Connecting Neuroscience with EFL in Japan/Asia
various presenters
In a day so packed with presentations and discussions that attendees had to take notes while eating, but were fueled with Turkish coffee and cookies, about fifty people explored the implications of brain research for the EFL classroom. Robert S. Murphy began by comparing neurons to the reproductive system, in that excitation has to happen for transfer (of information) to take place. Students' emotions have to be engaged, as in the scene from Dirty Harry curiosity had to be satisfied. Curtis Kelly followed up with an explanation of how to create a rewarding dopamine rush for students. Christopher Stillwell led an activity that simulated a cocktail party to help students realize how successful their listening can be even when they don't understand 100% of the material. Marc Helgesen recapped the elements of happiness--which has more to do with people's attitudes toward life than with the number of happy events in their lives--and showed how it enhances learning. Tim Murphey introduced the notion of mirror neurons, which are responsible for altruistic behavior, and screened a very moving appeal by his students to the Ministry of Education to improve the teaching of English. Hayato Mine and Suguru Goto explained a system of communication using pictures that is helpful for disabled children and those on the autism spectrum. Group discussions led by the presenters and sprinkled throughout the day helped attendees consolidate what they had learned and apply it to their own teaching situations.
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