onents of the brain and their functioning to learning (Sousa, 1998). Essentially, the brain-based teaching strategy allows students to achieve optimal learning through an understanding of how the brain processes information in different ways.
First of all, as explained by Eric Jensen, the brain tends to create patterns as a means of linking discrete items. The formation of these patterns allows the brain to classify information into various categories for efficient processing (in Weiss, 2000). Information that cannot be integrated into patterns in the brain will thus disappear from short-term memory. Students who are exposed to new learning have greater likelihood of retaining information that is meaningful or interesting to them (Sousa, 1998; Weiss, 2000). Thus, brain-based learning emphasizes the need to provide meaningful learning, instead of requiring the memorization of discrete items. Teachers can help students to learn and process information efficiently by connecting newly acquired knowledge to previous knowledge or broader concepts (Caine & Caine, 1995).
Second, according to Caine and Caine (1995), the brain is a parallel processor that is capable of performing several functions simultaneously. Based on this understanding, brain-based learning emphasizes the importance of providing students with a dynamic and rich learning environment that fully engages their senses. Therefore, teachers should utilize a wide variety of resources including those of the community to expose their students to different types of learning experiences.
Third, the understanding that the brain also contains the "emotional system" (Green, 1999, p. 683) highlights the importance of emotions in student behavior and learning. How students are able to learn is therefore related to their feelings about their learning environment and experiences. For instance, Weiss (2000) pointed out that students who undergo excessive stress in th...