The All Kinds of Minds website can be helpful for finding all different kinds of research on learning issues related to the brain. The page I want you to look at can be tricky to access. Please click on the site map (at the bottom left of the page), then click on the neurodevelopmental view. This page will discuss what a neurodevelopmental profile is, and show how all these functions interrelate.

Importante!

These are the 8 major brain constructs:

Each "domain" involves an interaction with different parts of the brain and with the other domains

ATTENTION: Attention is more than just "paying attention." It includes such aspects as the ability to concentrate, to focus on one thing rather than the other, to finish tasks one begins, and to control what one says and does.

TEMPORAL-SEQUENTIAL ORDERING: Whether it's being able to recite the alphabet or knowing when to push a button to give a response on "Jeopardy," being able to understand time and sequence of various items or pieces of information is a key component of learning.

SPATIAL ORDERING: Closely related to the functions of time and sequence, spatial ordering is the ability, for instance, to distinguish between a circle and a square or to use images to remember related information. On a more complex level, spatial ordering helps musicians, for instance, to be able to "see" a piano keyboard, and enables architects to "imagine" the shape of a particular room.

MEMORY: Even if, in the moment, people are able to understand, organize, and interpret the most complex information, if they cannot store and then later recall that information, their performance often suffers dramatically.

LANGUAGE: Being able to articulate and understand language is central to the ability to do well as students and learners. Developing language functions involves elaborate interactions between various parts of the brain since it involves so many separate kinds of abilities-pronouncing words, awareness of different sounds, comprehending written symbols, understanding syntax, and telling stories.

NEUROMOTOR FUNCTIONS: Whether students are trying to write their first words, catch a football, or punch away at a computer keyboard, their brains' ability to coordinate their motor or muscle functions are key to many areas of learning.

SOCIAL COGNITION: One of the most often overlooked components of learning is the ability to succeed in social relationships with peers, parents, and teachers. Students (and adults) may be strong in other construct areas, and yet have academic difficulties because of an inability to make friends, work in groups, or cope effectively with peer pressure.

HIGHER ORDER COGNITION: Higher order cognition involves the ability to understand and implement the steps necessary to solve problems, attack new areas of learning, and think creatively.