How the brain learns / David A. Sousa. [print]

Introduction

Chapter 1-Basic Brain Facts

Chapter 2-How The Brain Processes Information

Chapter 3-Memory, Retention, and Learning

Chapter 4-The Power of Transfer

Chapter 5-Brain Organization and Learning

Chapter 6-The Brain and the Arts

Chapter 7-Thinking Skills and Learning

Chapter 8-Putting It All Together

List of Practicioner's Corners

Includes bibliographies and index.

Looking Inside the Brain -- Types of Brain Imaging -- Implications for Teaching -- Some Important Findings -- Why This Book Can Help Improve Teaching and Learning -- Chapter Contents -- Who Should Use This Book? -- Try It Yourself--Do Action Research -- What's Coming Up?.

Some Exterior Parts of the Brain -- Lobes of the Brain -- Motor Cortext and Somatosensory Cortex -- Some Interior Parts of the Brain -- Brain Stem -- The Limbic System -- Cerebrum -- Cerebellum -- Brain Cells -- Brain Fuel -- Neuron Development in Children -- Windows of Opportunity -- The Brain as a Novelty Seeker -- Environmental Factors That Enhance Novelty -- What's Coming Up?.

The Information Processing Model -- Origins of the Model -- Usefulness of the Model -- Limitations of the Model -- Inadequacy of the Computer Model -- The Senses -- Sensory Register -- Short-Term Memory -- Long-Term Storage -- The Cognitive Belief System -- Self-Concept -- Learning Profiles (Styles) -- What's Coming Up?.

How Memory Forms -- The Temporary Stimulus -- Forming the Memory -- Stages and Types of Memory -- Emotional Memory -- Learning and Retention -- Factors Affecting Retention of Learning -- Rehearsal -- Retention During a Learning Episode -- Implications for Teaching -- Learning Motor Skills -- Brain Activity During Motor Skill Acquisition -- Does Practice Make Perfect? -- Daily Biological Rhythms Affect Teaching and Learning -- Circadian Rhythms -- The Importance of Sleep in Learning and Memory -- Intelligence and Retrieval -- Intelligence -- Retrieval -- Chunking -- Forgetting -- What's Coming?.

What Is Transfer? -- Transfer During Learning -- Types of Transfer -- Transfer of Learning -- Teaching for Transfer -- Factors Affecting Transfer -- Teaching Methods -- Transfer and Constructivism -- English Language Learners (ELLs) and Transfer -- Technology and Transfer -- Additional Thoughts About Transfer -- What's Coming Up?.

Brain Lateralization -- Left and Right Hemisphere Processing (Laterality) -- What Causes Specialization? -- Specialization Does Not Mean Exclusivity -- The Gender Connection -- Schools and Brain Organization -- Spoken Language Specialization -- Learning Spoken Language -- Learning a Second Language -- Learning to Read -- Is Reading a Natural Ability? -- Neural Systems Involved in Reading -- Skills Involved in Reading -- Problems in Learning to Read -- Implications for Teaching Reading -- What's Coming Up?.

The Arts Are Basic to the Human Experience -- Why Teach the Arts? -- The Arts and the Young Brain -- The Arts Develop Cognitive Growth -- The Arts and Creativity -- The Sciences Need the Arts -- Impact of the Arts on Student Learning and Behavior -- Arts Education and Arts Integration -- Other Areas of Impact -- Music -- Is Music Inborn? -- Effects of Listening ot Music Versus Creating Instrumental Music -- How the Brain Listens to Music -- The Benefits of Listening to Music -- Creating Music -- Benefits of Creating Music -- Creating Music Benefits Memory -- Does Creating Music Affect Ability in Other Subjects? -- Music and Reading -- Student Attitudes Toward Music in the Schools -- The Visual Arts -- Imagery -- Research on Visual Arts and Learning -- Movement -- Movement and the Brain -- Implications for Schools -- What's Coming Up?.

Characteristics of Human Thinking -- Types of Thinking -- Thinking as a Representational System -- Thinking and Emotion -- The Dimensions of Human Thinking -- Designing Models -- Are We Teaching Thinking Skills? -- Modeling Thinking Skills in the Classroom -- Revisiting Bloom's Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain -- Why Start With This Model? -- The Model's Structure and Revision -- Important Characteristics of the Revised Model -- Cognitive and Emotional Thinking -- Testing Your Understanding of the Taxonomy -- The Taxonomy and the Dimensions of Thinking -- The Critical Difference Between Complexity and Difficulty -- Curriculum Changes to Accomodate the Taxonomy -- What's Coming Up?.

Daily Planning -- General Guidelines -- Daily Lesson Design -- Twenty-One Questions to Ask During Lesson Planning -- Unit Planning -- Teacher's Work Sample -- Maintaining Skills for the Future -- The Building Principal's Role -- Types of Support Systems -- Conclusion.

Introduction -- What Do You Already Know? -- How Brain-Compatible Is My Teaching/School/District? -- Using Action Research -- Chapter 1: Basic Brain Facts -- Fits for a Brain -- Review of Brain Area Functions -- Using Novelty in Lessons -- Preparing the Brain for Taking a Test -- Chapter 2: How the Brain Processes Information -- Walking Through the Brain -- Redesigning the Information Processing Model -- Determining Your Sensory Preferences -- Developing a Classroom Climate Conducive to Learning -- Using Humor to Enhance Climate and Promote Retention -- Increasing Processing Time Through Motivation -- Creating Meaning in New Learning -- Using Closure to Enhance Sense and Meaning -- Testing Whether Information Is in Long-Term Storage -- Using Synergy to Enhance Learning -- NeuroBingo -- Chapter 3: Memory, Retention, and Learning -- Avoid Teaching Two Very Similar Motor Skills -- Using Rehearsal to Enahnce Retention -- Using the Primacy-Recency Effect in the Classroom -- Strategies for Block Scheduling -- Using Practice Effectively -- Relearning Through Recall -- Impact of Circadian Rhythms on Schools and Classrooms -- Using Wait-Time to Increase Student Participation -- Using Chunking to Enhance Retention -- Using Mnemonics to Help Retention -- Chapter 4: Strategies for Connecting to Past Learnings -- Avoid Teaching Concepts That Are Very Similar -- Identifying Critical Attributes for Accurate Transfer -- Teaching for Transfer: Bridging -- Teaching for Transfer: Hugging -- Using Metaphors to Enhance Transfer -- Using Journal Writing to Promote Transfer and Retention -- Chapter 5: Brain Organization and Learning -- Teaching to the Whole Brain: General Guidelines -- Strategies for Teaching to the Whole Brain -- Concept Mapping: General Guidelines -- Acquiring Another Language -- Considerations for Teaching Reading -- Reading Guidelines for All Teachers -- Chapter 6: The Brain and the Arts -- Including Arts in All Lessons -- Using Music in the Classroom -- Using Imagery -- Visualized Note Taking -- Strategies for Using Movement -- Chapter 7: Thinking Skills and Learning -- Understanding Bloom's Revised Taxonomy -- Take a Concept/Situation Up the Taxonomy! -- Tips on Using Bloom's Revised Taxonomy -- Bloom's Taxonomy: Increasing Complexity -- Understanding the Difference Between Complexity and Difficulty -- Questions to Stimulate Higher-Order Thinking -- Activities to Stimulate Higher-Order Thinking -- Chapter 8: Putting It All Together -- Reflections on Lesson Design.

Latest edition includes updated information on brain processes including memory systems; how the explosion of technology affects the brain; and how learning and participating in the arts enhances cognitive processing and creativity. Includes more than 150 new references and an expanded index.

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