The document discusses the learning theories of pediatrician Mel Levine and his concept of the neurodevelopmental profile. It describes how each person's brain is uniquely "wired" and outlines eight neurodevelopmental systems - including attention, memory, language, and social thinking - that make up an individual's profile. It also discusses how profiles are created and how they can be used to construct accommodations and interventions to help students learn in ways that match their strengths.

1. ALL KINDS OF MINDS The Learning Theories of Mel Levine, M.D.

2. MEL LEVINE Professor of Pediatrics, UNC Co-Founder, All Kinds of Minds Institute Author: All Kinds of Minds A Mind at a Time Ready or Not, Here Life Comes The Myth of Laziness

3. A PEDIATRIC PERSPECTIVE “ IN” Learning Differences Profiling Systems Analysis Specificity Demystification “ What’s right?” “ OUT” Learning Styles Labeling (ADD, LD) Pathology Generalization Secrecy “ What’s wrong?”

4. “ Every one of our children ambles down the highly judgmental corridors of school each day dragging along his mind’s profile, a partly hidden spreadsheet of personal strengths and weaknesses. And throughout every moment of the school day that profile gets put to the test.” “ It’s taken for granted in adult society that we cannot all be ‘generalists’ skilled in every area of learning and mastery. Nevertheless, we apply tremendous pressure to our children to be good at everything.” A Mind at a Time , Levine

5. THE NEURODEVELOPMENTAL PROFILE The unique way in which each brain is “wired.” The tool chest of the mind. Connections, Misconnections and Disconnections

6. HOW A PROFILE IS CREATED Genetics Temperament/Emotions Environment Peer Influence Family Physical Health Educational Experience Cultural Values

7. THE NEURODEVELOPMENTAL SYSTEMS Attention Control System Social Thinking System Higher Thinking System Memory System Language System Sequential Ordering System Motor System Spatial Ordering System

8. Analysis of the Eight Neurodevelopmental Systems

9. ATTENTION CONTROL SYSTEM Mental Energy Controls Intake Controls Output Controls

10. THE ATTENTION SYSTEM AND EDUCATIONAL AIMS Levine, 2002 Educate students to be reflective, to slow down and think through alternatives, to unite previous experience with foresight and vision. OUTPUT CONTROL Educate students to think about what’s important, delay gratification, and become active processors of information. INTAKE CONTROL Educate students so they can reliably concentrate their mental resources and be capable of expending adequate work effort. MENTAL ENERGY CONTROL

11. MEMORY SYSTEM Short Term Memory Active Working Memory Long Term Memory

12. THE MEMORY SYSTEM AND EDUCATIONAL AIMS To educate students to be thoughtful and systematic in managing their memory files and be able to merge understanding with remembering. Levine, 2002

13. LANGUAGE SYSTEM Types of Languages Automatic ---- Literate Concrete --- Abstract Basic --- Higher Receptive --- Expressive Language Levels Metalinguistics Discourse Syntax Semantics Morphemes Phonemes

14. THE LANGUAGE SYSTEM AND EDUCATIONAL AIMS To educate students to derive gratification and knowledge from language input and to become effective verbal communicators. Levine, 2002

15. SPATIAL ORDERING SYSTEM Perceiving Remembering Creating Organizing Thinking on a Higher Plane

16. THE SPATIAL ORDERING SYSTEM AND EDUCATIONAL AIMS To educate students to make good use of mental imagery and analogy, to engage in some productive and attractive nonverbal thinking. Levine, 2002

17. SEQUENTIAL ORDERING SYSTEM Perceiving Remembering Creating Organizing Thinking on a Higher Plane

18. THE SEQUENTIAL ORDERING SYSTEM AND EDUCATIONAL AIMS To educate students to be wise consumers of time, to understand how to think and act in a step-by-step fashion. Levine, 2002

19. MOTOR SYSTEM Gross Fine Graphomotor Oromotor Musical

20. THE MOTOR SYSTEM AND EDUCATIONAL AIMS To educate students regarding the ways in which they can achieve a satisfying level of motor effectiveness. Levine, 2002

21. HIGHER THINKING SYSTEM Concepts Problem Solving Critical Thinking Rule-Guided Thinking Creativity

22. THE HIGHER THINKING SYSTEM AND EDUCATIONAL AIMS To educate students as thinkers, so they become adept conceptualizers, creators, problem solvers, and critical analysts. Levine, 2002

23. SOCIAL THINKING SYSTEM Friendship Popularity Politics

24. THE SOCIAL THINKING SYSTEM AND EDUCATIONAL AIMS To educate students to understand and practice effective interpersonal skills and to be tolerant of differences in social values and styles. Levine, 2002

25. CONSTRUCTING NEURODEVELOPMENTAL PROFILES Search for highly specific strengths and weaknesses through: Direct observation by multiple parties Testing for specific functions Discussions with the subject Analysis of work products

26. OUTPUT INVENTORY

27. CONSTRUCTING NEURODEVELOPMENTAL PROFILES Breakdown Points Trouble mastering skills Trouble acquiring facts or knowledge Trouble accomplishing output Trouble understanding Trouble approaching tasks systematically Trouble with the rate and amount of demands

28. MANAGEMENT BY PROFILE Demystification Accommodations Interventions at Breakdown Points Strengthening Strengths Protection from Humiliation Other Services Coaching and Mentoring

29. SCHOOLS ATTUNED Schools should tolerate, educate and celebrate all kinds of minds. Teachers Parents Students Setting Atmosphere