The Future of Education

This paper is based on current information about the human brain during the process of reading. Through the advances of fMRI, PET, and EEG brain imaging, neuroscientists have begun to learn about how the brain processes new information, and transfers the new learning from short term to long term memory. This new information regarding how the brain learns to read can help teachers to create effective, research-based lessons and activities. Traditionally, teachers have learned by trial and error which instructional methods met the needs of their students.  Current brain research can be used as a guideline when creating a preliminary brain-based reading instructional framework. Two key ideas from neuroscience pertaining to reading instruction were consistently found in the literature: 1) the brain attends to novelty, movement, intensity and contrast 2) neural connections are built through the repetition of skills.  Effective brain-based instruction requires different instructional strategies for individuals based on such variables as prior learning, experience, and a select set of cognitive neuroscience principles.  This paper outlines some of the most important information we currently possess on how the brain learns and in particular how the brain learns to read.  In addition this paper offers brain specific instructional strategies targeted at teaching the components of reading instruction

Keywords: Reading, brain-based research, neuroscience, reading strategies, struggling readers, dyslexia;