Research done by several psychologists suggests that our brain works in different ways, based on the lateralization of the brain into the Left and Right sides amidst raging debates on whether some are more ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’.1 The authors however acknowledge that certain activities are also controlled by one side or the other of the brain. It is further affirmed by that the left brain specializes in language and logic while the right specializes creativity and intuition.2 Considering that these elements are central to learning, it implies that understanding how the left and right brains influence those elements and their associated functions¸ researchers can work towards enhancing learning in various fields. This essay discusses the differences between the left and the right brain with regards to how they impact learning.
Studies show that each side of the brain controls different types of thinking with the right side being best at expressive, creative and intuitive tasks.3 Some of the abilities that are popularly associated with the right side of the brain include recognizing faces, expressing emotions, music, reading emotions, color, images, intuition and creativity. Generally, individuals whose thinking is dominated by the right brain may get bored easily as they focus on social aspects of learning. With regards to education, teachers should therefore ensure that students are stimulated during learning especially by providing opportunities in writing assignments or essays, which may also serve to ignite or enhance creativity.
Further, these individuals work well with goals if they can see their progress on visual display and use images and drawings whenever possible for solving problems. 4 Appropriate teaching techniques may involve aids that can be touched and manipulated, using real money or blocks when doing simple sums, as this may help them to focus and remain engaged with the activity. Therefore, the impact on learning entails high musical abilities as well as faster learning through images and enhanced creativity.
Despite the findings that individuals do not highlight any greater functional abilities with regards to one’s left or right brain, the left brain significantly affects language.5 This is supported by Corballis,6 who indicated that the left brain specializes in language and logic alongside other elements like analytical thinking, numbers and reasoning. One can also infer that the left brain is responsible for logical, sequential thinking, analysis linear thinking order and the need for structure, where problems are solved by looking at parts and sequences.
The learning implications are that students dominantly using their left brains could be more book-smart, generally good with numbers and better at retaining information from lectures and reading materials. Further, it would positively impact student learning as it would be easy for them to remember dates and processes and have good understanding of grammar and sentence structure. Teachers should also encourage the utilization of both brain hemisphere towards wholesome brain functioning7 which would probably enhance learning due to combination of different learning strengths.
To conclude, it is evident that the dominant brain type can affect an individual’s thought functions which would consequently affect their study skills, homework habits and even grades. It is important to understand how the left and right brain works, as this would not only help students to adjust their study methods and effectively schedule their course work, but would also allow teachers, to appropriately and positively, influence student learning. With such different orientations to learning when individual thinking is dominated by the left or right brains, the impact on learning is specialized to different aspects like creativity or analytical thinking, even though it is advocated that a wholesome utilization of the two would be more beneficial.
