Reconstruction of a Neuroscience Based Learning Model to Enhance Elementary School Students’ Learning Engagement

Abstract

Student engagement requires more than visible participation: children must feel able to contribute, allocate attention to relevant information, and invest effort in understanding. This article reconstructs a neuroscience-informed learning model for elementary education through a critical integrative review of 33 journal articles published between 2017 and 2024. The synthesis combines developmental neuroscience, cognitive and educational psychology, and contextually relevant educational research. It distinguishes explanatory mechanisms from instructional evidence and avoids inferring classroom effectiveness directly from brain-based terminology. Five interconnected components are proposed: emotional readiness, attention and prior-knowledge activation, guided exploration, retrieval and reflection, and structured social interaction. Social support operates throughout the model rather than only at its final stage. The discussion specifies classroom activities, observable indicators, developmental constraints, and conditions under which each component may fail. The principal contribution is a testable design framework connecting instructional decisions with behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. The model has not been evaluated as an integrated intervention; its effectiveness, feasibility, and equity implications require classroom trials with appropriate comparison conditions and delayed assessment.