Active learning ideas
Localisation of function is the theory that specific areas of the brain are responsible for specific physical and psychological functions. Students study the motor, somatosensory, visual, and auditory centres, alongside the language centres: Broca's and Wernicke's areas. This topic is a vital part of the Biopsychology unit, providing the anatomical foundation for understanding human behaviour.
Activity 01
In pairs, one student acts as a doctor and the other as a patient with either Broca's or Wernicke's aphasia. The 'patient' must attempt to communicate based on their specific symptoms while the 'doctor' diagnoses which area is damaged.
What specific functions are localised in the cerebral cortex?
Activity 02
Using large outlines of the brain, small groups use different coloured materials or labels to map the four lobes and the specific functional centres. They must include a 'consequence card' for each area describing what happens if it is damaged.
How does damage to Broca's area affect speech production?
Activity 03
Students read the original accounts of Phineas Gage's accident. They work individually to list his symptoms, pair up to link those symptoms to the frontal lobe, and share why this case was a turning point for localisation theory.
What does the Phineas Gage case tell us about frontal lobe function?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
We only use 10% of our brains.
This is a myth; brain scans show that almost every part of the brain has a known function and is active throughout the day. Using active investigations into fMRI data helps students see that the whole brain is a hive of activity, even if functions are localised.
Broca's and Wernicke's areas are the only parts of the brain involved in language.
While they are the primary centres, language is a complex network involving many areas. Peer-led discussions about modern neural imaging can help students understand that localisation is more nuanced than 'one spot, one job'.
Methods used in this brief
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