Five Teaching and Learning Myths—Debunked

Adam M. Brown and Althea Need Kaminske are Co-Directors of the Center for Attention, Learning, and Memory at St. Bonaventure University, USA.

"In this book, research on a complicated subject—teaching and learning myths—is summarized and made readable for teachers and other school staff. I recommend this to all people who educate. It will save you time, make your teaching more efficient, and ensure that your students learn more, better."—Stuart Lock, Principal, Bedford Free School, Bedford, UK"Five Teaching and Learning Myths—Debunked is perfect for the classroom teacher. It is an easily accessible and understandable text that can immediately be applied and improve the classroom. It is perfect for casual reading or whole-school professional development. As a teacher, I especially appreciate the kindergarten-to-twelfth-grade activities included with each chapter that assist with implementation of strategies in the classroom. I highly recommend this book for teachers of all age groups and abilities."—Blake Harvard, James Clemens High School, USA"Brown and Need Kaminske's book is something that cognitive psychologists have needed to produce for some time now: a brief, accessible, and well-organized guide to some of the most pervasive myths in how we learn. Most importantly, the authors also offer advice on what to do next, once they’re done debunking. Educators of all levels will learn something new about what the evidence from cognitive psychology has to say about common concerns about the classroom." —Joshua VanArsdall, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Elmhurst College, USA"This joyful, informative book is packed with practical examples that will have you nodding in agreement and recognition the whole way through. Unashamedly aimed at those who love learning and love to learn about learning, it finds the right balance of brevity, allowing you to read and follow its narrative easily, and well-referenced evidence, so you can follow up anything you’re particularly interested in."—Niki Kaiser, chemistry teacher and Network Research Lead at Norwich Research School at Notre Dame High School, UK"Teachers will find this book to be incredibly useful in understanding the myths and the research related to student learning. The book is clear and concise, making it accessible to teachers with a range of familiarity with research on teaching and learning. The connection boxes tie everything together to make a complex topic more understandable."—Megan A. Sumeracki, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Rhode Island College, USA

• 1. Introduction2. Single Tasking (Dispelling the Myth of Multi-Tasking)3. Two Examples Are Better Than One4. Selective Attention5. Quick Quizzing6. Learning Styles7. Afterwards: Technology in the Classroom