Brain Based Learning in the Digital Age

  The educational theory known as "Brain Based Learning" involves the focus of class instruction, materials, and assessments in a way that best serves the way a student's brain functions (Cook). When students study using this method, they have a greater chance of retaining the information taught to them. In this digital age, students have the ways, means, and speed to gather an enormous about of information. Unfortunately that is not enough. They also need the guidance of teachers to ensure that the information they are seeking is being well internalized.

  I'm presently working at a Korean elementary school and unfortunately the Korean education system doesn't really use this approach with the students. It is not student centered for the most part and students are expected to just listen and memorize information for the sole purpose of passing tests. Luckily for me, my English class is an exception to that rule. My co-teacher and I try to apply many of the principles of Brain Based learning during our lessons. We find the students react very positively to this. So what are these principles?The Sonoma County Department of Educations lists 12 that provide a structure for their education process and curriculum building (Sonoma). I will be jumping from one principle to another discussing ways that I use them in my classroom.

The Importance of Kinesthetics in Learning  and Stress Release 

   One of the principles states that physical education, recess and movement are critical to learning (Jensen). I couldn't agree more. This has always been a  main theme in my class. Most of my activities are based on getting the students up and moving, singing, or dancing (TPR activities). My elementary students have a very short attention span and so after teaching them the necessary information. I have them get up and move around the class to complete their tasks. I really heavily on Youtube for songs to keep them motivated! Our school doesn't have recess, but only 5 minute breaks between classes). Lunches are 50 minutes long and the students quickly eat so that they can head outside for a much deserved break. These breaks are important since they give the students a chance to "recharge" their brains with positive chemicals such as Dopamine as well as relieve some stress. Although we don't practice this at our school, techniques on how to reduce and deal with stress should be implemented too. Lighting candles, turning off the lights and having a few minutes to just relax can be quite beneficial to some. 

Grouping and Maintaining a Healthy Learning Environment

  Another principle states that social interactions and a nurturing classroom environment are very important in the learning process. If students are feeling isolated from the class or their peers, they are more likely to not follow what is being taught. Because of this, the teacher plays an important role when it comes to creating a safe and welcoming environment for the learner. Making sure that bullying doesn't occur in and out of the classroom is one thing that we do in our school. We have an anonymous drop box where students can inform teachers about bullies or any other issues they may have. We also have an email address if they find that more convenient. 

  When making groups, we try to group students according to their various levels in the hopes that the higher level students will help their lower level peers. We never let the students decide the teams because that could lead to some students feeling unwanted. The relationship the students have with the teacher is also important. Students who get little feedback, have no say in the way the class is run, and are forced to do assignments on tight time constraints have a higher chance of "downshifting" and react negatively to school as a whole(Cook). The teacher should use strategies that promote a positive learning experience. In our class, we try hard to listen to what the students have to say with regards to how the lesson will be taught. Should there be more videos? More group work? All this is done by asking students and getting to know what best stimulates them. Also, teaching them how to stay positive and optimistic is another important key. Optimistic students fare much better than their pessimistic peers (Brain Smart)

Learning in Chunks

  Another principle is that information should be taught in "chunks" rather than in big blocks. This is due to the fact that the brain can only process a certain amount of information in any given time. When the brain is over saturated, it shuts down which leads to students tuning out and/or misbehaving. Teaching in chunks facilitates easy retrieval of information as students have to memorize the chunks instead of the individual information. These chunks also act as cues, allowing for easy recollection of information (PLB). In our class, our chunks vary depending on the amount of information the students already know. When we present the information, we give them a period of time to process it before moving to the next chunk. We always go over the information asking questions to check for retention as well as activities that reinforce what has been taught.

The Importance of the Arts

  Another principle is the importance of Arts in the class. They show that certain arts boost attention, working memory, and visual spatial skills (Jensen). Once again, this is something I use in my classroom. Whenever teaching a subject, I like to have students draw pictures based on the content learned. This can be done using a variety of computer programs(my students also love playing Pictionnary). I find my students express themselves very well this way since their English abilities are very limited.

Variety is the Spice of Life

  The last principle to be discussed states that children should be exposed to rich and meaningful experiences and then given time and opportunities to make sense of their experiences (Jensen). They should be given time to reflect on what they have learned and how it relates to their lives. In my class, we usually give team projects to do based on the content learned once every chapter and we encourage them to use not only what they have learned in class but to bring in other aspects of their lives that relate to the material being covered,

References

Cook, Jessica   "Challenges That Teachers face With Brain based Learning
 Retrieved June 20th from
 http://www.ehow.com/list_6385031_challenges-teachers-face-brain_based-learning.html

Jensen, Eric   " What is Brain-Based Teaching?" Florida Education Association
Retrieved June 20th from
http://feaweb.org/brain-based-learning-strategies

PLB  "Professional Learning Board"
Retrieved June 20th from
https://k12teacherstaffdevelopment.com/tlb/how-can-i-use-chunking-as-an-effective-memory-strategy-in-the-classroom/


Sonoma County Department of Education 2013 "The 12 Principles of Brain based Learning'
Retrieved June 20th from
http://www.talkingpage.org/artic011.html

Planning for English Language Learners

 The lesson that I will be teaching the class is about food webs as well as the various interactions there are between the organisms in them. The four different ELL learners that I have in the class are, Stage I: Pre-production, Stage II: Early production, Stage IV: Intermediate fluency, and Stage V: Advanced Fluency. Due to the large differences between these individuals it is important to prepare a variety of level appropriate activities that won’t neither overwhelm them nor bore them. 

   When trying to prepare this lesson for a Stage 1 ELL learner, who has very limited English, it is imperative to use a strategy that uses plenty of visuals that allows the students to make a better connection between the words and their meanings. This can be done by using Venn diagrams, story maps as well as flashcards. I would just give a worksheet with different animals in the food web and have them memorize the names (they could also draw animals that they know). Teachers should focus more on listening comprehension and on building vocabulary at this stage. At this point they can’t speak at all so it is important as a teacher not to force them to answer questions because this will cause them unneeded stress. Heads nods would be acceptable or yes/no answers. These individuals can also benefit from having a buddy who speaks the same language to help them during the class. Spending more time with them and guiding them through the activities will also help. Repetition too is also very important at this stage. Having them move around (kinesthetic activities) as well as singing songs will help with retention.

  

  The second stage ELL learner will need a little more challenge. Along with having a bigger vocabulary they are able to formulate short answers. At this stage, the teacher should ask yes/no questions or accept short responses. Get the student to start writing and labeling diagrams using short sentences. Visuals are still important at this stage. Get them involved in group activities where the ELL learner plays a role (ex: draw pictures or making diagrams). Teachers should model what is to be expected from the activity and not just tell them to do it. One strategy that can be used at this stage is Guided Interaction. Simple activities such as class surveys can be done. In addition, having them involved in a project with others, such as drawing a poster, will not only help with language acquisition but with building a better relationship with their classmates. The teacher should always be there to help the student out when needed.

 At the Intermediate Fluency level, students will have the confidence to ask questions when they are unsure of something. They are able to formulate complex sentences when speaking but still need the guidance of the teacher especially with writing. At this stage teachers should focus on a variety of teaching strategies. One of them, Meaning-Based Context and Universal Themes involves relating the things learned in class to the outside world. The ELL learner could take what they learned in class and find videos or newspaper articles that deal with the food webs. I would get them to write a journal or do a small presentation with the new information acquired from the class.

 The last level is advanced fluency. These students are pretty much at the same level as the native English speakers although they may still need help with writing or with advanced topics. A strategy that can be used at this level is Metacognition and Authentic assessment. This method involves teaching the students how to describe their thinking process. An activity that I would do with these students is a journal explaining the importance of each individual in the food web and the effects of removing them from the system. Debates could be another activity that would challenge them.

References

Hayne, Judy    Stages of Language Acquisition        

http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/language_stages.php

 Alliance for Excellent Education    Case Study 2005   Six Key Strategies for Teachers of English-Language        Learners

http://suu.edu/ed/fso/resources/esl-six-key-strategies.pdf

Special Education Referral Process at my school

  I'd like to start of by saying that this project was very challenging for me because not only did I have to overcome the language barrier that exists here in Korea but the fact that the special educators at my school had very little to spare to sit down and answer my questions this week( I got only 30 minutes or their time). I'm sure things would have gone much more smoothly if this was done back home in Canada! With the help of my co-teacher I was able to get at least some questions answered with regards to how they handle special needs students at our school.


  First a little background information about the special needs students at my school.
There are presently seven students that receive special services. Three students have various degrees of mental retardation, one is bound to a wheelchair due to a form of cerebral palsy, two have a mild form of autism, and the last one has some emotional/behavioral issues. There are several others who the special needs teachers said have ADHD but they don't really deal with them. There was this one really sad case in my school where this one student was given medication for some issue he was having, I don't recall exactly the problem but I assume ADHD, but he went from being a very active student to one who just slept the whole day in class, everyday. It was the saddest thing to see. As a foreign teacher, I don't have much of a say at how things are run. But that issue should have been addressed by someone!!

 There are presently 2 special educators at my school. Their duties are to help those individuals with their classwork and to make sure they are paying attention and not creating a disturbance in class. The only problem with this is that there are not enough special educators for the number of special needs students we have. Since our school believes in inclusion, the students are spread throughout all classes and not just placed all in one. This leads to some special needs not having a special educator with them during the class which leads to many issues. Most teachers at my school have very little training when it comes to dealing with students with special needs. From my experience at this school, and others, the teachers will just leave the student do what they want to do.Those students will not actually be following the lesson the other students are studying. As for me, I have seen some special needs students running around the class, screaming, hitting others when there is no special-ed teacher around. When I teach my class, my English co-teacher (not the homeroom teacher) is always present. She too has little experience dealing with these students. I too have little experience so I really don't think I'm doing a great job dealing with them. I usually ask the special needs teacher what are the students' interests and then I try to provide something for the students to do during the class. For example, one likes to draw so I prepare coloring worksheets. Another likes to do "word searches" so I give him some to do. I know this isn't the best way, but it does keep the individual occupied and I can focus on teaching the remainder of the class. I know my focus should be on trying to get them involved during the English class but its hard enough trying to keep the other 29 students in line. We have tried to ask the special educator to attend the English classes as well but sometimes they are not available.

  Although our school believes in inclusion, I don't believe it is full inclusion because the special needs students also spend a part of their day in the special needs classroom where they get extra help. There, the students are taught one on one or in very small groups. They also have different activities that they do that involve moving their bodies.

  So now to discuss my very brief interview with one of the special-ed teachers at my school. I first asked about how the special-ed system is here in Korea. She said that the program is still fairly new and that the government is working hard to make sure that the special-ed teachers are well trained and that there are enough of them to meet the needs of all special-ed students. She acknowledged that our school was lacking in the number of special-ed teachers and that they were slightly overwhelmed with work. She said that they don't have very strict guidelines with regards to how they teach but they can do what they feel is proper when it comes to the special needs students education. I asked whether they have IEP's or RTI's for each of the students but she said no. To be honest, I'm sure they have something established like that but maybe that was lost in translation (not very easy doing an interview  through a translator who doesn't have the best English skills)

 My second question was about how they identify students who may need special help. She said that that is the responsibility of the homeroom teacher. Once she is told, then she will approach the student and conduct an interview to see whether or not there is a true problem. If there is something of concern, she will then contact the parents and they will discuss the issue along with the homeroom teacher. She told me though that some parents really don't like to admit that there is a problem with their child and just want their kids to continue the same kind of education hoping the problem will go away. Ignorance is bliss?

 Seeing that the responsibility lies on the homeroom teacher to identify a special need student  I asked one of them about that. I asked her what are some of the signs that would lead to her thinking that a student may need special help. Unfortunately, there are no screening tests here at my school to identify possible candidates so the onus is on the teacher. She said one obvious thing is behavior, although not all kids with behavior problems need special help, this could be an indicator that the student may need some extra support. The other things is to observe whether a kid has problems with regards to speech,cognitive or motor skills. The other thing is looking for emotional problems in a student. If they are overly shy, withdrawn from the class or cry very easily. There is one student in my 4th grade who clearly has emotional problems. Anytime she makes a mistake, loses a game, or doesn't get her way she will explode in a torrent of tears. I personally think that this is something that should be addressed but my co-teachers do not think so. They think she will grow out of it. I asked whether homeroom teachers have differentiated lesson plans and she said no. They teach the same thing to everyone, the same handouts, the same tests etc. As you can see, this is not the best way to go about teaching students of various levels. I guess in that respect, Korea is a little behind the times.


 Overall, I think that the needs of special-ed students here in Korea are slowing improving. It is not great but it has come a long way since I first got here. When I first started here 10 years ago, there were no special-ed teachers in any of my schools. There were also no students with special needs in any of my classes. Inclusion is a great concept and one that can be beneficial for both parties (although in some cases inclusion may not be appropriate). The special needs students can benefit from this because they can be integrated socially with their peers.They can create friendships that would not have been possible otherwise, and their peers can act as role models through their social interactions. As for the non-disabled student, they can grow an appreciation and acceptance for those who are different then them. They can also learn how to work with people with varying degrees of abilities. Patience is learnt because you have to go at their speed. I believe the future of special education is on the right track here. As with everything, time will tell. Good luck KOREA!! 화이팅!