Happy Brains!
Happy Students!
Happy Teachers!
Neuroscience in class
Joaquín Triandafilide
[email protected]
Objectives for today…
Explore the human brain specialization to
perform certain tasks
 Examine hemispheric lateralization
 Determine your hemispheric preference
 Check the implications for classroom
instruction

Exercise 1 cambiar x otra
Let’s activate our brains!
Exercise 2: What is all of this about? Discuss in pairs
Neuron process/transmit information axon dendrites
120 mts p/sec grey/white matter
Hemispheres/corpus callosum
cortex
2 to 4 mm
lateralization
200 m
48 x 48 cms
5 lobes specialization
unified whole
The Brain’s Main Functions
The brain in pictures
Are you with me?
Lateralization
Left Hemisphere
Connected to right
side of the body
Contains more
gray matter
(tightly packed
neurons)
Can handle intense,
detailed work
Right Hemisphere
Connected to left side
of the body
Contains more
white matter
(neurons with long
axons)
Can handle broad,
rather vague concepts
Right Hemisphere
Processes input more
holistically and
abstractly
Space-sensitive
Left Hemisphere
Processes input in a
sequential and
Analytical manner
Time-sensitive
Generates
spoken language
Does invariable and
arithmetic operations
Interprets language
through gestures,
facial movements,
emotions
& body language
Does relational and
mathematical
operations
Different Functions
Left Hemisphere
Right Hemisphere
Recognizes
words & numbers
(as words)
Specializes in
recognizing faces,
places, objects,
and music
Active in
constructing false
memories
More truthful
in recall
Seeks explanations
for why events occur
Puts events in
spatial patterns
Better at arousing
attention to deal with
outside stimuli
Better at internal
processing
Exercise 3: Based on the distinctions made in the presentation,
now decide…
Left Hemisphere Functions
Processes input in a sequential and
Analytical manner
Time-sensitive
Generates spoken language
Does invariable and arithmetic
operations
Specializes in recognizing words
and
numbers (as words)
Active in constructing false
memories
Seeks explanations for why events
occur
Better at arousing attention to deal
with outside stimuli
Right Hemisphere Functions
C
O
R
P
U
S
C
A
L
L
O
S
U
M
Processes input more holistically and
abstractly
Space-sensitive
Interprets language through gestures, facial
movements, emotions, and body language
Does relational and mathematical operations
Specializes in recognizing faces, places,
objects, and music
More truthful in recall
Puts events in spatial patterns
Better at internal processing
Sources: Carter (1998); Gazzaniga (1998a, 1998b); Gazzaniga, Ivry, & Mangun (2202)
Exercise 3: Answers
1
3
5
6
8
2
4
7
9
Reciting: left brain right brain!
Experiment: 4 volunteers needed!
Specialization
does not mean exclusivity
Each hemisphere has specialized functions,
but usually both work together when
learning or processing complex tasks
Preference
Most people have a preferred hemisphere
This preference affects their
personality, abilities and learning style
More R-H-P individuals are left-handed
More L-H-P learners are women
What’s your preferred hemisphere? Exercise 4
What’s your preferred hemisphere? Exercise 4
Scoring:
 Count the number of “A” responses to
questions 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20,
and 21. Place that number on the 1st line.
 Count the number of “B” responses to the
remaining questions. Place that number
on the 2nd line.
 Total the “A” and ”B” responses you
counted.
The total indicates your hemispheric preference
according to the following scale:
0-5
6-8
9-12
13-15
16-21
Strong left hemisphere preference
Moderate left hemisphere preference
Bilateral hemisphere balance
Moderate right hemisphere preference
Strong right hemisphere preference
Did your score surprise you? Why or why not?
What may your score tell you about your
teaching?
What implications does this have for your
students?
Preference
You also have a preferred hemisphere
This preference affects your
teaching style and strategies
The students that have the same learning
style you do
Have been very lucky!
What about the others?
Teaching Strategies that Activate
Left-Hemisphere Functions
Efficient Classroom Organization
Have an efficient work area. Distribute the
talkers around the room. They will spark
discussions when needed
Relevant Bulletin Boards
Organize them according to the current
content and easily understood.
Clean the Board
Keep the board clean. Eliminate unrelated
word cues.
Use a Multisensory Approach
Let students read, write, draw and
memorize in all subject areas.
Teaching Strategies that Activate
Left-Hemisphere Functions
Use Metaphors
This is good to enhance meaning and
encourage higher-order thinking
Encourage Punctuality
Stress the importance of time
management. Encourage students to carry
agendas
Encourage Goal Setting
Teach students to set study goals, to stick
to them and to reward themselves when
they achieve their goals
Stimulate Logical Thinking
Ask “what if?” questions to encourage
logical thinking
Teaching Strategies that Activate
Right-Hemisphere Functions
Give students different options
Allow them to do oral or written reports. A
short play, simulation or dialogue may do
Use visual representations
Use illustrations, cartoons, charts,
timelines, and graphs that encourage
visual organization of information
Help students make connections
Tying lessons together and proper closure
allow the brain to compare the new with
the old information
Encourage direct experiences
Facilitate direct experiences through
solving authentic problems /real world
situations
Teaching Strategies that Activate
Right-Hemisphere Functions
Allow for student-to-student interaction
They need time with each other. Whoever
explains, learns.
Teach for Transfer
Teach them to use generalities and
perceptions. Have them use metaphors,
similes and comparisons
Incorporate hands-on learning
They need to discover and order
relationships in the real world
Exercise 5: Work in pairs.
TOPIC
Left-Hemisphere
Preference
Right-Hemisphere
Preference
Teaching to the Whole Brain
General Guidelines
Deal with concepts
verbally and visually
Alternate discussion with visual models.
Write key words on the WB, then use a simple
diagram to show relationships.
Students use auditory and visual cues.
Teaching to the Whole Brain
General Guidelines
Design effective visual aids
How we position information on a
visual aid indicates the
relationship of the concepts.
Teaching to the Whole Brain:
General Guidelines
Discuss concepts logically and
intuitively
Present info from different
perspectives.
Teaching to the Whole Brain:
General Guidelines
Avoid conflicting messages
Words
Tone
Pacing
Facial
expressions
Body
language
Teaching to the Whole Brain:
General Guidelines
Design activities and assessment
for both hemispheres
Give students options in testing, so
they can choose what suits
their style.
“In the space age the most
important space is between
the ears.”
Ann Armstrong
Best luck with your students’ brains!!

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