"If all biological influences fall within the normal range and do not significantly constrain learning, students may be able to learn well despite variations in the instructional environment. Nature does not interfere with nurture for these robust learners who may suceed in different kinds of learning environments.
If, however, biological constraints are operating, the nature and severity of these constraints can influence whether students learn in specific instructional environments. The degree to which biological constraints are operating will affect the degree to which individually tailored instructional environments are needed for learnig to occur.
Individually tailored environments are not necessarily one-to-one tutorials, and they can be created in group settings. Some students with biological constraints on their learning can learn but may (a) require more explicit, systematic, intense, and sustained instructions than classmates; and (b) struggle more or have to work harder than classmates to learn an academic skill. In the case of substantial biological constraints, the reasonable level of student learning outcome may have to be adjusted.
Nature alone seldom determines learning outcomes - nurture is also determining and becomes even more important when biological constraints are operating. "
(Brain Literacy for Educators and Psychologists by Virginia Berninger and Todd Richards).
What I like about the extract above is how it calls us educators and schools to take the lead in special needs. In an age of specialists and "specialized names" that flood the classroom, it's easy to delegate the act of looking at our students to external pairs of eyes. But it is ours that will make the biggest difference in the end.
