Brain Development Across Childhood

Vocabulary flashcards covering brain development in infancy, elementary school, and middle to late childhood based on lecture notes.

Neural Connection Formation in Infancy

The process by which self-directed infants learn and form neural connections and networks through exploring, acting, and observing.

Optimal Infant Environment

A stimulating, responsive, and safe environment that serves as a better teacher than flashcards or structured lessons by allowing infants to follow their interests and curiosities.

Elementary Brain Interconnections

The increased networking among brain areas supporting perception, memory, and emotion, which allows children to hold more information in memory at once.

Metacognition in Elementary Years

The ability enabled by brain interconnections that allows children to reflect on their own feelings and thoughts, or think about their own thinking.

Language Acquisition Readiness

The stage during elementary school years when children's brains are ready to learn more vocabulary and grammar in their first language and acquire a second language.

Managing Limited Attention Spans

The practice of dividing longer lessons, activities, or directions into manageable and memorable pieces for elementary school children.

Shift in Brain Activation

A transition during middle and late childhood where brain activation moves from diffuse, larger areas to more focal, smaller areas.

Synaptic Pruning

A neurodevelopmental process wherein unused brain areas lose connections, while areas actively being used gain additional connections.

Focal Activation

The concentration of brain activation into smaller, specific areas during middle and late childhood, which is linked to improved cognitive performance.

Cognitive Control

A capability driven by increased focal activation that involves controlling attention, reducing interfering thoughts, inhibiting motor actions, and flexibly switching between competing choices.