Left/Right Brain Dominance Test: (Irmikbayeva Milana , 03-P)
Hypotheses about left/right brain dominance of TFL pre-service teachers:
1) We expected that most TFL students would be in the "middle" category (balanced
brain). In the field of foreign language teaching, it is important for teachers to
combine logical thinking (left-brain) with creativity and intuition (right-brain). So
we thought most pre-service teachers would have a balance between both
hemispheres.
2) We also expected that there would be fewer students with strong right-brain
dominance, assuming that extreme emotionality and intuition without strong logical
skills could make teaching foreign languages less effective.
Results from Left/Right Brain Dominance Test:
We collected the results from the completed test results sheets of 99 TFL students about
their left/right brain dominance according to the test. According to a survey, the pre-
service teachers with strong left brain dominance are 5 out of 99 (5,05%); moderate left
is 14 out of 99 (14,1%); middle brain is 63 out of 99 (63,6%); moderate right is 11 out of
99(11,1%); strong right is 6 out of 99 (6,1%).
Results about hypothesis:
Hypothesis 1: We expected more balanced (middle) brain dominance among TFL students.
Our first hypothesis is proved. According to the results, the majority of pre-service teachers
(63.64%) fall into the middle brain category. This suggests that TFL students are generally well-
rounded individuals who can balance logical and creative thinking, which is crucial for language
teaching. A balanced brain allows for both structured lesson planning and the flexibility to adapt
teaching strategies depending on students needs.
Hypothesis 2: We expected fewer students with strong right-brain dominance.
Our second hypothesis is disproved. Even though only 6.06% of students were strongly right-
brained, we noticed that the number of strongly left-brained students was even slightly smaller
(5.05%). This means that strong dominance on either side is generally rare among pre-service
teachers and that students tend to rely on both cognitive styles depending on the task. This
challenges our expectations and suggests that pre-service teachers in TFL tend to develop a more
flexible thinking approach.
Findings about Left/Right Brain Dominance among TFL Pre-Service Teachers:
The results showed that most pre-service TFL teachers have a balanced brain dominance,
meaning they can equally rely on logic and creativity. This is a significant advantage for
future teachers, as foreign language teaching today demands the ability to structure
lessons clearly while also creating dynamic and motivating learning environments.
Students with moderate left-brain dominance (14.14%) likely prefer structure, detailed
explanation, and careful planning. They can successfully organize language rules and
grammar tasks. Students with moderate right-brain dominance (11.11%) may feel more
comfortable in open-ended discussions, games, and artistic forms of learning, making
them skilled at maintaining emotional contact and motivating students.
The very small number of students with strong dominance (5.05% strong left, 6.06%
strong right) indicates that extreme one-sided thinking is unusual among TFL students.
They are not focused only on logic or creativity but can shift between these modes
depending on the teaching situation. It also suggests that the TFL field either attracts
balanced individuals or encourages students to develop both types of cognitive skills
during their education. Balanced cognitive style helps future teachers to plan effective
lessons, adapt quickly to situations, manage different types of learners and maintain
emotional resilience while staying organized. Such a combination is especially important
in language teaching, where flexibility and consistency must go hand in hand.