VIEWS From the pen of... Paul Howard-Jones


Taking the “long-view” on learning


“A few years ago, after an educational conference in Ecuador, I caught a flight over the water to meet with a group of experts on evolution who were visiting the Galapagos Islands. I was treated to several discussions about genetics, jellyfish, primates and, inevitably, the origin of our own species. As a neuroscientist, I was particularly interested to hear about the latest theories on brain evolution – and this is when I began to realise that learning itself could be viewed from a “deep time” perspective. Within a few weeks I’d started to write “Evolution of the Learning Brain” – how our transformative ability to learn developed from bacteria to digital natives using smartphones. I soon found this was a story with great practical relevance and, throughout the book, I’ve been able to illustrate what our ancient prehistory means for how we learn today. “One of the first things I discovered was that learning has been


around a very long time. In fact, it may have been present in the first single-celled organisms that arrived on our planet - around 3.5 billion years ago. Some existing single-celled organisms give us clues about the processes involved. E. coli, for example, uses a type of memory to navigate its way around stomachs, basing its movement decisions on whether food is getting more or less plentiful than a few moments ago. Amazingly, there are some striking similarities between the simple chemical systems that provide bacteria with this memory, and the chemical signalling systems that underpin our own learning processes. This has allowed scientists to understand how our complex brains evolved from such primitive lifeforms. “I was also surprised at the compelling evidence for how early


our emotional abilities evolved. Emotion and movement are two very important skill sets that are closely entwined with learning. They have impacted on the organisation of our brains since our fishy ancestors first swam in the oceans – yet they are often viewed in education as unimportant or even unhelpful in the classroom. “There are many educational implications arising from how our


brains have, but also haven’t evolved. It seems unlikely, for example, that we ever evolved to read, write or carry out mathematics. That means our biology has not been adapted by natural selection to achieve these tasks. Learning these skills means building on processing abilities we share with other animals, and some major recycling of our neural networks must take place to acquire them. So, our understanding of evolution also raises questions about how we should think about diagnoses of dyslexia and dyscalculia. Should we view these as developmental disorders – or the failure of human inventions and cultural tools to adequately “fit” human genetic diversity? “The most striking theme in our modern understanding of


evolution is that it was learning that propelled our species to the top of the food chain. And, to survive the challenges of the 21st century, our species will need to invest in learning as never before. Evolution, as a framework for a science of learning, can help here. “Evolution of the Learning Brain” is the incredible story of how our learning processes and our brains have developed through 3.5 billion years of evolution. This is a story that is central to understanding how learning works, its value to us as individuals and as a society, and how we might all become better at it.”


uEvolution of the Learning Brain is published by Routledge. http://amzn.eu/3QAONQN


May 2018 British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)


How you can adapt SEN resources to meet your


classroom’s needs This month, regular Education Today contributor and Director of BESA, Patrick Hayes, looks at smart ways to reuse your SEN resources across the whole classroom.


“As schools across the country are experiencing an ongoing funding crisis, catering to special educational needs (SEN) can be an expensive task to include in already tight budgets. Luckily, many educational suppliers develop their SEN-specific resources in a way that means they can be adapted for use across the whole classroom. “When the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)


launched its Resource Our Schools campaign last year, many of our members who specialise in SEN and SEND resources responded positively, having also experienced a decline in resources spending in schools. They pointed out that their resources can have broader use than is often initially believed. “At Wordshark, for example, the team works closely with schools


to ensure they make the right purchasing decisions for all of their pupils. Indeed, their products work effectively with any student of key stages 1, 2 or 3, and so can be used beyond the SEN department. “The same is the case with LDA, another BESA member: while its


resources are developed with children with special educational needs in mind, they can easily be adapted to – and benefit – all children. “LDA’s new book, Stories That Explain, is a prime example of this.


Written by Lynn McCann, it is a collection of social stories that help children gain a better understanding of common primary school experiences that can sometimes cause misunderstanding or stress. The book is aimed primarily at children with autism, who may often find social situations difficult. Yet, it can help all primary-aged children since a lot of children can find starting school an anxious and stressful time, and the book will help them understand new social experiences. “SEN resources can have a positive impact on all children and their


learning needs. In addition to being an effective solution to the stretched budgets, using SEN resources for all children can help create an inclusive learning environment. “This works particularly well with stories, which are resources that


can easily foster inclusivity. Tonya Meers, Chief Storyteller at BESA member Little Creative Days, strongly believes in the power of stories to help integrate SEN and non-SEN children in the classroom. “Learning through stories works really well because children get involved in a story and it’s such an inclusive way to learn,” she said. “While stories can be especially helpful to children with dyslexia,


because they often learn more visually and like something more creative and interactive, they can also be very powerful resources for all learners and can bring all the children together. “With the right resources, it is entirely possible to offer high-quality


education to all children in the same class, both those with and those without special educational needs. “Schools just need to look out for the BESA logo on suppliers’


resources to know that the educational suppliers are of high quality and will do their utmost to answer their needs and the needs of the students in their charge.”


uFor more information, visit: resourceourschools.com and besa.org.uk


www.education-today.co.uk 13


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