Neuropsicologia i Educació

The aim of this article is to propose a vision of the developmental process of cognitive functions in children from the perspective of brain development, following contributions by the main neuropsychological theories. In this sense, then, the theoretical models of cerebral cortex functioning are presented, from Alexander Luria’s theories to the most current approaches on neural network functioning. The development of the child’s higher functions is explained on the basis of the development of the different brain areas, taking into account the important relationship between the genetic bases of development and the relationship with the child’s environment. The interaction between the child’s school setting and evolutionary process is essential for one’s own development, as together with the family context the school is one of the child’s main relational environments. In this sense, we present the different changes related to the child’s brain development at every evolutionary moment, bearing also in mind the child’s educational process at the school setting. Finally, there is reference to the neurobiological bases of language acquisition process and brain lateralization of cognitive functions, basic processes for the child’s communication with the environment and learning process.