I’m a bit of a neuroscience nerd. I love to learn about learning. Knowledge of God and His Word deserves the best teaching strategies. Brain-based learning is the evidence-based practice of teaching the way the brain learns. Neuroscientists are discovering how we learn best through use of functional MRI’s, which show what parts of the brain are firing while a person is engaged in a particular activity. It turns out that we learn best using the same methods Jesus used, which is no surprise. I love discovering scientific research that backs up the Bible.
I believe the Bible is 100% truth and I find it so interesting that the Bible described scientific things like ocean currents and germs way before science “discovered” them. With the help of neuroscience, we can use evidence-based practice in teaching the Bible to get the best results for all types of learners, including those with learning disabilities or neurodivergence. Following are five significant Brain-Based Learning principles the church can use to maximize learning for everyone:
Neurogenesis and Neuroplasticity
Neurogenesis is the formation of new neurons in the brain and neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change by creating new or modifying existing neural networks. The medical community and science didn’t always think this was the case. We now know that anyone, at any age, can grow new neurons and can develop new pathways of learning in the brain! This is wonderful news and it’s encouraging to think about the possibilities. Jesus clearly showed that He believed everyone can learn and change. Jesus challenged people from all walks of life and with all types of difficulties to grow mentally and spiritually. Let’s not leave anyone in the margins at church. We have the opportunity to teach all ages and all levels of learners about God and His Word.
I have had the privilege of seeing this firsthand in a member of our congregation with significant cognitive deficits and profound disabilities. Carlos is 10 years old, and he has a smile that literally goes from ear to ear. I implemented a simple Brain-Based Bible curriculum with him, and we have seen amazing results. Carlos went from spending each Sunday merely playing in the nursery at church to participating in a class designed for him where he is learning and requesting more Biblical teaching each week.
Using novel repetition and practice we teach Carlos basic Biblical principles each week using what is relevant to him (balls, books, and music). He looks forward to coming to his class and joining Kid’s Church, where he is welcomed by his friends and participates as fully as he is able. The Kid’s Church lessons are also based on the principles of Brain-Based Learning, which allows for children of all ages and abilities to participate and learn.
4 Ways to Prime the Brain for Learning Using Brain-Based Principles:
Relevance
Make the lesson relevant which prepares the brain to store new information. Relevance is: establishing perceived importance, creating anticipation, piquing interest, attaching meaning and application. Jesus regularly established relevance in His teaching by asking poignant questions and relating spiritual lessons to the world around Him, including politics, weather, agriculture, and trades.
Ideas To Establish Relevance in Teaching:
- Asking an intriguing question
- Play a game to introduce the topic
- Relate the topic to current culture
- Brainstorming the topic together
- Tell a personal story
Relationships & Emotions
Form healthy relationships and emotions between the teachers and students. People need to feel safe and calm to learn, this is a proven fact. The science behind this is very clear, when the brain is flooded with stress hormones, like cortisol, it cannot learn. The activity in the brain is focused on survival, not learning, when a person is stressed or in a Fight or Flight response. Safe, healthy relationships promote learning by releasing neurochemicals like oxytocin into the brain, which increase brain activity in the areas for learning. An anxious brain is not in the right state for learning. Jesus took time to see people in the margins and he cared for their emotional state because he wanted to build a relationship with them. He was quick to calm fears and he met people’s emotional and physical needs so He could meet their spiritual needs.
Ways to Build Relationship & Positive Emotions:
- Greet people by name
- Listen to their stories
- Give the students opportunities to share stories with each other
- Create an environment of inclusion & kindness which promotes a safe space
Novel Repetition & Practice
There is undeniable research that repetition and practice are crucial to learning, but the brain also needs novelty to learn. Getting creative in reviewing and practicing lessons is the best way to get information into long term memory Jesus reviewed His lessons often with the disciples and He taught the same spiritual principles in a variety of ways. The parables changed, but the lessons were often repeated.
Novel Ways to Review Material:
- Have students Turn & Teach what they have learned
- Play games to review lessons
- Schedule regular review of past lessons to encourage long term memory
- Keep it fun, which also establishes relevance
- Hang a small visual on the wall as a reminder of each lesson
Multisensory
Using multisensory input and movement in teaching has phenomenal research behind it, plus it’s fun! Research has shown that engaging the whole brain through multiple senses helps the brain to learn more efficiently, retain information longer and aides in retrieval. Challenge yourself to include as many of the senses as you can in each lesson: movement, vision, auditory, tactile, smell, and taste. Multi-sensory learning creates multiple pathways in the brain. This allows the brain to self-correct if part of the brain is in error or isn’t processing information correctly. For example, a student with dyslexia benefits from learning with a combination of visual imagery, tactile/touch, auditory and kinesthetic hands-on learning. The Bible is rich with multi-sensory learning: baptism, Lord’s Supper/Communion, Festivals of Remembrance, Passover Meal, rainbows, sand, dirt, stars, bread, light, salt, anointing oils, and the temple design.
Movement
The science behind movement and learning is astounding. The book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, has collected this research and provided great ideas for movement and learning. Research has shown that 20 minutes of high-intensity exercise creates neurogenesis! This means new neurons can be formed in people of any age or cognitive level! Students who are physically active have better memory, better behavior, and better academic performance according to the literature. Our bodies produce Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) with 20 minutes of high-intensity exercise, which allows for neurogenesis and lays the groundwork for new learning. Jesus often taught while he and His disciples were walking or moving throughout their day. The Bible says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up”. Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Learning while doing is effective! Be sure to check out our next blog, full of engaging ways to use multisensory ideas to teach the Bible.
References:
“Brain-Based Learning”, The Glossary of Education Reform, Great Schools Partnership, 8/29/201. https://www.edglossary.org/brain-based-learning/
Winters, C. A. (2001). Brain based teaching: Fad or promising teaching method. U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED455218.pdf.
Jensen, Eric and McConchie, Liesl. Brain-Based Learning: Teaching The Way Students Really Learn. 3rd ed., Corwin, 2020, pg. 83.
Schneider, S., Nebel, S., Beege, M., & Rey, G. D. (2018). A meta-analysis of how signaling affects learning with media. Educational Research Review, 23, 1-24.
Ratey, J. (2008). Spark: The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain. School TIMSS data on page 12. New York, NY: Little Brown.
Michael, S. L., Merlo, C. L., Basch, C. E., Wentzel, K. R., & Wechsler, H. (2015). Critical Connections: Health and Academics, Journal of School Health, 85(11), 740-758.
