The Prevalence of Neuromyths Among K-12 English Language Teachers

Abstract

This descriptive study aimed to investigate neuromyth prevalence among English language teachers. Data were collected through a digital questionnaire administered to 114 English teachers in Istanbul, Turkey, with the mediation of the Ministry of National Education (MoNE). Most participants were female secondary school teachers working at public schools. The questionnaire measured the acceptance of eight common neuromyths and the correlation between neuromyth acceptance and variables including sex, institution level, institution type, professional experience, age and educational level. The results reveal a positive correlation between general knowledge of brain function and neuroeducation and neuromyth acceptance. The top three neuromyths held by the participants were that visual–auditory–kinaesthetic learning styles affect learning effectiveness, preschoolers benefit from stimulating environments and brain hemispheric dominance explains learning differences among individuals. These findings underscore the need for targeted professional development programmes to address and rectify neuromyths among educators to enhance the quality of instruction in language classrooms.