Educators who follow the brain-based learning approach apply the latest findings in neuroscience to develop lesson plans that engage students according to their cognitive capacity. These teachers support learning, retention, and recall by delivering information through mediums that are cognitively “sticky,” which means that the main ideas from the lesson can be retained in the long term. This is achieved by leveraging strategies like spaced repetition and giving students primers that prepare them for the subject they will cover. This facilitates the connection and maintenance of neural connections, a key mechanism for the learning process.
Brain-based learning first developed in the 1990s when breakthroughs in neuroscience research revolutionized how people understood the brain. For decades, scientists believed that the brain was largely static and stopped developing after birth. Animal tests found that rat brains made significant adaptations in response to interesting external stimuli. Researchers also found that how the brain restructures itself depends on several factors, including diet, physical activity levels, and emotions.
Following the discoveries during this period, neuroscientists concluded that not only does the brain grow and develop throughout the human lifespan, but that teaching information in a way that aligns with neural growth improves learning. Thus, the brain-based learning movement was born.
Brain-based learning follows several key principles that explain the type of learning environment that is most beneficial for students. Firstly, brain development is individualized. It depends on several factors, including a student’s age and cognitive maturity. For this reason, brain-based learning must be differentiated, which means that a single lesson may be taught in several ways to accommodate all learners.
Brain-based learning principles also consider the ideal emotional environment that supports learning. Neuroscience studies have shown that stress can have a detrimental impact on retention. As a result, brain-based learning instructors foster a positive classroom where students feel safe, appreciated, and supported. Educators do this by minimizing criticism, allowing students to learn through trial and error, and praising their efforts.
There is also evidence that learning is facilitated when collaborating with others. For this reason, brain-based educators encourage group work and peer teaching. As studies show that students retain more information when stimulated, brain-based lessons tend to be more interactive.
Students may participate in discussions, hands-on activities, or projects that include visual, verbal, and written elements. Grounding lessons in meaningful, real-world topics also enhances student engagement and curiosity. Some examples of brain-based learning strategies include having students act out a scene in a book, assessing knowledge through fun games rather than tests, and allowing students to choose their presentation format for a final project.
Brain-based learning classrooms may also boost biological factors by scheduling the most strenuous academic course around student meal times or giving students enough time for physical exercise. It is associated with several positive outcomes. This approach is much more effective than rote memorization for teaching high-level cognitive skills.
Students who learn through a brain-based method have stronger retention and also have higher levels of self-confidence. Since this approach emphasizes the value of physical exercise, students at schools that follow the brain-based method are healthier on average.
