Empowering Educators to Adopt Brain Literate Instructional Approaches in the Classroom

Teachers and allied professionals change the brains of students with their instruction and interventions. Since their efforts lead to physiological changes through the brain’s natural propensity for plasticity, it is perplexing that very few educators know about the brain, or how their actions influence brain development in the children they serve. In contrast, neuroscientists understand the brain basis of learning and behavior, but this knowledge is seldom translated into educational practice, leaving many to question the pragmatic value of educational neuroscience research. In this paper, we discuss the Teaching Brain Literacy Initiative (TBLI) for developing educator understanding and use of neuroscience knowledge in the classroom. Results suggest that didactic training, illustrative case studies, and jigsaw cooperative learning groups increased practitioner reported knowledge, skills, and opinions towards difference/disability. Limitations and potential future research efforts will be presented, including ways to foster knowledge translation from science to practice.