Brain-Based Learning in the Modern Classroom

Let's be totally honest about the concept of Brain-Based Learning as a methodology of teaching several kinds of lessons: it's about time! Look, you may be a believer in 'Science' and 'empiricism' and 'facts' because people (and this includes educators) fear change and are ready to accept the traditional, known and accepted ways to impart knowledge onto our students. However, when you give a lecture to a class of 10 year-old kids about the probability of an infinite universe, you'd better be ready to stimulate more than their ears to facilitate learning, unless you simply enjoy hearing yourself talk. If we target the Limbic System of the brain, which controls emotion and interacts with the cognitive areas of the brain without causing a lot of stress in the classroom, then we can stimulate a better form of learning. Additionally, if we create an environment filled with all sorts of visual stimuli (big windows facing the sunlight), keep it mostly quiet, provide visual displays of our concepts (use a map or a Prezi!), find a way to foster an application of the lesson (let the students teach themselves in fun ways with apps or other creative tools), and then ask them what they thought about all of it so that we can gauge their retention, we would be using their brains to create memories that they'll keep for a long time. Let's put in a little extra effort and make this the new reality.

Planning for English Learners

Next semester, I plan to teach a unit about hobbies and activities to university students in Korea who have a basic understanding of English. Additionally, the ability levels of the students can vary widely depending on whether or not they have studies abroad or at private language academies near their high schools, called hogwon. If I were to focus on a sampling of the class, four students with the most disparate sets of English awareness, I would have to design class based on a few key principles so that A) I wouldn't make it too difficult for the basic level students and B) I wouldn't bore the more accomplished students. According to Six Key Strategies for English Language Learners I should focus on vocabulary, guided interaction, authentic assessment, context, modeling, and visual stimulation. After having used these methods for years, I completely agree with that list of recommendations. There is an old adage used in the news industry which states, "Tell them what you're gonna tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them." I think that idea is applicable here, but it includes modeling, which is a key additional step: show them what you are telling them. Of course, they should then practice the model before creating their own. Larry Ferlazzo also points out that speaking clearly and avoiding a lecture-style of teaching is essential to keeping the attention of ELLs and that is why I often utilize powerpoint and Prezis in my class. My own methodology is to quickly gauge the levels of the students by asking basic yes/no questions and then building vocabulary based on their responses. I would also add that a little knowledge of the students' native language can be very helpful if they are totally stuck on a word and the teacher can translate it on the fly, as long as translation does not become the primary method of explanation.

The Special Education Referral Process

In order to get a better understanding of the Special Education referral process, I watched a couple of videos made by parents/teachers who have gone through this process and I read Jamie Tardif's very informative blog post for further info that I could not have obtained here in South Korea. The first video was created by Ashlie Belnap (a parent of disabled children and a consultant for the IEP program) and it was titled Referral, Evaluation and Eligibility for Special Education Services (you can find it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8eG66Mzo5M) She discusses several aspects to the Special Ed. process, starting with how a referral is made by teachers, principals, parents, social workers, doctors, or other friends or relatives closely associated with the child (eligibility ages from 3 to 22). An evaluation, at no cost to the parents, is then made. It is a "structured gathering process that leads to decisions and classification labels" for children. It also deals with educational placement, specific interventions, and a way to measure the progress of the student. Students are referred if they meet the criteria of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the school then has 45 days to complete the evaluation but only after a written request has been made and the parents have consented to the evaluation and the services it provides. Time and again, as I learned about this process, I was impressed that parents were at the center of most of the decision-making pertaining to their child's educational path. Some basic requirements involved in the evaluation process are that a written notice must be given to the parents, the test must be given in the child's native language (even if that is sign language, Braille, etc.). The test is a comprehensive assessment of all areas of a child's ability and behavior, not just the one that initially triggered the referral. Finally, the test must be given by trained and knowledgeable personnel. If the parents disagree with the results of the evaluation, I was again impressed that they have reasonable recourse: they can be provided with an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE), which is also free, and it requires a separate evaluation by different professionals. An agency then holds a hearing to determine the findings of the IEE. if the Parents still disagree with those findings, they can get another IEE, but must pay for it. The second video (find it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0H8uKJ3Ig0) deals with a real-life typical situation involving teachers discussing how to handle a student that they are considering for referral. I think it honestly portrays the teachers as concerned, but busy and somewhat uninformed as to how to handle the situation. It is easy to see that, before the IDEA and IEP were established, many conversations like this may have happened and nothing more was done to foster a disabled student's education. As far as identifying a child for Special Education, as Jamie's interview explains, teachers can identify the patterns of their students almost as much as parents can. If the pattern is one that is negative in the context of learning (just as squinting is an obvious sign that an eye exam is appropriate), the teachers then gather a team so that they can discuss their opinions and experiences regarding the performance of the student. A referral may then be made, with the parents approval. In summary, I found this to be a very reasonable approach to what is often a very difficult time in the lives of everyone concerned. As stated previously, I was happy to see so much involvement by the parents and that there was no financial burden placed upon them while they were trying to provide the best education possible for their children.