ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at how people learn. It examines theories (mainly so-called ‘constructivist’ ideas) about children’s learning and their mental development. It links these to practical teaching strategies so that teaching can be targeted at known learning needs. Learning-informed teaching strategies discussed below include assessing for learning, designing constructive challenges to pupils’ current ideas, harnessing curiosity through predictions, questioning for understanding, targeting thinking skills and teaching for cognitive development.
