Having a growth mindset can positively affect learning, academic achievement, and subjective well-being. Although the activity of some brain regions has been related to mindset, interventions in schools to promote growth-mindset beliefs are controversial.

Innate philosophical reasoning and the scientific method are two ways in which the human mind acquires knowledge. To take maximum advantage of their ability to develop pluralistic and reflective human minds, these capabilities should be nurtured from infancy to at least the end of secondary school, when the neural networks in the adolescent brain involved in key aspects of self-directing one’s life mature.

The human brain is not designed for reading. To learn to read, we must build on and connect neural systems for spoken language, visual, and meaning processing.

The human brain is not designed for reading. To learn to read, we must build on and connect neural systems for spoken language and visual processing.

Despite common belief, there are no “left-brain” or “right-
brain” learners.

Environmental cues such as childhood parenting conditions and experiences, and adolescent experiences and lifestyle may affect the way some genes are expressed through specific epigenetic signatures that in turn may influence cognitive function necessary for learning and building a stable personality. Having a dependable, caring, supportive adult in a child’s life, as for example a teacher, can help to counteract the effects of negative experiences and parenting styles.

A biological phase delay in the sleep-wake cycle puts adolescent students in conflict with early school start times. Shifting school start times later may help to mitigate the effects.

Stressful situations such as examinations may affect the learning process and memory in different ways. When students are required to analyse novel information relevant to the examination and apply knowledge to a novel situation, such evaluations may contribute to reinforcing skills and consolidating memory.