Competences

• a)Synthesise and operationalise psychological and neuroscientific theories to design and evaluate teaching strategies that support diverse learning needs in primary classrooms;
• b)Design and justify lesson plans that integrate evidence-based insights on children’s cognitive, emotional and social development;
• c)Critically interpret students’ learning behaviours and implement appropriate interventions to enhance motivation, engagement and academic performance;
• d)Apply and refine classroom management techniques based on psychological and neuroscientific principles to foster a positive and supportive learning environment;
• e)Embed and model evidence-based practices that cultivate emotional intelligence and self-regulation skills among students;
• f)Develop strategies to foster resilience and well-being in students, applying principles from psychology and neuroscience;
• g)Integrate and adapt insights from educational neuroscience to support students with learning difficulties, neurodivergence, and attention-related challenges.

Knowledge

• a)Contextualise key theories in educational psychology – behaviourism, cognitivism, constructivism, experientialism as well as the social-contextual learning, appraising their theoretical contribution and pedagogical relevance to primary education;
• b)Interpret major theories of learning, human development, human intelligence, and their implications for differentiated and developmentally appropriate instruction;
• c)Examine systematically the stages of human development (cognitive, social, emotional, and physical) and their interconnected impact on learning processes and educational outcomes;
• d)Critically analyse the role of personality, motivation, and socio-cultural factors in shaping student behaviour and academic performance;
• e)Interpret fundamental principles of educational neuroscience in relation to how brain development affects learning, memory, and cognitive processing;
• f)Critically appraise research on stress, trauma, and emotional regulation and their implication on student learning, wellbeing, and classroom behaviour;
• g)Justify pedagogical strategies for creating inclusive learning environments grounded in psychological and neuroscientific research;
• h)Evaluate systematically the role of executive functions such as attention, self-regulation and working memory in student learning and classroom management;
• i)Synthesise current evidence on the effects of neuroplasticity and brain-based learning strategies on classroom instruction and student achievement.

Skills

• a)Practise and model advanced interpersonal and emotional competencies, including empathy, communication, listening and emotional literacy in their classroom;
• b)Elicit, interpret and extend students’ prior knowledge and understanding to maximise cognitive engagement and potential;
• c)Integrate and evaluate psychological and educational neuroscience principles to optimise student engagement and learning outcomes;
• d)Analyse and interpret students’ cognitive, emotional, and social development , designing differentiated strategies that align with individual learning trajectories;
• e)Develop and implement strategies for promoting students’ emotional intelligence, resilience, and self-regulation skills;
• f)Adapt and innovate instructional methods based on students’ responses, feedback and neuroscientific insights;
• g)Apply and critically appraise neuroscience-informed techniques, such as retrieval practice and spaced repetition, to enhance learning retention.