NEUROEDUCATIONAL METHODS AND LANGUAGE LEARNING: EXPLORING BRAIN-CENTRIC APPROACHES FOR ENHANCED TEACHING

Abstract. Current research in neuroscience is enriching our understanding of how the brain learns and skills develop. This enables the development of more effective learning methods based on neuroscientific principles. Nowadays, with great potential and progress in the study of various fields, including neuropedagogy, we need to turn to current theories and practical approaches based on understanding the workings of the human brain to identify which methods can be most effective to improve language teaching and learning.

Keywords: neuropedagogy, brain, neuroexercise, foreign language.

In today's society, where globalisation and intercultural interaction are becoming increasingly important, learning foreign languages is of key importance. Effective teaching methods that can maximise students' potential and ensure deep and lasting acquisition of language skills are becoming a priority in educational systems around the world. In this context, neuroscientific research and pedagogical practice meet at a crossroads, offering new perspectives in the field of language teaching, namely teaching methods such as neuroeducation.

After a long search for an applied field for neuroscience, we have become convinced that the most useful results this science can give to medicine and education. Unfortunately, while in the first direction there is plenty of research, and sometimes they even contradict each other, in the second direction much less has been done. [1]

Research in the field of neuroeducation has been conducted for quite a long time, but until now there is no exact term and definition of this method of teaching, and on the question of what is neuroeducation different authors write variously, but if you put everything together you can derive such a term:

Neuropedagogy (neuropsychopedagogy) - science of the theory and technologies of education, based on the data of modern neuroscience. Derived from the concepts ‘neuron’ (nerve cell), ‘pedagogy’ (science of education), ‘psyche’ from the Greek word ‘psyche’ (soul). [2]

Neuro-formation, or in other words the work of the brain in learning, we can consider as a mechanism and process by which the synaptic connections between neurons are strengthened and synaptic connections between neurons are strengthened, resulting in permanent structural changes in the brain. This process is most intense during periods of high brain development, such as childhood and adolescence, but the adult brain also enables the development of neurogenesis throughout the life cycle. It is thanks to increased attention to brain function during learning, selection of the right techniques when learning foreign languages, that our brain successfully progresses, develops and in adulthood is able to resist various serious diseases - Alzheimer's disease or Dementia.

But still, analyses of research in neuroscience, psychology and education show that there is still no one single way to learn foreign languages, as it depends on the individual characteristics of people.

The analysis and research on the brain, its phenomena, mechanisms, connections, functioning and information processing help us to improve the teaching process, which is why today, in 2024, various neuro-methods are more and more widely used not only in English lessons, but also in other subjects. These techniques have a very good effect not only on younger students, but also on middle and high school students and adults. [3]

Having studied a large amount of information related to the process of brain work when learning foreign languages, as well as conducting a test - a survey among teachers, which can be accessed at the link - https://forms.gle/kYTQjy4EkjLQLCux6, aimed at identifying the level of knowledge in the field of neuropedagogy, we came to the conclusion that despite the fact that this area is studied everywhere, many teachers, although they use various neuroexercises in their lessons, but are not directly familiar with the term and this vast field of knowledge.

That is why we have developed interesting and, most importantly, effective neuroexercises that will help English teachers to improve the level of vocabulary memorisation in English lessons:

Exercise 1 - Plates

This exercise is great for the junior level when learning and the secondary level when repeating the names of colours, geometric shapes, animals, food, sports games and equipment, weather phenomena, plants, days of the week, months, seasons of the year, transport, furniture items. For this exercise, the teacher will need to prepare the necessary material from improvised means. For this we will need:

1.Disposable utensils - plates (white colour).

2.Coloured paints, felt-tip pens or pencils.

The teacher draws (prints and glues) on one plate any image related to the above topics to learn or repeat vocabulary, or writes the day of the week, e.g. MONDAY, or the time of the year, e.g. WINTER. He then cuts the plates in half in patterns - semicircle, triangle, curve and so on. The children's task is to find a pair of each half in 1 minute, give a name to each image and a translation, for older children it is envisaged to make sentences with the given vocabulary.

Such a task helps to activate the brain, helps children to concentrate their attention, work in a group, and be able to use the learnt words in context.

Exercise 2 - the magic jar

This exercise is suitable for all levels - junior, middle and senior and for any vocabulary topic. The teacher can make the pictures on the computer or draw them himself using A4 paper, paints, pencils or felt-tip pens. Pupils are given a sheet with a picture of a large jar in which there are objects in different positions (upside down, in a horizontal position, in a normal position) or, if it is impossible to find them under the lexicon, and it is necessary to check their knowledge, they write words in Russian. The pupils' task is to write in English in a column for 3 minutes everything that is shown or written in Russian in the jar.

After checking, the children turn over the sheet and try to remember what was in the jar. This task can be carried out both in a group, in pairs, and individually. In addition, without turning over the sheet with the image, you can connect the game ‘Snowball’, which we discussed in Part 2.1. or play True/False with the children.  For older children, you can also give them the additional task of making a funny story or poem in English using all the words in the jar. Such a task directly engages the brain in finding, writing and memorising words, and subsequently in working out the information for the answers.

All of the above exercises are aimed at the correct work and development of the brain and both hemispheres of the brain as far as possible when learning English. In addition, neuro exercises, methods and techniques in this topic are quite interesting and creative, especially the use of various online resources and platforms will allow modern teachers to conduct lessons in an interesting way, and students will be maximally involved and interested in the lesson.