Brain-Based Learning Activities¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 5 claims (2 for, 1 mixed, 2 against) · 18 studies (8 causal, 5 review, 4 quant-synthesis, 1 theoretical), q1–q4 · 4 of 18 report an effect size

Description¶

Activities that engage multiple senses (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile) to activate different parts of the brain, enhancing learning and retention. In practice this means getting learners talking and teaching each other, pairing verbal content with visual representation, building in movement, and providing breaks for processing. The label "brain-based" is loose — the durable design principle underneath it is that learning improves when information is encoded through multiple coordinated channels and when attention is actively managed, not when activities "stimulate more of the brain" in a generic sense.

Design Implications¶

The defensible core of this strategy is dual-channel encoding: presenting verbal and visual information together improves recall compared with verbal-only presentation Dual coding improves recall. [+S], and peer explanation forces retrieval and elaboration that passive listening does not. Movement breaks can restore attention in long sessions, particularly for younger learners Classroom physical activity increases children's on-task behaviour, with no consistent gain on attention or other cognitive tests [+M]. However, the popular "learning styles" reading of this strategy — matching instruction to a learner's preferred sensory modality — is not supported by evidence and should not drive design [X]. Adding sensory variety for its own sake can also backfire: decorative images, sound, and motion that do not carry instructional content depress learning Decorative illustrations do not improve learning. [-S].

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Visual representations (diagrams, gestures, graphic organizers) that carry meaning, not merely decorate
• Structured peer interaction with individual accountability, so talk is about the content
• Short, purposeful movement or processing breaks placed before attention degrades
• A classroom routine that makes movement and peer talk predictable and low-disruption

Constraints¶

• Multisensory additions that are redundant or decorative increase extraneous load rather than spreading encoding Decorative illustrations do not improve learning. [-S]
• For novices, open-ended kinesthetic or discovery-style activity can overload working memory; guidance must be explicit Cognitive overload degrades learning. [-S]
• Movement and peer-teaching formats consume class time; without content-specific structure they become engagement theater with no retention benefit
• Some learners find public movement or face-to-face teaching socially threatening; participation must be optional or scaffolded

Implementation Variability¶

• Gallery Walk / Two Stay, One Stray — learners produce artifacts, then circulate to view and critique peers' work; combines movement, visual encoding, and peer explanation
• Round Robin / Simultaneous Round Table — structured team response formats that guarantee every learner produces output, not just the fastest talker
• Movement breaks — brief physical activity (e.g., GoNoodle, stretch routines) used to reset attention between segments, not to teach content directly
• Song, chant, and gesture — pairing content with rhythm and movement; strongest for rote sequences (alphabet, formulas, vocabulary) where verbatim recall is the goal

Target Learners¶

• Young learners and learners who struggle with sustained attention, for whom movement breaks measurably improve on-task behavior Classroom physical activity increases children's on-task behaviour, with no consistent gain on attention or other cognitive tests [+M]
• Language learners and novices, who benefit from meaning-carrying visuals paired with verbal input Dual coding improves recall. [+S]
• Not differentially beneficial for a learner's "preferred modality" — tailoring to self-reported styles shows no learning advantage [X]

Target Learning Goals¶

• Retention of factual and procedural content through multi-channel encoding
• Verbal consolidation: being able to explain ideas to a peer (retrieval + elaboration)
• Attention management across long instructional blocks

Instructions¶

1. Present core content with a meaningful visual that maps onto the verbal explanation (diagram, timeline, concept map) — not decoration Dual coding improves recall. [+S]
2. Have learners process actively: explain the idea to a partner, act it out, or produce a quick visual representation themselves
3. Insert a short movement or processing break before the next content segment, especially in sessions over 20–30 minutes Classroom physical activity increases children's on-task behaviour, with no consistent gain on attention or other cognitive tests [+M]
4. Return to Practice on the content itself — the multisensory activity is the encoding event, not the assessment
5. Keep guidance explicit during novel or complex tasks; reduce support as expertise grows Expertise reversal effect. [~S]

Related Strategies¶

• Active Learning — the broader evidence base that multisensory activities draw on; peer talk and production are active-learning moves
• Peer Teaching — the "teach each other face-to-face" component, which works through retrieval and elaboration rather than sensory stimulation
• Brain Breaks — the movement component isolated as its own routine

Examples¶

• Gallery Walk — learners post work on walls, circulate in small groups, and leave written feedback; combines movement, visual encoding, and peer critique
• Two Stay, One Stray — after team work, one member visits another team to explain and gather ideas, then reports back
• GoNoodle (https://www.gonoodle.com) — short guided movement videos used in K–5 classrooms as attention-reset breaks between instructional segments
• Total Physical Response (TPR) — language instruction pairing vocabulary with coordinated physical actions; well established for early-stage second-language acquisition

Key Sources¶

• Paivio, A. (1991). Dual coding theory: Retrospect and current status. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 45(3), 255–287. doi:10.1037/h0084295
• Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia Learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511811678
• Howard-Jones, P. (2014). Neuroscience and education: Myths and messages. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(12), 817–824. doi:10.1038/nrn3817
• Donnelly, J. E., Hillman, C. H., Castelli, D., et al. (2016). Physical activity, fitness, cognitive function, and academic achievement in children: A systematic review. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(6), 1197–1222. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000000901
• Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D., & Bjork, R. (2008). Learning styles: Concepts and evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 105–119. doi:10.1111/j.1539-6053.2009.01038.x