From Brain Research Into Teacher Action

by Barbara Clark, CSU Los Angeles, author of Growing Up Gifted

From Brain Research Into Teacher Action
Research Finds about Learning	Related Actions for Teachers of Gifted Learners
Development of intelligence depends on the interaction between the biological inheritance and environmental opportunities to use this inheritance.	Create stimulating environments and include appropriate challenges that encourage curiosity and exploration.
Attention and concentration rely on the impact of the environment on the brain.	Organize the classroom to include access to a variety and range of materials and activities; ensure psychological safety of all students; provide for exploration and choice.
Stress produces biochemistry that reduces cerebral cortical function.	Minimize fear, threat, anxiety, and tension in the learning environment and do not allow such emotions to overwhelm the teaching process.
The brain responds to novelty, to the unexpected, and to discrepant information.	Use novelty to motivate and enhance the process of learning. When asked to drill, or to do repetitive activities, the brain responds automatically without thought. While useful for learning some skills, such as times tables, these practices can be counter productive to higher-level learning.
The potential of brain development is essentially unlimited for most individuals and the dynamic nature of the brain allows intellectual growth to progress or regress, but does not remain static.	Organize the environment to make continuous progress from the student’s level of mastery available and encourage progress beyond grade or age level for all learners guided by their individual rate of learning.
How intelligence is expressed will depend on the individual’s genetic pattern and anatomical structure in interaction with the support and opportunities provided by the environment.	Differentiate and individualize instructional planning and teaching, allowing each student to respond uniquely.
The brain integrates information and builds memory and predictions and generates models of reality. Students’ minds do not just record what is taught; the brain makes inferences and predictions. Bright minds require complexity and need exposure to patterns and relationships.	Use interdisciplinary teaching across time and space instead of single goals or objectives involving limited subject matter or isolated events.
The brain constructs meaning; it does not just process information or amplify thought.	Create problems to solve and work toward in-depth understanding of the concepts being taught. Integrative, multidisciplinary teaching will prevent the limits to knowledge and understanding brought about by teaching each discipline only as a separate specialization. Didactic teaching alone is no longer justifiable.
The brain attaches emotional significance to information; good learning derives from exciting teaching, as emotional responses are often more important in making cognitive decisions than are our rational processes.	Make your teaching positive, empowering, and enthusiastic, as this way of teaching is highly valuable in the learning process.
Optimal learning requires the active involvement of the learner.	Plan for the learner to be actively involved with concrete experiences and sensory stimulation in both elementary and secondary classrooms. Use of texts and workbooks alone is not appropriate to teach abstract concepts.
Use of the processes and content of both specializations of the right and left hemispheres of the cerebral cortex are needed for powerful learning.	Give opportunities for integrative and alternative modes of learning and expression to insure effective learning.
Intelligence is developed and supported by experiences that associate and integrate information from the different areas of function in the brain (e.g., cognitive, affective, physical/sensing, and intuitive).	Include experiences from all areas of brain function in learning opportunities whenever possible.
The brain constantly uses feedback to create connections, store information, and develop experiences.	In the teaching process, include feedback that synthesizes and interconnects information at more complex and abstract levels for the learner frequently, consistently, and in a timely manner.