Columbia University: studying brain activity to explain learning (Learning World: S5E08, part 1/3)
At the Teachers College of Columbia University in New York, scientists study the electrical activity of the brain in order to understand how people learn to read, to problem solve and to learn new languages. Why is it harder for non-native speakers to acquire a new language? What happens with the brain when you learn and how do learning disorders affect your brain activity?
Dr. Karen Froud, the Head of the Neurocognition Language Lab of the Columbia University says that the problem is not producing the sounds that distinguish meaning, but rather perceiving the difference. When the activity of the brain is measured, this fact becomes obvious, showing the areas of the brain that are active when looking at different letters.
Teachers find these studies useful to understand and act upon their students' extraordinary behaviour, e.g. when they show symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism. One teacher explains the practical value of studying neurosciences: "Just understanding that sometimes they need more oxygen to their brain, you know I'd be able to help them with deep breathing and that could regulate their system a little bit."
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