The Adolescent Brain - Visual Learners
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The document discusses the adolescent brain and learning strategies for teaching visual learners. It notes that the brain undergoes two periods of increased gray matter production, including during adolescence. This impacts impulse control and decision making. The frontal lobe, involved in reasoning and judgment, is one of the last areas to fully myelinate. The document recommends using visual teaching methods like storytelling, graphics, hands-on activities and simulations to engage visual learners, as the brain processes and remembers visual information well. Specific strategies suggested include using charts, symbols, real-world examples, videos and games.
The Adolescent Brain - Visual Learners
- 1. The Adolescent Brain Learning Strategies & Teaching Tips The Adolescent Brain Learning Strategies & Teaching Tips Student: Rasjido, Mónica Leonor Teacher: Laura Orellana Subject: Didáctica Especial II
- 2. The brain undergoes two main periods of increased production of gray-matter The first begins during fetal development and lasts until around 18 months of age The second occurs during early adolescence. Grey Matter Responsible of processing of the brain’s information Responsible for the transfer of brain information from one lobe to another and out to the spinal cord, assisted by a myelin sheath. Myelin Sheath Allows impulses to travel faster and more efficiently. Isn’t fully formed until around age twenty-five. White Matter
- 3. Frontal Lobe Temporal Lobe Reasoning, problem solving, short term memory, planning and executing behavior, language, motor function, social mirroring, judgment, and impulse control. The last area of the brain to be myelinated Until the F.L has matured, other parts are used for language development and decision making Because of the involvement of other parts, adolescents tend to lack impulse control, have more irrational behaviors, make decisions based on their feelings rather than logical thought processing. All of these characteristics affect their ability to learn.
- 4. Two factors strongly influence whether the brain pays attention to a piece of information If the information has meaning If the information causes an emotional response Learning is a process of building neural networks in the brain. Networks are formed in three different ways Concrete experiences, symbolic learning, and abstract learning Without concrete experiences, symbolic and abstract learning have little or no meaning
- 5. Learning Strategies We take in more information visually than through any other sense Thing to Know # 5: We have a tremendous capacity to store pictures in long term memory Brain Compatible Strategies such as Visuals & Graphics, Storytelling, and Hands-on activities
- 6. What is Visual learning Style? The visual learning style means that people need to see information to learn it, and this "seeing" takes many forms from spatial awareness, photographic memory, color/tone, brightness/contrast, and other visual information. Strengths of Visual Learners Instinctively follows directions Easily visualizes objects Is an excellent organizer Has a strong sense of color Can envision imagery easily
- 7. Strategies for Increasing Learning • Can be real or fictional. • Should be age- and experience-appropriate. • Makes an emotional connection to the audience. Storytelling Visuals/Graphics • A picture is worth a thousand words. • Have the students visualize an image and connect it to them personally: “Imagine that…”, “Close your eyes and picture …”, “What do you see when I say …” • You can use graphics, cartoons, diagrams, simple flow charts, etc. Hands-on / Simulations • An opportunity for visual and emotional connections. • Be sure your instructions and expectations are clear. • Does not need to be complex.
- 8. Activities/Ideas to Teach Visual Learners Write down new vocabulary Making a habit of writing down new words and adding a few quick context clues (e.g., putting the part of speech in brackets or underling the stressed syllable) will help. Use the whiteboard efficiently Designate roles to certain areas of the board and using colors to organize information during the lesson. Use charts and graphs • Venn Diagrams (to make comparisons and contrasts). • Timelines (to represent the tenses, or a series of events). • Story or Essay Planners (to guide students through the steps necessary to complete these tasks). • Charts to list word families (add columns for verb, adjective, adverb, noun and fill in all that apply as words come up. Add symbols and movement to flashcards When teaching vocabulary with flashcards, visual cues really help your learners. For example, “yummy” when we talk about an ice-cream.
- 9. Play flashcard games Make students stand up and move, or interact with these cards in pairs or small groups will help visual learners. Experiment with realia Use slide shows/videos Choose a clip containing a dialogue between two people, A and B. In pairs, each student must remember one side of the dialogue. For a light-hearted activity, show your students a clip with the sound off. Tell them they will work in pairs to create a script that dubs the clip. Choose songs from different films and genres. Students write down what they think is the genre of the film and what is happening in the scene in question. Students compare their thoughts with a partner Real life items make new concepts easier to remember (fruits and vegetables) and provide a practical, visual cue to draw from in real life (think maps, brochures, business cards, advertisements, packaging, menus, and photos).
- 10. Thanks for your attention! Rasjido, Mónica Leonor Thanks for your attention!