Efficient Learning for the Poor: Insights from the Frontier of Cognitive Neuroscience

by Helen Abadzi

Overview

Large-scale efforts have been made since the 1990s to ensure that all children of the world go to school. But mere enrollment is not sufficient, students must become fluent in reading and calculation by the end of grade 2. Fluency is needed to process large amounts of text quickly and use the information for decisions that may ultimately reduce poverty. State-of-the-art brain imaging and cognitive psychology research can help formulate effective policies for improving the basic skills of low-income students. This book integrates research into applications that extend from preschool brain development to the memory of adult educators. In layman's terms, it provides explanations and answers to questions such as: - Why do children have to read fast before they can understand what they read? - How do health, nutrition, and stimulation influence brain development? - Why should students learn basic skills in their maternal language? - Is there such a thing as an untrained teacher? - What signs in a classroom show whether students are getting a quality education? - How must information be presented in class so that students can retain it and use it? - What training techniques are most likely to help staff put their learning into use? This book would be useful to policymakers, donor agency staff, teacher trainers, supervisors, and inspectors, as well as university professors and students.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780821366882
Publisher:	World Bank Publications
Publication date:	06/20/2006
Series:	Directions in Development - Human Development
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgements	vii
	Overview	viii
	Acronyms	xiv
Part I	Cognitive Reesearch on Basic Skills
1	The Pedagogy of Poverty	3
	Neurocognitive Research: The Key to the Black Box	8
2	Health, Nutrition, and Cognitive Processing	11
	Health and Nutritional Obstacles to Learning	12
	Developmental Delays and the Importance of Preschool	15
	Policy Implications	18
3	Nervous System Linkages with School Performance	21
	Policy Implications	23
4	Memory and Basic Skills Acquisition	24
	Knowledge Intake: Attention Span and Prospects for Improving It	25
	The Peculiarities of Memory: Eternal as Well as Fleeting	25
	Working Memory: A Concept Critical for Effective Education	27
	Why Is Working Memory So Important for School Work?	28
	How Information Learned in School Is Consolidated	30
	Policy Implications	35
	Research Needs	35
5	Literacy Acquisition and the Biology of Reading	36
	Reading Benchmarks and Norms	41
	Reading Issues Affecting the Poor	42
	Phonics Versus "Whole Word" Methods	44
	Policy Implications	47
	Research Needs	49
6	Why Mother-Tongue Instruction Improves Achievement	50
	The Benefits of Bilingual Education	53
	Policy Implications	57
	Research Needs	57
7	The Development and Teaching of Numeracy	58
	The Effects of Language Switching in Math	60
	Policy Implications	61
	Research Needs	61
8	The Cognitive Effects of Classroom Events	62
	"Chalk and Talk" Lecturing (Very Effective for Brief Periods)	64
	Practice, Questions, Feedback, Discussion (Very Effective)	65
	Individual Seatwork (Limited Effectiveness)	66
	Projects (Limited Effectiveness for Basic Skills)	67
	Noninstructional Activities (Ineffective)	67
	Policy Implications	70
	Research Needs	70
Part II	Resources for Effective Instruction
9	Which Instructional Methods Are Most Efficient?	73
	The Pros and Cons of Constructivism and Discovery Learning	75
	The Pros and Cons of "Direct Instruction"	77
	Policy Implications	79
10	Use and Wastage of Instructional Time	80
	Schools Open fewer than the Official Number of Days	80
	Teacher Absenteeism	82
	Student Absenteeism	84
	Wastage of Class Time	84
	Policy Implications	87
	Research Needs	88
11	A Textbook for Every Student to Take Home	89
	Policy Implications	92
12	Improving Instructional Support	93
	Classroom "Climate" and Student Achievement	93
	The Case of the Missing Homework	94
	Curricular Effects on Student Achievement	95
	Effects and Interpretation Difficulties of Achievement Tests	97
	Effects of School Facilities on Achievement and Attendance	99
	Policy Implications	101
13	Student Grouping and Class Size Effects	102
	Formation of Student Groups: Learning Potential and Issues	104
	Student Performance in Multigrade Classes	108
	Policy Implications	111
Part III	Performance of Teachers and Educational Systems
14	Teacher Incentives and Motivation	115
	Motivation and Incentives-Extrinsic and Intrinsic	115
	Self-Efficacy and the Challenge of Never-Ending Tasks	119
	Increasing Accountability	120
	Policy Implications	122
15	Performance and Training of Educators	123
	Social Status and Attitudes toward Students	123
	Attitudes toward Teaching	124
	Teacher Training Institutions May Not Teach Effectively	126
	Improving the Effectiveness of Teaching Behaviors	127
	Improving the Effectiveness of Training Events	128
	Policy Implications	130
16	The Seven Pillars of Basic Skills for All	132
	Benchmarks and Monitoring Indicators	134
	Invest More in the Lower Grades	136
	Efficient Access Goal	137
	Disseminating Lessons from Research	137
Annex	Cognitive Neuroscience Basics for Education	141
I	Neuropsychology Essentials	141
A	Neural Development in Young Organisms	141
B	Nerve Wiring and Survival of the Fittest Memories	143
C	Brain Architecture and Learning Functions	145
D	Memory Systems	150
E	Nature, Culture, and Circumstances	152
F	Cultural Differences in Students' Cognition	155
G	Gender-Related Issues in Cognition	157
II	The Lens of Cognitive Science	159
A	Attention	159
B	Storage of Information in Cognitive Networks	161
C	The Uses and Abuses of Memorization	182
D	Copying From the Blackboard and Note-Taking	185
E	Transfer of Learning to Other Skills	186
F	How, What, and Why Learners Forget	187
G	Higher Cognitive Functions	189
H	Learning Styles: Do They Exist?	190
I	Expertise and Its Implications	190
J	Ability to Act on "Lessons Learned" by Donors and Governments	192
K	Age-Related Memory Changes and Their Implications for Learners	193
L	Training Implications for Middle-Aged Educators	194
	Notes	203
	References	237
	Index	282
	Boxes
1.1	The "Education for All" Goals	4
2.1	Health and School Attendance	12
2.2	Full-Time Schools: Special Attention for Low-Income Students	19
4.1	How Much Attention Do Students Pay in Class?	26
4.2	Chewing Gum Increases Recall of Words	32
4.3	Poor Students Forget More During End-of-Year Vacations	34
5.1	Sixty Words per Minute for All	47
5.2	With Efficient Instruction, Children Can Learn Multiple Scripts	48
6.1	How Many Years Are Needed to Teach Sufficient Language?	56
8.1	Activities and Achievement in Jamaican Schools	68
9.1	Constructivist Curricula, Illiterate Artists?	76
12.1	Youth Orchestras for the Poor in Venezuela	97
13.1	"Hole-in-the-Wall Experiment"	109
14.1	Extrinsic Teacher Incentives and "Cramming" for Exams	116
14.2	How Do Teachers Use School Grants?	118
16.1	An "Indicative Framework" for Educational Quality	135
16.2	How Well Do Schools in Niger Improve Human Capital?	140
A-1	The Sociology of Competition	166
A-2	Levels of Processing	176
A-3	The Brief Window of Opportunity for Learning	179
A-4	Useful Knowledge Tends to Be Remembered	183
A-5	Visualizing Tasks Could Improve Training Outcomes	195
	Figures
1.1	Burkina Faso, a Poor Country with Large Enrollment Increases	5
1.2	Fulani-Speaking Girls in Rural Niger	8
2.1	Cumulative Number of Words Addressed to Children	16
2.2	Biological Needs for Learning	20