What’s happening in their heads?

An introduction to some neuroscience behind SEAL

Revisiting Learning

What is learning?

How do we learn?

What role does emotion play?

NEO CORTEX

The ‘Thinking’ Brain

Left Right Words Creativity Patterns

Sequences Imagination

Analysis Whole picture

LIMBIC BRAIN

The ‘Feeling’ Brain

1. Five senses

2. Emotional Memory

3. Context

REPTILIAN BRAIN

The ‘Survival’ Brain

• Basic body systems

• Desire to avoid harm

Processing learning

• The role of the cortex

• Right or left?

• Or both?

The Role of the Limbic System

• Senses

• Thalamus

• Hippocampus

• Amygdala

• Hypothalamus

• Cortical lobes

The importance of PFC

Pre

Frontal

Cortex …or this bit ‘ere

Birth to three matters

From birth to three years a child learns an amazing array of social and emotional skills. Interactions at this age actually builds brain networks in the PFC.Add wall

Teenage brain

• Hormones alone are not responsible!

• Pruning at this age is similar to changes in infant brains

• Frontal lobe is a hot bed of activity and bears little resemblance to a child or adults brain

• The amygdala is used to guide responses more than the frontal lobes

Emotional States

• Fear

• Joy

• Sadness

• Disgust

• Surprise

• Anger

Learner stress

Snakes, spiders and sabre tooth tigers.....

… risks, tests and bully boy fighters?

NEO CORTEX

The ‘Thinking’ Brain

Left Right Words Creativity Patterns

Sequences Imagination

Analysis Whole picture

LIMBIC BRAIN

The ‘Feeling’ Brain

1. Five senses

2. Emotional Memory

3. Context

REPTILIAN BRAIN

The ‘Survival’ Brain

• Basic body systems

• Desire to avoid harm

Zones for Learning

• Comfort Zone

• Challenge Zone

• Stress Zone

Would you like to know more?

Check out

PBSwww.pbs.org/wnte/brain/outreach/episodes.html

Neuroscience for Kidshttp://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html

Brain activitieswww.brainconnection.com