Learning with the Brain in Mind

Frank McNeil

• Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd
• Year: 2008
• Print ISBN: 9781412945264, 9781412945257
• eBook ISBN: 9780857026842
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education Teaching Methods

?Excellent -- a wonderful, readable summary of what the educational world really needs to know about neuroscience? - Sue Palmer, Literacy consultant and author of Toxic Childhood

?During the past few decades we?ve seen an explosion of information about the human brain. Sorting through the research and determining which findings have applications in the classroom is a daunting prospect. Fortunately, Frank McNeil has undertaken this task, doing an excellent job. Clearly written, immediately practical, this is one of the best books I?ve read in the field. It belongs on every teacher?s and administrator?s desk!? - Pat Wolfe, Ed.D. Author of Brain Matters: Translating Research to Classroom Practice and President of Mind Matters, Inc.

Learning with the Brain in Mind offers a fresh approach to teaching, exploring recent findings in neuroscience and combining them with learning in three crucial and interconnected ways: Attention, Emotions and Memory. Attention is the foundation for intellectual development as part of an essential survival strategy. Emotional relationships are the basis for brain growth and provide the foundations for acquiring cognitive and social skills. Memory has important influences on the sense of self and therefore on learning.

The book provides:

- evidence of the controversial impacts of diet, television and mineral supplements on learning, both at school and at home;

- examples from three research studies offering insights into pupils? attitudes to life and learning in school;

- practical strategies that will help pupils to learn in more effective ways.

Promoting new thinking about learning and considering innovative strategies that arise from our understanding of how the brain works, this book will help teachers, parents and other educators enhance children?s learning.

Frank McNeil was Director of the National School Improvement Network at the Institute of education, and a former Headteacher, Principal Inspector for an outer London LEA and an Ofsted Registered inspector.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Contents
• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• 1 Seeing inside the brain
• 2 A journey round the brain
• 3 Pay attention and get connected!
• 4 Learning and the emotions
• 5 Memory, the brain and learning
• 6 The social brain and brain plasticity
• Appendix: suggestions for some themes of professional development
• References
• Index