Every Action has a Beginning

School has a definite beginning and a definite end. Students and teachers know when school starts and when it ends.

This study looks at how important beginnings and endings are in learning. Researchers disrupted neural activity in rats similar to what those who suffer from Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases experience. This impaired the rat’s ability to complete tasks. Interrupting ones ability know when a task starts and ends is disruptive to learning.

Application
Teachers should ensure students know when a learning task is started and when it ends. This can be done with a timer or with a visual cue; such as a sign or even lights.

Use Music for Better Learning

Students listen to music daily. They share music with their friends and talk about what they are listening to. Music plays an important role in students life, it also has the potential to help their learning.

This review of music research looks at the role of music in learning. It examined several different studies that all deal with music and learning. One study found that music enhances neuroplasticity priming the brain for other learning.

Another study found that music training teaches how to pick out sounds. This helps the learner understand better how to pick out what is most important. There was a study that shows how music helps students with attention problems hear speech better over background noise. This review shows how music training improves learning in many areas.

Application
Some training with music or the use of training to help focus student learning. Teachers could enlist their schools music teacher to help them integrate music into their curriculum. This would give them exposure to curriculum and music training.

Language and Learning Science

Students in an English classroom read novels, poems, and plays. They do not often read science texts because most English texts focus on fiction.

This study looked at the problems students have with reading science texts. There is a disconnect between understanding in English class and understanding in Science class. The problem lies in the vocabulary.

The vocabulary and sentence structure of a novel is different from that of a science article. The researchers used Word Genereation to help bridge that gap. This program inserts scientific vocabulary into high interest texts.

This program gives students the opportunity to learn vocabulary that they would not normally read. This gives them the opportunity to learn the vocabulary in an organic way.

Application
Word Generation is available for free to schools. Teachers could also make a more concerted effort to teach students how to read science texts. By creating texts that contain science vocabulary.

Investing in Homework

Students across the nation are trying to avoid homework right now. They are tired after a long day at school and want nothing more than to do nothing.

A study has shown us how to motivate students to do their homework. The researchers took two group of students. One group they explained the financial benefits of a job that required education; such as a doctor or lawyer. To the other group they focused on jobs that did not require any education. The teachers for both groups then gave the students an extra credit homework assignment. The group that had heard the presentation about the benefits of an education had more students complete the assignment.

This shows that students will do homework if they see it as an investment in their future. They have to connect completing homework with better grades and better grades with a better job. No small task.

Application
As a teacher we should always try to give students a reason for learning. In the case of homework they need motivation to complete the work on their own. We should tell our students about the benefits of an education and explain how homework and school in general will benefit them.