Brain Based Learning as A Determinant of Academic Stress Test Anxiety and Academic Performance in Struggling Learners

Abstract

newlineOur physical and emotional well-being is closely associated with the ability to think and learn efficiently. Emotionally stressful home or school environments hinder students attempts to learn. Classrooms and schools that create an atmosphere of safety and trust will improve student learning. When students find meaning and relevance in their learning experiences, their brains respond by successful information storage in long-term memory. With the advancement in science and technology, there is advancement in neuroscience as well. Brain-based learning is the results of those timely up-gradations in the field only. Teachers who utilize Brain-based strategies in the classroom to enhance their students performance are seemingly better able to positively impact learners on social, emotional and cognitive levels. What the research on Brain-based educational techniques seems to indicate is that teachers should continue to learn how to implement classroom techniques that support student s growth both socially and academically. In the resent study an attempt is made to deal the problems of Struggling Learners who falls in the cracks and crevices of education with the Brain-based learning. In this study the problem pertaining to Test-Anxiety, Academic Stress and Academic Performance of Struggling Learners was assessed and analysed by using Quasi experimental design, with a mixed method approach. Quantitative and Qualitative data were collected simultaneously for arriving at conclusion. Various Brain-based learning strategies along with several relaxation and cross-lateral exercises were employed on the struggling learners. Caine and Caine Brain/Mind learning principles (1991) amalgamated with Hardimann s Brain-targeted teaching unit was used to develop Brain-based learning lesson plan for the present study in order to harness the potentiality of these approaches to its fullest. Self-constructed tools were used for identifying Struggling learners and measuring their Academic stress, Test-anxiety and Academic Perfo