The Learning Brain

Book excerpt: All learning takes place in the brain, and the key to a child's development is how its brain matures. But how can we take the step from knowledge of neurons to education? What is the cause of inattention, dyslexia, or dyscalculia? How does brain maturation affect teenage behavior? These are all important questions to ask as many statistics suggest that levels of knowledge in children have stagnated and in some cases receded. Drawing fom his and others research, and, in certain cases, stories and examples, Torkel Klingberg, a leading cognitive neuroscientist, shows how the brain is affected by genes, stress, physical exercise and parental relationships. The result of his research, The Learning Brain, demonstrates how we can give our children and teenagers the best opportunities to learn and develop.