Knowing what’s coming: The neuroscience of why predictability and routines are more important for younger children, and for children with additional needs

From call-and-response sequences to daily routines, predictability is an essential but under-appreciated aspect of everyday learning environments. This article reviews the existing literature on why predictability in educational settings, marked by stability and rhythm, supports learning and development. Previous research shows that young children develop an understanding of the world through interactions with their environment; based on what they already know or believe, they then make predictions about what will happen next. This allows for allostasis, which involves proactive changes to stress-response systems to meet anticipated future demands. At a fine-grained level, brains operate by generating and testing predictions. We learn best at an intermediate level of predictability – known as the Goldilocks zone. But for younger brains, with little prior experience, even simple, structured environments can appear unpredictable. Exposure to unpredictable environments triggers a stress response within the sympathoadrenal-medullary axis. Children who experience unpredictable home environments can often have an overactive stress response. This article aims to address a gap in our current understanding of education by applying insights from neuroscience to offer practical recommendations for educators to support healthy development and improve learning outcomes.