ABSTRACT
Contrary to traditional views of child development, influenced by a genetic model, neuroscience shows that the brain is mostly formed by early life experiences. Currently there is greater emphasis on child development in early year's initial teacher training programmes, other professional programmes and in continuing professional development. By examining the origins of our knowledge on child development and considering the extent to which practitioners should be influenced by developmental charts, this chapter highlights the centrality for teachers and practitioners in acknowledging that each child is an individual in terms of learning and development. It considers what we can learn about children's development from neuroscience. In a study of child development, as in any other discipline, there will be those whose theories and practices will have added greatly to the body of knowledge we have today.
