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How neuroscience can inform education

A case for prior knowledge effects on memory
  • Marlieke T. R. van Kesteren , Dirk J. Ruiter and Guillén Fernández
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Developmental Perspectives in Written Language and Literacy
This chapter is in the book Developmental Perspectives in Written Language and Literacy

Abstract

Neuroscientific and educational research have the potential to interact productively, because neuroscience investigates processes underlying core educational aims like knowledge acquisition. Combining these research areas therefore appears beneficial, but differences in experimental approach and limitations of neuroscience tools in terms of ecological validity hamper translation. Hence, a common approach that takes these differences into account is needed. Here, we will set out how neuroscience research on long-term memory formation, integration, and consolidation may be informative for education and we will speculate on links with literacy development. Because memory formation is a constructive process, newly learned memories are continuously related to and integrated with previously learned knowledge to form extensive knowledge structures. This integration process is suggested to strengthen memories and make them less vulnerable to forgetting. Education may therefore profit greatly from understanding the neural processes underlying optimal integration to achieve optimal building of knowledge structures, making learning more efficient and evidence based.

Abstract

Neuroscientific and educational research have the potential to interact productively, because neuroscience investigates processes underlying core educational aims like knowledge acquisition. Combining these research areas therefore appears beneficial, but differences in experimental approach and limitations of neuroscience tools in terms of ecological validity hamper translation. Hence, a common approach that takes these differences into account is needed. Here, we will set out how neuroscience research on long-term memory formation, integration, and consolidation may be informative for education and we will speculate on links with literacy development. Because memory formation is a constructive process, newly learned memories are continuously related to and integrated with previously learned knowledge to form extensive knowledge structures. This integration process is suggested to strengthen memories and make them less vulnerable to forgetting. Education may therefore profit greatly from understanding the neural processes underlying optimal integration to achieve optimal building of knowledge structures, making learning more efficient and evidence based.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Part I. Language and literacy development
  5. How neuroscience can inform education 3
  6. The neural basis for primary and acquired language skills 17
  7. Contributions from cognitive neuroscience to current understanding of reading acquisition and reading disability 29
  8. Lexical quality revisited 51
  9. The role of metalinguistic and socio-cognitive factors in reading skill 69
  10. Developing reading comprehension interventions 85
  11. Hunting for the links between word-level writing skills and text quality 103
  12. The development of Hebrew conjunct constructions in narration 119
  13. Motivation and engagement in language and literacy development 137
  14. Children’s hypertext comprehension 149
  15. Part II. Multilingual language and literacy development
  16. An updated review of cross-language transfer and its educational implications 167
  17. The influence of first language on learning English as an additional language 183
  18. Multilingual learners 199
  19. A comparison of phonological awareness and morphological awareness in reading Chinese across two linguistic contexts 219
  20. Development of qualifiers in children’s written stories 237
  21. Individual variation in syntactic processing in the second language 257
  22. Part III. Language and literacy development in special populations and its implications
  23. How to teach children reading and spelling 277
  24. Two technologies to help adults with reading difficulties improve their comprehension 295
  25. Can poor readers be good learners? 315
  26. The shift of the role of early intervention in the study of dyslexia 333
  27. Issues in diagnosing dyslexia 349
  28. Imagery in reading and reading disabilities 363
  29. Written narratives in children with autism 379
  30. Advancing interventions for children with motor restrictions 399
  31. Assessment of communicative competence in children with severe developmental disorders 413
  32. Index 441
https://doi.org/10.1075/z.206.01van

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Part I. Language and literacy development
  5. How neuroscience can inform education 3
  6. The neural basis for primary and acquired language skills 17
  7. Contributions from cognitive neuroscience to current understanding of reading acquisition and reading disability 29
  8. Lexical quality revisited 51
  9. The role of metalinguistic and socio-cognitive factors in reading skill 69
  10. Developing reading comprehension interventions 85
  11. Hunting for the links between word-level writing skills and text quality 103
  12. The development of Hebrew conjunct constructions in narration 119
  13. Motivation and engagement in language and literacy development 137
  14. Children’s hypertext comprehension 149
  15. Part II. Multilingual language and literacy development
  16. An updated review of cross-language transfer and its educational implications 167
  17. The influence of first language on learning English as an additional language 183
  18. Multilingual learners 199
  19. A comparison of phonological awareness and morphological awareness in reading Chinese across two linguistic contexts 219
  20. Development of qualifiers in children’s written stories 237
  21. Individual variation in syntactic processing in the second language 257
  22. Part III. Language and literacy development in special populations and its implications
  23. How to teach children reading and spelling 277
  24. Two technologies to help adults with reading difficulties improve their comprehension 295
  25. Can poor readers be good learners? 315
  26. The shift of the role of early intervention in the study of dyslexia 333
  27. Issues in diagnosing dyslexia 349
  28. Imagery in reading and reading disabilities 363
  29. Written narratives in children with autism 379
  30. Advancing interventions for children with motor restrictions 399
  31. Assessment of communicative competence in children with severe developmental disorders 413
  32. Index 441
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