            5) employing activities to develop skills in many different areas into the lesson design process (such as incorporating activities relating to Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, Bloom's cognitive domains, and McCarthy's 4MAT system); 
            6) providing adequate time for students to become involved in projects and activities that will enhance the learning process; 
            7) using multiple resources for teaching, and 
            8) providing immediate feedback for all activities.  

SUMMARY:  USING MULTIPLE TEACHING STRATEGIES THAT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES AND INTELLIGENCES REPRESENTED IN YOUR CLASSROOM WILL FACILITATE THE CREATION OF A "BRAIN COMPATIBLE" LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL YOUR STUDENTS.

Both Bimonte (1998) and Kovalik (1994) explain the need for creating a classroom atmosphere that enhances all students' learning.  Furthermore, a brain-compatible classroom encourages active participation and teaches positive learning skills, ultimately creating lifelong learners.

Utilizing this type of constructivist model involves treating the learning process as a social process where individual perceptions of reality simultaneously occur that provide building blocks for the construction of linguistic knowledge. 

Bimonte, R. (1998, October/November). “Mysteries of the Brain:  Students thrive in a brain-compatible learning environment.” Momentum, 16-18.  

Kovalik, S. (1994). ITI: The Model Integrated Thematic Instruction.  Kent, Wash.: Books for Educators. 

Links and citations to additional information are provided below:

In Search of . . . Brain-Based Education

NASA Materials for the FL Classroom

Content-Based Language Teaching with Technology

Barahona Center -- NSTA Recommended science books in Spanish
Click on recommended books and under SUBJECT type "science" limiting your search by GRADE LEVEL (from Grade K to Grade 3 or from Grade 5 to Grade 8).

--Eric Resources on Content-based language learning--
Content Centered Language Instruction

Integrating Language and Content: Lessons from Immersion

Integrating Foreign Language and Content Instruction in Grades K-8

Languages Across the Curriculum

The GLOBE Program Across the Curriculum

If you find a great resource for brain research please send it to
tkennedy@globe.gov so that I can add it to this list! Thank you!