The myth of the left- Vs right-brain learning
Kelly-Ann Allen, Rick van der Zwan · Monash University Research Portal (Monash University) · 2019
It has been more than a decade since researchers began calling for caution over certain brain-learning strategies supposedly based on neuroscience. Nonetheless, misconceptions still persist. This paper explores the myth of hemispheric dominance in learning, and provides advice to educators, parents, and others in the field. It has long been a popular view that some people favour one hemisphere over the other and that such cognitive preferences have implications for learning. Scientific research into the structures and functions of normal brains, both as they develop and on into adulthood, has demonstrated the fallacy of this belief. As such, interventions and products that target left- or right-brain learning should be treated with caution. It is unlikely that these interventions successfully target one hemisphere over the other, or that they improve learning outcomes in ways that depend on such perceived differences. Educators, parents, and others in the field are urged to inform themselves about the fundamental features of neuroscience, and to look for significant independent research that supports specific learning programs. While many school-based programs in mainstream settings are supported by research, school leaders, teachers and parents should take into consideration the quality of evidence available, the purpose of the intervention and how the intervention or program may fit the needs of the students and context.