Learning to Learn
The Menu for today
The Brain
 Being multisensory
 Avoiding stress
 Seeing the big picture
 Organising learning
 Making links
 Revision Tips
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What is brain-based learning?
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All Learning takes
place in the brain.
Everyone learns in a
different way.
Accelerated learning is
about knowing how the
brain is constructed
and how to be a
successful learner.
In the Days of the Caveman

What would he
have to think
about?
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What would he
have to learn?
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What would he be
afraid of?
The Functions of the Brain
The Reptilian Brain
• Making sure you survive
• Breathing and making your
arms and legs move
• Protecting your territory
• Knowing how to get a
mate.
• Knowing who the boss is.
• The things you do without
thinking about them
The Functions of the Brain
The Limbic System
• Helping us get well when
we’re ill
• Eating and sleeping
patterns
• Knowing what to do when
you’ve got a mate.
• Understanding what is right
and what is wrong.
• Routing information to
where it is needed
• Controlling emotions
• Retaining information in
long term memory
The Functions of the Brain
The Cerebral Cortex
This part of the brain has evolved
most recently. It is divided into two
halves and is situated on top of the
limbic system. It is responsible for:
• Relaying messages from
right and left brain.
• Problem solving
• Understanding how to get
on with people.
• Working out what things
mean and making the
connections with your own
experiences.
The more of your brain you
use………
the more you remember!
A Brain Teaser
2 men and 2 boys need to cross a river
Their boat will only take 1 man or 2
boys at a time
How do they all get across?
How did you work it out?
Some learners like to physically act out the problem
Verbal
Symbols
Two boys across
+2b
One boy back
-1b
One man across
+1m
One boy back
-1b
Two boys across
+2b
One boy back
-1b
One man across
+1m
One boy back
-1b
Two boys across
+2b
Pictorial
Breakstate
Double Doodle
Learning through the Multiple
Intelligences
LINGUISTIC
MATHEMATICAL &
LOGICAL
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Reading, poetry, writing
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Maths, puzzles, well-organised
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Thinks in pictures, maps and charts, uses movement
to help learning
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Independent, Knowing what you believe in, strong
sense of fairness
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Good timing, likes to act, dance and touch, good
control of objects
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Sensitive to mood & emotion, rhythm and melody
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Sorts out arguments, good communicator
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Notices and is interested in nature, environmentally
friendly
VISUAL & SPATIAL
INTRAPERSONAL
KINESTHETIC
MUSICAL
INTERPERSONAL
NATURALIST
Learning through the senses
A visual learner likes to use pictures to
work things out and remember things.
visual
An auditory learner likes to listen and
discuss things with others.
auditory
A kinaesthetic learner likes to move things,
act things out to work out and remember
things.
kinaesthetic
Everybody uses all their senses but most people
have one sense that is more effective when we
have to learn something new.
Songs
Making up songs
about what we
have learnt
stores it in the
long term
memory.
Surprise and fun
keep the brain
engaged.
Review and recall can
mean sharing what
you have
remembered. It is
important to be able
to review what you
have learnt regularly.
Explaining it to
someone else helps to
store the learning for
easy recall.
Review & Recall
We are all learners and we
can choose whether we learn
or not!
Water – essential for the brain!
Moistens the brain
Stops dry
mouth, poor breathing,
chapped lips
Makes you think more quickly
Get in the mood for learning
Stress is no good!
Breakstate
Would you like a piece of cake sir?
No Sir
Why Sir?
Because I’ve got a cold Sir
Where did you get the cold Sir?
From the North Pole Sir
What were you doing there Sir?
Catching polar bears Sir
How many did you catch Sir?
1 Sir, 2 Sir, 3 Sir, 4 Sir
What happened to the 5th Sir?
It caught me Sir!
Make mistakes
Important for success!
 Say, “I can”
 “How will I do it next time?”
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Memory techniques
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Mind maps
– Creating ideas
– Organising ideas
– Memorising information
Ask a child to explain
their mind map
The peg system & learning journeys– see
next slide
 Memory games to improve short term
memory
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– Available from the project
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Visual Associations
– I hear with my ear
Friend – we should never fri a
friend on Friday because
a friend will be there in the end.
And Friday is the end of the
week
The Peg System
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
How much do you forget?
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Add bottle emptying
Associations
You should never fri a
friend on Friday because a
friend will be there in the
end
 Lead - Pb – I ‘led’ in the
race and I achieved my
personal best
 The heart is like a pump
 white cells = soldiers
fighting the enemy
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PLANTS
PLANTS
Ways to revise
Make a poster summarising the main
points being as creative as possible
 Tape your summary and listen to it
 Describe what you know to a friend
 Regularly look at a mind map
 Revision cards with pictures and/or
words
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You have covered………..
The Brain
 Being multisensory
 Avoiding stress
 Seeing the big picture
 Organising learning
 Making links
 Revision Tips
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How do I learn best?
Now that you know what type of
learner you are…….
What are you going
to do about it?