Neuroeconomics seeks to explain how humans and animals choose between different options. In recent years, neuroeconomics has helped to extend the study of value-based decision-making beyond the healthy adult population, including adolescents, older adults and even children.

Recent advances in decision neuroscience/neuroeconomics, social psychology and developmental neuroscience allow researchers to identify the neural basis of social decision-making. This interdisciplinary field studies how social stimuli such as faces are recognized, how social learning and complex social interactions, such as group decision-making or attribution of intentions to others (theory of mind) are represented in the brain.

However academically debated, the relevance of neuroscience for education is accepted by policymakers and teachers worldwide. It seems intuitive that understanding the mechanisms underlying the ways the brain selects, retains, stores, retrieves and associates information, creates representations about the environment and uses them to regulate emotions, behaviour and solve problems of striking variety may inform teachers regarding the optimal design of a learning experience for the students.

The structure and function of the brain is continuously molded throughout the lifespan by mechanisms both external and internal to the individual. Learning is a powerful driver of neurobiological change, and is implemented through modification of connectivity within emergent neural networks. Neural systems perspectives of the brain are beginning to shed light on how typical and atypical learning manifest through development.

Dyslexia is characterized by a persistent difficulty in achieving reading and literacy skills commensurate with expectations based on age- or abilities in other areas. Current research is showing that the underlying causes may be complex and best captured by dimensional, rather than categorical, perspectives on disorder.

Disorders of learning that manifest in classroom environments are some of the most frequently diagnosed conditions of childhood. An underappreciated aspect of these types of learning difficulties is that they are highly co-occurring within individuals.

The developing brain may be shaped by abusive environments to process information differently. Neural adaptations that are useful in an abusive environment may not be useful in classroom learning.

The neural and behavioral foundations for learning to read are put into place well before formal schooling. Development of emergent literacy is a key concern for education stakeholders.