rationale for adolescent literacy focus rationale for adolescent literacy focus brain research ari...

Rationale Rationale for for Adolescent Adolescent Literacy Literacy FocusFocus

Brain Brain Research Research

ARI Content Literacy 2010

Parameters• Everyone is a participant.• Silence technology (cell phones,

computers, etc.).• Minimize side bar conversations. • Abstain from electronic conversations.• Respect time.• Be receptive to learning and others’

opinions.• Have fun learning together.


Just Like an Adolescent!


Brain Research Lesson Agenda

Outcome: Participants will identify characteristics of adolescents and the adolescent brain.

Before: ABC BrainstormDuring: Adolescent QuizAfter: ABC Brainstorm Reflection


What are the characteristics of What are the characteristics of adolescents?adolescents?

On your own (2 minutes)On your own (2 minutes)

With a partner (2 minutes)With a partner (2 minutes)

In a collaborative group (2 minutes)In a collaborative group (2 minutes)

SharingSharingARI Content Literacy 2010

The Adolescent BrainThe Adolescent BrainQuizQuiz

Multiple ChoiceMultiple Choice

1.1. During adolescence the adolescent During adolescence the adolescent brain is______.brain is______.

a. growinga. growing

b. becoming smallerb. becoming smaller

c. nonexistentc. nonexistent

d. frighteningd. frightening


Correct Answer is (b)Correct Answer is (b) During adolescence the brain During adolescence the brain

consolidates learning in the prefrontal consolidates learning in the prefrontal cortex by pruning away synapses and cortex by pruning away synapses and wrapping white matter (myelin) wrapping white matter (myelin) around other connections to stabilize around other connections to stabilize and strengthen them. Even though the and strengthen them. Even though the brain of a teenager is maturing, brain of a teenager is maturing, between the ages of 13 and 18 they between the ages of 13 and 18 they are losing 1 percent of their gray are losing 1 percent of their gray matter every year.matter every year.

(Huttenlocher, 1979; Bourgeois, Goldman-Rakic, & Rakic, 1994; Woo, Pucak, Kye, Matus, & Lewis, 1997; Zecevic & Rakic, 2001; Jensen, 2005).




2. The prefrontal cortex controls________.2. The prefrontal cortex controls________.

a. the postfrontal cortexa. the postfrontal cortex

b. planning, working memory, b. planning, working memory,

organization, and mood organization, and mood

modulationmodulation

c. the ability to mask all outward c. the ability to mask all outward

signs of intelligencesigns of intelligence

d. kinesthetic and tactile abilityd. kinesthetic and tactile abilityARI Content Literacy 2010

Correct Answer is (b)Correct Answer is (b) The prefrontal cortex is the area of the brain The prefrontal cortex is the area of the brain

controlling planning, working memory, controlling planning, working memory, organization, and mood modulation.organization, and mood modulation.

The prefrontal cortex appears to be the last The prefrontal cortex appears to be the last region of the brain to mature, undergoing region of the brain to mature, undergoing major changes throughout puberty (Casey, major changes throughout puberty (Casey, Gledd, & Thomas, 2000).Gledd, & Thomas, 2000).

This area of the brain is not mature until about This area of the brain is not mature until about 18 years of age (Spinks, 2002).18 years of age (Spinks, 2002).

Short-term memory is impacted by synaptic Short-term memory is impacted by synaptic pruning during adolescence. An adolescent pruning during adolescence. An adolescent student can generally retain from 5 to 7 bits of student can generally retain from 5 to 7 bits of information at one time. (information at one time. (Gasser, U., & Palfrey, J., 2009)


Taken in concert with other Taken in concert with other developmental issues at this age, developmental issues at this age, brain development reinforces the brain development reinforces the following typical adolescent following typical adolescent behaviors:behaviors:– Engaging in strong, intense Engaging in strong, intense

interests, often short livedinterests, often short lived– Preferring interaction with peersPreferring interaction with peers– Preferring active to passive Preferring active to passive

learning (Giedd, 2002)learning (Giedd, 2002)ARI Content Literacy 2010


True or FalseTrue or False

3. There is no point in 3. There is no point in attempting toattempting toteach teach adolescents because they just adolescents because they just sit around with their shrinking sit around with their shrinking brains, text messaging each brains, text messaging each other or making snide other or making snide comments about how boring comments about how boring class is and then falling class is and then falling asleep….asleep….


Correct Answer is FalseCorrect Answer is False

The saying “use it or lose it” applies to brain growth The saying “use it or lose it” applies to brain growth during adolescence (Casey, 2000).during adolescence (Casey, 2000).

If a teen is “doing” music, sports, or academics, those If a teen is “doing” music, sports, or academics, those are the connections that will be hard wired. If they’re are the connections that will be hard wired. If they’re lying on the couch, playing video games or watching lying on the couch, playing video games or watching MTV, those are the cells and connections that are MTV, those are the cells and connections that are going to survive (Spinks, 2002).going to survive (Spinks, 2002).

Teachers need to strive to engage the senses and Teachers need to strive to engage the senses and emotions to gain students’ attention for learning. emotions to gain students’ attention for learning.




4. Teenagers are generally 4. Teenagers are generally bright eyed, alert, bright eyed, alert, enthusiastic, pleasant to enthusiastic, pleasant to be around, eager to learn, be around, eager to learn, and a pleasure to teach and a pleasure to teach first thing in the morning. first thing in the morning.


Correct Answer is FalseCorrect Answer is False During adolescence changes in the brain’s During adolescence changes in the brain’s

biological timing system trigger a shift in sleep biological timing system trigger a shift in sleep patterns. Teenagers’ brains aren’t ready to wake patterns. Teenagers’ brains aren’t ready to wake up until 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning (Carskadon, up until 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning (Carskadon, 1999).1999).

Teenagers need a little over 9 hours of sleep to Teenagers need a little over 9 hours of sleep to function well and remain alert during the day. A function well and remain alert during the day. A survey of 3000 teens showed the majority slept survey of 3000 teens showed the majority slept only about 7 hours a night, and more than ¼ only about 7 hours a night, and more than ¼ averaged 6 hours or less.averaged 6 hours or less.

Sleep deprivation leads to decreased motivation, Sleep deprivation leads to decreased motivation, absenteeism, inattention, and difficulty controlling absenteeism, inattention, and difficulty controlling emotions and behaviors (Commission on Behavior emotions and behaviors (Commission on Behavior and Social Science and Education, 2000).and Social Science and Education, 2000).ARI Content Literacy 2010

Sleep (cont.) Adolescents need time to catch up with

what’s happening in the brain.

The adolescent brain organizes and stores new learning during sleep time.

Sleep is needed after learning new information to enable that information to be stored in long-term memory.




5. Adolescents’ frontal 5. Adolescents’ frontal lobes lobes

are effective at storing are effective at storing

many ideas at one time. many ideas at one time.


Correct Answer is FalseCorrect Answer is FalseSo: Be concise. Adolescents’ frontal lobes are not So: Be concise. Adolescents’ frontal lobes are not

effective at storing many ideas at one time.effective at storing many ideas at one time.

Chunking is one of many instructional strategies Chunking is one of many instructional strategies supported by recent research about the human supported by recent research about the human brain. (Wormeli, 2002)brain. (Wormeli, 2002)

Students need an opportunity to summarize Students need an opportunity to summarize information and make connections after each information and make connections after each chunk to allow neural connections time to chunk to allow neural connections time to process.process.

Implication: Giving one direction at a time is Implication: Giving one direction at a time is helpful.helpful. ARI Content Literacy 2010

The Adolescent The Adolescent BArainBArainQuizQuiz


6. The pure lecture format 6. The pure lecture format has been proven as an has been proven as an ineffective form of content ineffective form of content delivery.delivery.


Correct Answer is TrueCorrect Answer is True

So: Be a facilitator (Sprenger, 2005). So: Be a facilitator (Sprenger, 2005).

Purposefully plan activities using Purposefully plan activities using strategies that allow students to ask strategies that allow students to ask significant higher-order questions and significant higher-order questions and make “authentic” decisions in order to make “authentic” decisions in order to organize information in the brain for organize information in the brain for long-term use (Caine & Caine, 2006; long-term use (Caine & Caine, 2006; Inlay, 2005).Inlay, 2005).


Lecturing?Lecturing?

During adolescence, students are During adolescence, students are extremely social. Allowing time for extremely social. Allowing time for students to discuss their learning with students to discuss their learning with partners or groups helps them understand partners or groups helps them understand how both they and their partner(s) are how both they and their partner(s) are learning.learning.

Use hands-on, engaging activities within 24 Use hands-on, engaging activities within 24 hours of learning new material to avoid hours of learning new material to avoid letting the brain throw out that information letting the brain throw out that information (Wormeli 2002 & Wolfe 2005).(Wormeli 2002 & Wolfe 2005).




7. The brain pays attention 7. The brain pays attention to what it has been to what it has been primed to receive.primed to receive.


Correct Answer is TrueCorrect Answer is True

So: Activate and/or build prior So: Activate and/or build prior knowledge to enable critical knowledge to enable critical connections to take place (Wormeli, connections to take place (Wormeli, 2002; Inlay, 2005).2002; Inlay, 2005).

Critical connections can be made Critical connections can be made through interactions such as: Socratic through interactions such as: Socratic seminars, debates, project-based seminars, debates, project-based learning in class, labs, incorporating learning in class, labs, incorporating music, etc.music, etc. ARI Content Literacy 2010



8. Incorporating movement into class when 8. Incorporating movement into class when teaching adolescents is good because it ___.teaching adolescents is good because it ___.

a. gives the teacher a break from teaching a. gives the teacher a break from teaching

b. teaches students rhythm and/or how to danceb. teaches students rhythm and/or how to dance

c. increases oxygen flow to the brain, facilitating c. increases oxygen flow to the brain, facilitating memorymemory

d. increases the potential for materials to go d. increases the potential for materials to go missing in the classroom.missing in the classroom.


Correct Answer is (c)Correct Answer is (c)

Sprenger (2005) suggests that movement is Sprenger (2005) suggests that movement is good for the cerebellum, which not only good for the cerebellum, which not only coordinates physical exercise, but also coordinates physical exercise, but also coordinates thought development.coordinates thought development.

Allowing students the opportunity to get up Allowing students the opportunity to get up and move around when discussing and move around when discussing something with a partner provides something with a partner provides processing time and facilitates memory.processing time and facilitates memory.

Physical exercise will improve the way the Physical exercise will improve the way the brain treats information.brain treats information.


With your new knowledge, With your new knowledge, return to your list and revise the return to your list and revise the

characteristics of adolescents characteristics of adolescents you wrote earlier in the session. you wrote earlier in the session. Use a different color pen/pencil Use a different color pen/pencil

for the new information. for the new information.


Backstepping the Brain Backstepping the Brain LessonLesson

Outcome: Participants will identify characteristics of adolescents and the adolescent brain.

Before: ABC BrainstormPurpose: activate prior knowledge

During: Adolescent QuizPurpose: engage with the content of the lesson

After: ABC Brainstorm ReflectionPurpose: reflect on the content of the lesson; integrate new information with prior knowledge


rationale for adolescent literacy focus rationale for adolescent literacy focus brain research ari...

Documents

adolescent quizafter

adolescent brainquiztrue

adolescent student

brain development

brain growth

prefrontal cortex controls

correct answer

adolescence casey