The reading above discusses several essential instructional/pedagogical elements that adolescents can use to develop the ability to think, make healthy choic

L ea

rn in

g St

ra te

gi es

7

The Adolescent Brain –Learning Strategies & Teaching Tips The adolescent brain is still developing and therefore requires different brain compatible strategies for learning. This section describes the adolescent brain, details specific learning strategies in “Things to Know 1-5” and “Brain Compatible Strategies for Increasing Learning,” and offers practical tips for teaching teenagers in “Teaching Tips to Keep in Mind When Presenting.”

Current research states that 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 and the second occurs during early adolescence.1 Gray matter is responsible for the generation of nerve impulses (processing of the brain’s information), while white matter is responsible for the transfer of brain information from one lobe to another and out to the spinal cord. This transmission of nerve impulses is assisted by a fatty layer that wraps around the neuron’s axon called a myelin sheath. Gray matter does not have a myelin sheath, while white matter does. This myelin sheath allows impulses to travel faster and more efficiently, but isn’t fully formed (through a process called myelination) until around age twenty-five,2 with the frontal lobe being the last area of the brain to be myelinated. The incomplete myelination and rapid growth of gray matter that are characteristic of adolescent brains do not allow the same cortical connections that occur in adulthood; thus, adolescent thinking is in a realm of its own.

The frontal lobe houses the area of the brain where we process higher cortical functions like reasoning, problem solving, short term memory, planning and executing behavior, language, motor function, social mirroring, judgment, and impulse control. Until the frontal lobe has matured, other parts of the brain (temporal lobe, parietal lobe and the amygdala) are used for language development and decision making. Because of the involvement of other parts of the brain in these functions, adolescents tend to lack impulse control, demonstrate more irrational behaviors, and often make decisions based on their feelings rather than logical thought processing. All of these characteristics affect their ability to learn.

Learning is critical to both prospering and surviving. The brain’s main function is to promote survival of the body. However, rather than attending to all the incoming stimuli, the brain filters out about 99% of the information coming from the senses. Two factors strongly influence whether the brain pays attention to a piece of information:

1. If the information has meaning. 2. If the information causes an emotional response.

Meaning and emotion are crucial elements to grab the brain’s attention and thereby aid learning. Learning in its simplest form is a process of building neural networks in the brain. These networks are formed in three different ways – through concrete experiences, symbolic learning, and abstract learning. Think about a toddler learning about the names of animals. A concrete experience would consist of taking the child to the zoo to see, hear, smell, and touch the animals. When you return home, you read books and look at pictures of the animals for a symbolic experience. Eventually, children are ready to make generalizations about animals that they did not see at the zoo or in their books – this is abstract thinking. The brain makes the strongest connections through concrete experiences. Without concrete experiences, symbolic and abstract learning have little or no meaning. Because abstract thought processes are not well-developed until late adolescence (around age 18 to 20), the most effective teaching styles encompass methods that create concrete experiences within the boundaries of the school setting.

8

Learning Strategies Thing to Know # 1: A young adolescent brain can hold seven items of information, plus or minus two items, in working memory.

• An effective strategy that allows teenagers to work with larger and larger amounts of information is to show them how the information fits together. For example- which list can you recall with more accuracy: NB CLA XC BSD VDA BC or NBC LAX CBS DVD ABC? You can recall the entire second list even though the number of letters and the letters themselves were the same and in the same order because you were able to see how the letters could fit together in a more meaningful way. NBC is now a single item of information, as is LAX and so on.

• Short-term memory stores about 7 pieces of information for about 30 seconds. If the information is not easily remembered through chunking or other strategies, it will be quickly forgotten.

• Working memory stores about 7 pieces of information for 20 to 30 minutes. If the brain does not determine the information to be meaningful, it is not stored in long-term memory and is lost.

• Use Brain Compatible Strategies such as Chunking, Storytelling, Mnemonics, and Rhythm, Rhyme, and Rap.

Thing to Know # 2: The addition of emotion can help students remember. • Emotion drives attention and attention drives learning. • The young adolescent brain does not have a fully developed frontal lobe (which houses higher-level

thinking) so many times the thinking gets accomplished by the amygdala (which typically stores emotional memory).

• Emotion can also work against learning – no learning occurs if a student feels threatened. Something as simple as being called on to answer a question or asked to read aloud can produce a threatening situation for some students.

• Use humor not sarcasm when teaching. Be careful with humor – you do not want to offend any student. Use yourself as the “brunt of the joke.”

• Use Brain Compatible Strategies such as Wait Time, Think-Pair-Share, and Reading Buddies to reduce stress.

• Use Brain Compatible Strategies such as Storytelling and Rhythm, Rhyme, and Rap to make an emotional connection.

Thing to Know # 3: The brain is social & requires interaction in order to develop properly. • The brain’s primary function is to promote survival of the body. Hundreds of years ago, a person

stood a better chance of surviving as a member of a group versus as an individual. Thus, humans have evolved into social beings and require social interaction in order to mature appropriately.

• Use Brain Compatible Strategies such as Think-Pair-Share, Simulations, and Reciprocal Teaching.

Thing to Know # 4: Practice/rehearsal is critical to learning for the long term. • Understanding must be checked frequently to ensure that the rehearsal is correct. This can be

accomplished simply by asking questions such as “What do I need to clarify?” or “What questions might you have?”

• Use of the Socratic Teaching method (asking the audience questions) will allow feedback and verification of understanding. For example, you could ask, “I just used the word “asymmetry” — can anyone tell me what that means?”

• Use Brain Compatible Strategies such as Analogy, Metaphor and Simile, Simulations, Storytelling, and Rhythm, Rhyme, and Rap.

Thing to Know # 5: We take in more information visually than through any other sense. • We have a tremendous capacity to store pictures in long term memory. • Use Brain Compatible Strategies such as Visuals & Graphics, Storytelling, and Hands-on activities.

L ea

rn in

g St

ra te

gi es

9

Brain Compatible Strategies for Increasing Learning Storytelling

• Can be real or fictional. • Should be age- and experience-appropriate. • Makes an emotional connection to the audience.

Reciprocal Teaching – Think, Pair, Share • Use anytime you have asked for individuals in a group to make a response, i.e. answer a question, give

an opinion, etc. o Make your request. o Tell participants to think about their response. o Now tell them to turn to their neighbor and discuss their responses. o Ask for volunteers to share what they heard – they can share their own response or that of their

discussion partner. • You tend to get more students willing to respond and the responses are richer.

Metaphor, Analogy and Simile • This makes the connection between something students are already familiar with and the new

information. • For example, when dealing with statistical information that has large numbers, try to convert those

numbers into smaller more concrete statistics: “Presently, one out of five people will develop skin cancer by the age of 65. This means that at least six students in this class of 30 will have skin cancer at some point in their life.”

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 …” • Graphics don’t necessarily mean graphs – use cartoons, diagrams, simple flow charts, etc.

Mnemonics • A good tool to help us remember seemingly disconnected items of information. • Roy G. Biv is a mnemonic to help us remember the colors of the visible light spectrum in order – Red,

Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. • ABC’s of Melanoma are a mnemonic for remembering what to look for in a skin spot. • This is more powerful if the students are the ones to create the mnemonic.

Hands-on / Simulations • Another opportunity for visual and emotional connections. • Be sure your instructions and expectations are clear. • The majority of students are visual learners, a large minority are tactile/kinesthetic learners and a very

small number of students are auditory learners. • Does not need to be complex – something as simple as putting your hand into a fist to show the

approximate size of your heart is a simulation.

10

Wait Time • Give students time to process your question before asking for a response. Waiting between 5 and

10 seconds before calling on students will increase the number of hands-up and the quality of the answers.

Rhythm, Rhyme, and Rap • Putting information to music or a rhyme can increase memory – how did you learn the alphabet in the

right order? • You can have these already prepared or challenge the students to do this.

Chunking • A chunk is any coherent group of items of information that we can remember as if it were a single item.

This is why a mnemonic device works. Chunking works best when information is limited to 9 pieces of information or less.

• For example, remembering the 12 cranial nerves is both difficult and longer than remembering 9 nerves. So, we use two devices: a mnemonic that chunks or separates a large amount of information into smaller phrases and arranges the information in an easy to remember sequence. “On Old Olympus Towering Top A Famous Vocal German Viewed Some Hops” lets us remember both the order and first letter of each cranial nerve. Another example is listed under Things to Know #1. By chunking the letters into phrases we remember like IBM and TWA, it is easier to remember the entire list of letters.

Much of the information for this section has been adapted with permission from: Wolfe, Pat. Brain Matters: Translating the Research to Classroom Practice.

ASCD, Alexandria, VA, 2001: 1-207.

L ea

rn in

g St

ra te

gi es

11

Teaching Tips To Keep in Mind When Presenting Preparation Be organized with your presentation. Keep things moving and decrease “down-time.” Middle school students can find very creative ways to fill the time.

Communicate with the classroom teacher Contact the classroom teacher before your presentation. You should expect this person to be present during your presentation and be in charge of classroom management. Share this expectation with the teacher.

Dress As you are dressed, So shall you be perceived; As you are perceived, So shall you be treated. – Harry Wong, The First Days of School

No sarcasm Yes, middle school students can really enjoy this but only when you know them well and have established a good relationship with them. Even then, use this with great caution.

Humor Make sure the joke is on you and not the students. This can really de-escalate a situation if used properly.

Proximity Stand close to students – move around the room as you are presenting, but do not touch! Again, you have not established a relationship with the students to know who would respond favorably to a touch on the shoulder, pat on the back, etc.

Give directions that are clear Remember the adolescent brain can only hold 7 pieces of information (plus or minus two). Whenever possible, give directions orally and visually – on the board, in PowerPoint, on an overhead, or on a handout. Leave these visuals displayed until the task or activity is finished.

Establish clear expectations If you want students to move quietly into groups, say so. Give a time frame and stick to it. – “I need this task to be finished in 5 minutes.” (Kitchen timers are nice tools to keep handy for this, but most schoolrooms have clocks on the wall and most students have watches or cell phones.)

You are the adult and the professional Yes, you can be friendly and approachable, but you are not their friend. Be sincere and honest with the students. If you don’t have an answer to a question, tell them so – they will respect honesty more than a made- up answer. It will also lend more credibility to the other facts you have told them. You can offer to look up the unknown answer and email it to their teacher.

Respect Show the students the same respect you expect from them.

Fairness Fairness is an important idea to a middle school student. They need to see that you are not playing favorites.

ASCD is a global community dedicated to excellence in learning, teaching, and leading.

Comprising 115,000 members—teachers, principals, superintendents, and advocates from more than 126 countries—the ASCD community also includes 51 affiliate organizations.

Learn more about how ASCD supports educators who are making a difference and ensuring students’ success. www.ascd.org

Free Sample F R O M The Power of the Adolescent Brain

Strategies for Teaching Middle and High School Students

B Y Thomas Armstrong

Available from

MOODY. RECKLESS. IMPRACTICAL. INSECURE. DISTRACTED. These are all words commonly used to describe adolescents. But what if we recast these traits in a positive light? Teens possess insight, passion, idealism, sensitivity, and creativity in abundance—all qualities that can make a significant positive contribution to society.

In this thought-provoking book, Thomas Armstrong looks at the power and promise of the teenage brain from an empathetic, strength-based perspective–and describes what middle and high school educators can do to make the most of their students’ potential.

Thoroughly grounded in current neurological research, the book explains what we know about how the adolescent brain works and proposes eight essential instructional elements that will help students develop the ability to think, make healthy choices, regulate their emotions, handle social conflict, consolidate their identities, and learn enough about the world to move into adulthood with dignity and grace.

Armstrong provides practical strategies and real-life examples from schools that illustrate these eight key practices in action. In addition, you’ll find a glossary of brain terms, a selection of brain-friendly lesson plans across the content areas, and a list of resources to support and extend the book’s ideas and practices.

There is a colossal mismatch between how the adolescent brain has evolved and the passive, rote learning experiences that are all too often provided at the secondary level. See the amazing differerence—in school and beyond—when you use the insights from this book to help students tap into the power of their changing brains.

Author THOMAS ARMSTRONG, PHD, is an educator, a psychologist, and a writer who has worked in the education field for more than 40 years. He is the author of 16 books, including 7 for ASCD. During the last 30 years, he has delivered more than 1,000 presentations on learning and human development in 29 countries across six continents and in 44 U.S. states.

2016 ASCD Book, 6” x 9” 202 pgs.

List Price $27.95

ASCD Member Price $22.36

Stock #116017

ISBN 978-1-4166-2187-4

The Power of the Adolescent Brain: Strategies for Teaching Middle and High School Students

by Thomas Armstrong

www.ascd.org/brainpower Call toll-free: 800-933-ASCD or 703-578-9600

ORDER NOW! Quantity Discounts 10–49 copies 10% 50+ copies 15% For Special Sales Discounts, contact your ASCD Regional Program Manager or Sales Consultant, or call 1-800-933- 2723, ext. 5773. E-mail: [email protected].

Print edition is also available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores.

E-books are also available from Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google, Kobo, and other distributors. See full list at www.ascd.org/epubs.

Table of Contents

We hope you enjoy this free sample of The Power of the Adolescent Brain: Strategies for Teaching Middle and High School Students. To learn more about this book or to purchase online, visit www.ascd.org/brainpower.

Acknowledgments …………………………………………………………………………………………………vii

Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1

1. The Amazing Adolescent Brain ………………………………………………………………………….4

2. The Miracle of Adolescent Neuroplasticity ……………………………………………………. 18

3. Opportunities to Choose ………………………………………………………………………………….. 39

4. Self-Awareness Activities ……………………………………………………………………………….. 53

5. Peer Learning Connections …………………………………………………………………………….. 65

6. Aff ective Learning ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 79

7. Learning Through the Body ……………………………………………………………………………. 95

8. Metacognitive Strategies ……………………………………………………………………………….107

9. Expressive Arts Activities ………………………………………………………………………………121

10. Real-World Experiences ………………………………………………………………………………134

Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..145

Appendix A: Glossary of Brain Terms ……………………………………………………………….148

Appendix B: Adolescent Brain-Friendly Learning

Experiences Across the Content Areas …………………………………………………………….156

Appendix C: Resources ………………………………………………………………………………………169

References …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..174

Index …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….199

About the Author …………………………………………………………………………………………………207

Related ASCD Resources …………………………………………………………………………………..208

PowerofAdolescentBrain.indd v 5/24/16 11:19 AM

1

Introduction

I began my career in education 40 years ago as a junior high special edu- cation teacher in Montreal, Canada. The experience shaped me in a pro- found way. I will never forget the names, faces, and personalities of my fi rst students. There was Helen: sullen, sometimes angry, occasionally up for a little learning. Then there was Bernice, a sly, catlike girl of 13 who seemed to prowl rather than walk around the class looking for lit- tle mischiefs that she could cook up and get away with scot-free. I also remember Vince, with his bright, cheery face, his welcoming demeanor, and his ability to pull the wool over my eyes at unexpected moments. He was helped in this endeavor by his partner in crime, George, a fi rst- generation Portuguese immigrant from the Azores Islands, who charmed his way through the curriculum and should never have been in special education in the fi rst place. Finally, I remember Manny, espe- cially on that day when he painted a poster emblazoned with the slogan “Parents treat you like pets.” This phrase was a powerfully understated manifestation of the adolescent rebellion that left me feeling exhausted at the end of each school day. What saved me from burnout were cross- country skiing and hiking.

Since that time, I’ve learned a great deal about adolescence. I’ve engaged in a lot of reminiscing about my own adolescence, visited and taught demonstration lessons at middle schools and high schools throughout the United States, and taught courses in childhood and ado- lescent development at several graduate schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. During the last 40 years, I’ve always felt that there was some- thing extraordinary about the years between 11 and 18 that I couldn’t quite put my fi nger on. Then I began to do my research for this book.

PowerofAdolescentBrain.indd 1 5/24/16 11:19 AM

We hope you enjoy this free sample of The Power of the Adolescent Brain: Strategies for Teaching Middle and High School Students. To learn more about this book or to purchase online, visit www.ascd.org/brainpower.

2 | The Power of the Adolescent Brain

Combing through thousands of documents both online and offl ine, my eyes were opened by the revelations that had been coming out of neu- roimaging labs since the start of the 21st century. I discovered that the adolescent brain was something very special, its 100 billion cells having been naturally selected over the course of millions of years to accom- plish tasks that were absolutely necessary for the continuation of our species; tasks such as leaving the nest, mating, hunting, gathering, and fi ghting or fl eeing from predators. Most signifi cantly, these prehistoric genes are still part of teenagers’ hereditary makeup, and they manifest in the classroom as inattention, rebellion, recklessness, charm, passion, insight, fatigue, and a seemingly insatiable need for approval from peers. Now I understood why we often joke about the teen years (e.g., “I teach 7th graders.” “Well, good luck with that!”). What are we to do with all that energy and misdirection?

This book tries to answer that question by providing hundreds of ideas, tips, strategies, programs, and resources that are based on what we now know about how the adolescent brain works. This research-based data can empower us as educators to more fully engage middle and high school students in the classroom, so that instead of doing drugs, get- ting pregnant, dying in gang fi ghts or car crashes, or binging on alcohol, they will develop the ability to think, make good choices, regulate their emotions, handle social confl ict, consolidate their identities, and learn enough about the world to move into adulthood with dignity and grace.

In the fi rst two chapters, you’ll learn a lot about what’s been dis- covered over the past 15 years about the adolescent brain, particularly its neuroplasticity (its ability to wire itself in response to environmen- tal inputs), and why this knowledge is important for us to integrate into our practice as educators. In Chapters 3 through 10, I focus on how to take research on the adolescent brain and use it in the classroom by pre- senting eight basic interventions that I believe are critical to the optimal functioning of the adolescent brain in the classroom. They include

• Opportunities to choose. • Self-awareness activities.

PowerofAdolescentBrain.indd 2 5/24/16 11:19 AM

Introduction | 3

• Peer learning connections. • Aff ective learning. • Learning through the body. • Metacognitive strategies. &

Collepals.com Plagiarism Free Papers

Are you looking for custom essay writing service or even dissertation writing services? Just request for our write my paper service, and we'll match you with the best essay writer in your subject! With an exceptional team of professional academic experts in a wide range of subjects, we can guarantee you an unrivaled quality of custom-written papers.

Get ZERO PLAGIARISM, HUMAN WRITTEN ESSAYS

Why Hire Collepals.com writers to do your paper?

Quality- We are experienced and have access to ample research materials.

We write plagiarism Free Content

Confidential- We never share or sell your personal information to third parties.

Support-Chat with us today! We are always waiting to answer all your questions.