How Right-Brain Activities Help Older Language Learners, Research Paper Example

Introduction

Recent studies have indicated that more mature learners benefit from encouragement from “right brain activity”.  The brain essentially has two different hemispheres, the left brain and the right brain.  The left hemisphere is the logical, analytical, structured thinking component; whereas the right is more focused upon aspects of creativity, random patterns, holistic ( the big picture) and intuition.  Individuals tend to generate their own choice of individual learning style.  The right brain tends to lean towards the more creative learner and holistic learning concepts. With regard to learning different languages the right brain has the following characteristics that aid the developmental process:

Curriculum

Within the curriculum thought process the right brain enables a more holistic view of the subject matter. This provides for a more expanded curriculum and wider language learning concepts. The learning process can provide more weight to creative, imagination and synthesis skills.

Instruction

Within the language teaching component the language instructor should provide study materials which engage both parts of the brain.  Exercises that combine structure, analysis and logic (left brain) combined with intuition, creativity and imagination (right brain). (Assoc, Right Brain vs. Left Brain)

Encouragement of Right Brain Learning Activity

Taxonomy of Memory

One of the main aspects of learning languages is the ability of good memory.  The ability to retain new words, level of comprehension and conjunction.  Within the context of memory there is a definitive hierarchy:

(John H. Schumann, 1992)

“Experts tell us that everyone has genius-like capabilities. And, you know what I found? The right brain subconscious is so fast and intuitive that it can naturally reveal the solutions to complex questions or problems before our logical, doubting left brain kicks in. We just need to get more in touch with those right brain functions.”  (Shichida, 2009)

Advantages of the Older Learner and Right Brain Functions

The older language student often sees the younger person grasping the language more efficiently, quicker and with less effort.  This can become very demotivating for the older student.  As such this presents a different type of challenge for the older learner.  In order to put this into better perspective it is possible to a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) study of the older learner.

The older learner has learnt to adapt beyond the formative years and has continued to strive for more knowledge, improved learning techniques and adapt more readily to computerization. These attributes are a result of the older person being more motivated and willing to adapt to changing circumstances. ” Special problems of adult language learners aged 50 and older studying English as a second language include physical, social, and psychological factors. Physical factors related to aging include vision and hearing problems that adults may not be willing to admit to. Older adults may also be more sensitive to room temperature and lighting, and may need more frequent breaks”  (Hedge, 1984)

In Eric Lenneberg’s “Biological Foundation of Language” he was more concerned with the function of the left brain through the stage of maturity.  He stated that there appeared to be a critical learning period for language acquisition and that the variable was whether the left brain was still sufficiently capable to proceed with language acquisition. ” whether brain tissue decreases as it becomes more adapted to cognitive functions”  (Lenneberg, 1967).  This suggests that despite the receptive contents of the right brain to the elder learner, the inter dependence between the two spheres cannot be dismissed in isolation.  If there is degradation of the left brain through the natural ageing process, then the right brain will be impacted from a performance or process perspective.. Krashen from the University of California argued differently to Lenneberg’s biological points. He concluded that ”  maturity occurred much earlier in puberty and as such adults language abilities were not impacted at a later date.” (Krashen, 1973)

An interesting study was made in Shriaz Azad University in Iran.  This examined both early learner and mature adult learning in the context of EFL ( Learning English as a Foreign Language).  This study considered  “One must bear in mind that first language acquisition starts in childhood and 2nd language learning is mostly related to adulthood. The idea of putting 1st and 2nd language acquisition within the same framework, brought about a lot of new findings and at the same time created serious problems in the realm of linguistics and teaching ”  (Forood Sepassi, 2007).  The concept of lateralization and earlier works supports evidential confirmation that AGE is  ” The dominant standpoint, amongst a large amount of literature, is that there certainly exists a phenomenon by the name of lateralization. The argument is about the exact age when this process reaches completion. Krashen (1980), among many others, proposed a much earlier age, five. The same hypothesis was put forward by Scovel (1984, p. 57): “One must be careful to distinguish between ‘emergence’ of lateralization (at birth, but quite evident at five) and ‘completion’ (only evident at about puberty)”. an important determining factor in the skills for language acquisition.  The findings stated.. ” (Forood Sepassi, 2007)

Obler (1981) a noted brain researcher concluded that there was considerable more right brain activity in second language learners, as opposed to those with single language skills. Studies indicated that the first languages were shown to be far more left lateralized. The right brain was seen to play a much greater role in the acquisition of knowledge and particularly ability to learn languages.

The Right-Brain Teacher

Recent studies have indicated that teachers tend to adopt a style that is applicable to their own brain culture.  The Right-Brain Teacher will tend to move more towards Adult teaching and maturer students. These teachers tend to be moreb creative, expressive and use visual or graphic media to support the teaching process.  The preference being towards more group activity learning as opposed to 1:1 teaching.  These teachers prefer a busy, noisy highly involved atmosphere as opposed to quiet student learning.  They look for more extrovert expressive students that are highly motiovated in trying out new ideas and concepts.

The Right-Brain Students

Leans more towards Adult learning concepts.  Preference towards freedom of expression and a tendency towards holistic thinking.  Students are more willing to try out new ideas and more flexible approaches to language acquisition.  One Teacher that moved more towards right brain teaching stated ” Over the past ten years I have gradually added overheads, videos, role-playing, simulations, group work, group assignments, and end-of-the-year group projects into my classes. I now feel that I am making my best effort to reach my left-, middle-, and right-brain learners. In doing this, I have mastered some exciting right-brained techniques”  (Connell, 1989)

Comparison of Two Sides of the Brain

It is useful to contrast the functions of both the left and right hand side of the Brain.

Right Brain Teaching Activities for Adults

Rhythem Practice

As musical ability is a part of the right brain function; the creative element. When conducting conversational exercises you can add upon this by adding rhythem.  One such exercise uses successfully in the classroom is getting the students to clap on the “stresses” when repeating sentences.  This emotional practice forms a rhythem and help the students memory retention.

Use of Humor

In teaching EFL the telling of jokes can be a great ice breaker, particularly in getting through ethnic and cultural barriers. The jokes also help people to relax and improve both listening skills and participation

Movement

This is a very powerful use of right brain activity in teaching languages.  A good example of this might be to place several objects of varying sizes on the floor.  Then ask a student to pick up a specific object – please pick up the plant pot !  If the students bends down picks up the plant pot and presents it to you, then, this indicates that he/she understands and interprets you correctly.

Songs

A good example of learning through singing the words and by repitition obtaining improved pronunciation and understanding.  Ballads are particularly powerful e.g. Norwegian Wood by the Beatles  Right brain activities find memory retention easy with songs and this can lead to tremendous improvements in pronunciation skills

Pictures

The old adage that ” a picture speaks 1000 words” is certainly true.  If you show a student a picture of the “Tower of London” for example the student can derive many facts by studying the image.  It is great for getting them to improve vocabulary, pronunciation and directly relating an object to the language equivalence.  A good exercise is to get the student to write down 10 images that result from a single picture image.  In the Tower exercise You might get:

Towers

Moats

River

Portcullis

Windows

Flags

etc…

Stories

Get the student to tell one or more of their favourite stories. Often related to life experiences. This is a creative exercise allowing freedom of expression and expressive behaviour. The right brain is particularly active here .  Group activity can be even more stimulating as you get the students to bounce ideas off each other.  The classic idea of getting one student to start a story and others to continue it within the group. For example:

Student A:  I went for a walk in the Forest today. I entered by a dark trail..

Student B:  Upon which i came across a ferocious Bear

Student C:  The Bear attacked me and bit off my leg ….. and so on

This exercise can inject emotions like

Apprehension… A dark trail in a forest

Fear… I came across a Bear

Horror… The Bear bit off my leg

The right brain being stimulated to associate pictures with words and impress these thoughts into memory.

The Brain Compatible Classroom

One of the challenges in EFL Training is how to create a Brain compatible classroom that will stimulate right brain activities of the students.  This essentially examines the teaching methods and the suitability of the environment to stimulate this type of learning. It is really not nough to separate the two  hemispheres of the brain and teach to either one side or the other. In fact the best approach is a more holistic one that caters for both sides of the brain learning patterns.  The Teachers need to identify the different learning stles and characteristics of the students. If a student is prone to more logical structured analytical thinking, then the Teacher might want to promote strength on left brain activity. The opposite would reply to a more creative, artistic extrovert character who might readily respond to more right brain thinking. Utimately it is the blend of the two that will provide a more holistic or balance result in the language learning process.

It is important to create the right learning environment. Straight rows of desks facing the teacher will create a more formal learning environment, whereas horse shoe shapes and circular patterns can groups together in a more interactive group learning process. Group interaction creates more stimulus to the brain and promotes a more integrated learning concept.  Choices of lighting and colour will impact the mood of learning, dark colours tend to create more serious sombre moods whereas light pastel colour express more openness and fin learning environments.  Add suitable props to this like art, sculpture, plants etc and you increase the expressive mood and create foundations for discussion.  (Kose, 2005)

Conclusion

In the acquisition of language skills, learning is a very natural process for everyone. The human brain has great dexterity and is able to adapt to varying levels of human intelligence.  Without a doubt it can be stimulated in order to promote the learning concepts. It is important, however, not to merely focus on one side of the brains attribiutes i.e. the logical analytical values of the left brain, or the creative artistic values of the right.  Instead the teachers should promote a more holistic sense of learning that creates the right balance in the use and articulation of the language.

“students learning the structure and the function of the brain realizes that learning is a natural process for everyone, and that everyone can learn everything just if sufficient time is given and the learning and teaching is done appropriate to the brain’s natural process.”  (Kose, 2005)

Works Cited

Assoc, O. P. (Right Brain vs. Left Brain, 2009). Retrieved 10 27, 2009, from Funderstanding: http://www.funderstanding.com/content/right-brain-vs-left-brain

Connell, D. (1989). Left Brain/Right Brain. Retrieved 10 27, 2009, from Scholastic: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3629

Forood Sepassi, P. S. (2007). Testing the Natural Order Hypothesis on the Framework of The Competition Model. Linguistics Journal , 130.

Hedge, D. (1984, 4 13). Helping the Older Adult to Succeed in the ESL Classroom. Retrieved 10 27, 2009, from Education Resources Information Centre: http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED246663&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED246663

John H. Schumann, S. E. (1992). The Neurobiology of Learning: Perspectives from Second Language Acquisition . In S. E. John H. Schumann, The Neurobiology of Learning: Perspectives from Second Language Acquisition (p. 232). Mahwah, NJ. : Laurence Ehrlbaum Assoc.

Kose, S. (2005, 3). Preparing a More Brain Compatible Classroom For. Kastamonu E?itim Dergisi , 287-298.

Krashen, D. (1973). Lateralization, language learning, and the critical period: some new. In K. S. D., Lateralization, language learning, and the critical period: some new (pp. 63-74). Los Angeles: Pergamon Press.

Lenneberg, E. (1967). Biological Foundations of Language. In E. Lenneberg, Biological Foundations of Language. Chicago: Wiley.

Shichida, D. M. (2009). Accelerated Learning Methods. Retrieved 10 27, 2009, from About Right Brain Games and Accelerated Learning Exercises : http://www.acceleratedlearningmethods.com/