1. 1. Bridging the gap: Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training Carol Lethaby
clethaby@clethaby.com Patricia Harries pattiharries@hotmail.com
2. 2. Why are we interested in this? Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015
Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
3. 3. 1 Developments in neuroscience and neuromyths 2 What we found in our research 3
What this means for training teachersCarol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015
Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
4. 4. Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and
Teacher Training
5. 5. misconception generated by a misunderstanding or misreading or a misquoting of
facts scientifically established (by brain research) to make a case for the use of brain
research in education or other contexts OECD in Howard-Jones, 2014 page 817 Carol
Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher
Training
6. 6. Can you spot the neuromyths? (Based on Howard-Jones, 2014) 1 We mostly only use
10% of our brain. 2 Individual learners show preferences for the mode in which they
receive information (e.g. visual, auditory, kinaesthetic). 3 Vigorous exercise can improve
mental function. 4 Learning problems associated with developmental differences in brain
function cannot be remediated by education. 5 Differences in hemispheric dominance
(left brain, right brain) can help explain individual differences amongst learners. 6 Short
bouts of co-ordination exercises can improve integration of left and right hemispheric
brain function. 7 Individuals learn better when they receive information in their preferred
learning style (e.g. visual, auditory, kinaesthetic). 8 Teaching to learning styles is more
important in language learning than in other types of learning. 9 Extended rehearsal of
some mental processes can change the shape and structure of some parts of the brain.
Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and
Teacher Training
7. 7. Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and
Teacher Training
8. 8. Why do neuromyths exist? 1 sometimes theyre based on reality .. BUT myths are
perpetuated and go unchallenged eg in popular media 2 the evidence is hard to
understand / the evidence is hidden in technical journals lack of neuroscientific literacy
3 there can be no evidence the neuromyth is untestable Carol Lethaby and Patricia
Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
9. 9. Teacher from Pickering and Howard-Jones study, 2007 p 112 The snake oil sellers
are often gifted communicators Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015
Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
10. 10. ( An example of a neuromyth is that learning is enhanced if people are classified and
taught according to their preferred learning style. Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries:
TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
11. 11. This misconception is based on a valid research finding, namely that visual,
auditory, and kinesthetic information is processed in different parts of the brain. (Dekker
et al, 2012) Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning
Styles and Teacher Training
12. 12. However, these separate structures in the brain are highly interconnected and there is
profound cross- modal activation and transfer of information between sensory modalities
(Gilmore et al., 2007). Thus, it is incorrect to assume that only one sensory modality is
involved with information processing. (Dekker et al, 2012) Carol Lethaby and Patricia
Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
13. 13. Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and
Teacher Training
14. 14. How does the belief in this neuromyth manifest itself in the classroom? 1 We
identify learning styles formal and informal assessment 2 We try to teach to preferred
learning styles to enhance learning 3 We teach on initial and in-service training courses
that this is important Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience,
Learning Styles and Teacher Training
15. 15. Recommendations Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience,
Learning Styles and Teacher Training
16. 16. Problems with learning styles 1. Definition and assessment Coffield et al (2004) look
at 13 models of learning styles! Learners have to assess themselves are they accurate?
Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and
Teacher Training
17. 17. Problems with learning styles: 2 There is no evidence that teaching to preferred
learning styles enhances learning. Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015
Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
18. 18. Krtzig and Arbuthnott (2006) Two ways to identify learners: self-report and
questionnaire Less than 50% agreement between the learner and the questionnaire No
correlation between the learning style and objective test performance For example:
40% self-identified as visual learners 60% identified as visual learners on questionnaire
Only 23% performed best on the visual test Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL
2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
19. 19. Coffield, F., Moseley, D., Hall, E., and Ecclestone, K. (2004). Learning Styles and
Pedagogy in Post-16 Learning. A Systematic and Critical Review. London: Learning and
Skills Research Centre. Krtzig, G.P. and Arbuthnott, K.D. (2006). Perceptual learning
style and learning proficiency: A test of the hypothesis. Journal of Educational
Psychology, 98, 238-246. Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2009).
Learning styles: Concepts and evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest,
9(3), 105-119. Riener, C., & Willingham, D. (2010). The myth of learning styles.
Change, Sept/Oct, 32-36. Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015
Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
20. 20. Problems with learning styles 3.Research suggests that teaching to all styles - visual,
auditory, kinesthetic may actually be cognitive overload for the learner . (See: Butcher,
2006, Clark, 2014) Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience,
Learning Styles and Teacher Training
21. 21. So, what about in language learning and teaching? How widespread is the use of
learning styles in our teaching and the belief that this helps learning? Carol Lethaby and
Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
22. 22. The Survey Howard-Jones (2014) 938 participants, 38 statements about the brain
Our survey (2015) - 128 participants, 9 statements mainly focusing on learning styles
Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and
Teacher Training
23. 23. neuromyths 1. We mostly only use 10% of our brains 4. Learning problems
associated with developmental differences in brain function cannot be remediated by
education 5. Differences in hemispheric dominance (left brain, right brain) can help
explain individual differences amongst learners 6. Short bouts of co-ordination exercises
can improve integration of left and right hemispheric brain function 7. Individuals learn
better when they receive information in their preferred learning style (e.g. visual,
auditory, kinaesthetic) 8. Teaching to learning styles is more important in language
learning than in other types of learning Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015
Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
24. 24. 30.47% 6.25% 65.63% 61.72% 88.28% 21.88% 1. 10% 4. Learning problems 5. Left
brain, right brain 6. Coordination exercises 7. VAK 8. Learning styles in language
learning % who agree with neuromyths (n = 128) Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries:
TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
25. 25. % of teachers who agree with neuromyths' Our survey UK The Netherlands Turkey
Greece China 1. 10% 30 48 46 50 43 59 4. Learning problems 6 16 19 22 33 50 5.Left
brain, right brain 66 91 86 79 74 71 6. Coord. exercises 62 88 82 72 60 84 7. VAK 88 93
96 97 96 97 Howard-Jones (2014) Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015
Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
26. 26. TESOL training courses taken 39 68 2 1 32 CELTA Other certificate TESOL
major/minor DELTA Masters in TESOL Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL
2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
27. 27. Spotlight on VAK Individuals learn better when they receive information in their
preferred learning style (e.g. visual, auditory, kinaesthetic) Perhaps the most popular and
influential myth.. Howard-Jones (2014) Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL
2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
28. 28. Spotlight on VAK % of teachers who agree with the VAK neuromyth % of teachers
who said they received input on brain-based ideas on the teacher training course % of
teachers who say the input has influenced their teaching CELTA 90 64 (100) 80 Carol
Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher
Training
29. 29. Learning styles on the CELTA Candidates can demonstrate their learning by
teaching a class with an awareness of learning styles Cambridge English CELTA
syllabus Third Edition Teaching practice assessment criteria Observe your learner
during class. Identify their learning styleFind one activity that could help your
learner and say why it is helpful for your learner in particular. Cambridge English
CELTA Focus on the Learner assignment rubric (Teaching House) Carol Lethaby and
Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
30. 30. % of teachers who said they received input on brain- based ideas on the TESOL
training course % of teachers who say the input has influenced their teaching Cert
TESOL 46 97 Masters TESOL 66 86 Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015
Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
31. 31. Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and
Teacher Training
32. 32. Some survey conclusions TESOL training courses may encourage beliefs in
neuromyths Teachers say their teaching is influenced by beliefs in neuromyths
Teachers also hear and read about neuromyths and brain- based ideas outside of their
teaching and training Teachers would like more discussion of brain- based ideas on
their TESOL training courses and in post-training professional development Carol
Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher
Training
33. 33. Recommendations Recommendations Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL
2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
34. 34. A Clark (2015) Dont waste your time and resources with learning styles
assessments Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning
Styles and Teacher Training
35. 35. If you total the expenditures on books, workshops, tests, teacher guides and other
adjunct resources, I suspect the investment goes into the millions. Clark , 2012
https://www.td.org/Publications/Blogs/L-and-D-Blog/2012/05/Stop-Wasting-Resources-
on-Learning- Styles Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience,
Learning Styles and Teacher Training
36. 36. The emphasis on learning styles, we think, often comes at the cost of attention to
. other important dimensions. Riener and Willingham (2010) Carol Lethaby and
Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
37. 37. B Why not focus on evidence-based ways that we know are more helpful to
learners? learn how to use visuals / text / audio better! (eg Butcher, (2006), or
Wouters et al (2008)) Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience,
Learning Styles and Teacher Training
38. 38. Pashler et al, 2009 Pashler et al (2009)Pashler et al (2009) Carol Lethaby and
Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
39. 39. present information in the most appropriate manner for our content and for the
level of prior knowledge, ability, and interests of that particular set of students. Riener
and Willingham, 2010 Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience,
Learning Styles and Teacher Training
40. 40. C Consider whether teaching to all styles visual, auditory, kinesthetic may be
overload for the learner! See Clark (2012, 2014) (not to mention overload for teachers
trying to design lessons to all learning styles) Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL
2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
41. 41. D Teacher training Pickering and Howard-Jones (2007) , Howard-Jones (2014),
Dekker et al (2012) Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience,
Learning Styles and Teacher Training
42. 42. 1 Stop teaching / perpetuating neuromyths! Talk about this overtly with trainees 2
Include neuroscience and psychology in initial teacher training 3 Help teachers to read /
evaluate and take advantage of scientific research 4 Hybrid professional to act as a
bridge between neuroscientists and educators Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL
2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training
43. 43. the importance of a dialog between teachers and neuroscience experts in order to
establish effective collaborations between the two fields Dekker et al, 2012 Carol
Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher
Training
44. 44. References Butcher, K.R. (2006). Learning from text with diagrams: Promoting
mental model development and inference generation. Journal of Educational Psychology,
98, 182-197 Clark, R C (2012) Stop wasting resources on learning styles ATD Learning
and Development Blog https://www.td.org/Publications/Blogs/L-and-D-Blog Clark,
R.C (2015) Evidence-based Training Methods ASTD Coffield, F., Moseley, D., Hall,
E., and Ecclestone, K. (2004). Learning Styles and Pedagogy in Post-16 Learning. A
Systematic and Critical Review. London: Learning and Skills Research Centre.
Dekker,S., Lee, N.C., Howard-Jones, P., and Jolles, J. (2012). Neuromyths in education:
Prevalence and predictors of misconceptions among teachers. Frontiers in Psychology
3/429 1 - 8 Howard-Jones, P (2014) Neuroscience and education: myths and messages.
Nature Reviews Neuroscience Volume 15 December 2014 817-824 Krtzig, G.P. and
Arbuthnott, K.D. (2006). Perceptual learning style and learning proficiency: A test of the
hypothesis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98, 238-246. Pashler, H., McDaniel, M.,
Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2009). Learning styles: Concepts and evidence. Psychological
Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 105-119. Pickering, S. J., and Howard-Jones, P.
(2007). Educators views on the role of neuroscience in education: findings from a study
of UK and international perspectives. Mind Brain Educ. 1, 109113. Riener, C., &
Willingham, D. (2010). The myth of learning styles. Change, Sept/Oct, 32-36. Wouters,
P., Paas, F. & van Merrienboer, J.J.G. (2008). How to optimize learning from animated
models: A review of guidelines based on cognitive load. Review of Educational
Research, 78, 645-675. Carol Lethaby and Patricia Harries: TESOL 2015 Neuroscience,
Learning Styles and Teacher Training
45. 45. Bridging the gap: Neuroscience, Learning Styles and Teacher Training Carol Lethaby
clethaby@clethaby.com Patricia Harries pattiharries@hotmail.com