Based upon brain research, there are 4 implications about learning that link directly to 4

applications for teaching. Discuss each of the 4 implications and how each can be applied
to teaching.
The structure of the brain is not fully developed at birth and early experiences are
responsible for determining how it develops and how many neural connections will
be made. Infants with more exposure to language, sounds, and sights in their
environment will have more connections in the brain compared with infants who have
less exposure to these stimuli. Additionally, the emotional responses children receive
from parents and caregivers in influential in brain development. This research
indicates that childrens ability to learn is not based on simply genetics, but rather a
combination of genetics, environment, and experience. This implication can be
applied to teaching in a variety of ways. First, teachers should be aware of the
importance of exposure to language, sounds, and sights and provide students with
opportunities to have new experiences in order to learn about their world.
Additionally, teachers should be aware with the importance of emotional response on
students brain development. Teachers should be able to read when a child is
becoming emotional, frustrated, or angry and provide the necessary emotional support
to this student. Teachers should intervene quickly upon realizing that a student is
discouraged and frustrated. By quickly intervening and providing emotional support
to the student, he or she is more likely to persevere and continue learning as oppose to
shutting down and not reaching their full potential due to their emotions about
learning.
As childrens brains are growing and developing during the early years of life, this
process is strongly influenced by environmental factors and the everyday experiences

of children. Children continue to learn new things as the have new sensory
experiences. Additionally, the childs brain is developing and maturing in different
areas at different times. Because of this, at varies ages, different neural circuits are
more sensitive to the childs experiences. Due to the constantly changing growth and
development of the brain, it is imperative that teachers are aware of how to expose
students to the appropriate experiences in order to foster optimal brain development
and growth. Teachers must be creative in the ideas they incorporate into their teaching
and lessons and the activities that they allow the students to engage in in an effort to
develop all the different areas of the growing brain. Teachers must be able to identify
when teaching methods are not working and come up with alternative methods for
different types of learners.
When children experience changes in the environment and in experiences, it
causes changes in the structure of the brain due to brain plasticity. Due to brain
plasticity, children can learn and unlearn information. When children are learning,
repetition is important to remembering and learning new information. When children
repeat information and actions it results in increased myelination of the neurons,
formation of neural connections, and neural circuits for the activity become fixed.
The plasticity of the brain gives teachers and parents the opportunity to continuously
be teaching children and allowing them the opportunity to learn and relearn new
information. Teacher must be aware of the importance of repetition and incorporate
this into the lesson in order to aid students in learning and maintaining new
knowledge. Teachers must be able to identify the various ways in which children are
attempting to learn and process information. Upon identifying these variations,

teacher must change instruction and make accommodations to their teaching, playing
off of the students strengths. As children begin to learn and become more confident
and independent in their abilities, teachers must continue to make accommodations to
their teaching methods.
Not all children are able to learn in the same way. Each child has a different way
of developing concepts, thinking, and reasoning. All children have different
experiences that have shaped their brain development. As a result, all children have
many different ways and paths to learning that can be used. Due to the various,
complex brains teachers must think of each individual child separately and modify
instruction to suit their learning style. Because each child is so different, there are
countless ways that reading, writing, and other skills can be taught. Teachers must be
able and willing to make adjustments to their teaching style in order to reach each and
every child and not label children who may not respond to one particular teaching
method.

Lyons, C.A. (2003). Teaching Struggling Readers. Portsmouth, NG: Stenhouse.