Welcome to the April 2024 Learning Brain News.

The world’s largest education conference is on this month in San Diego, USA - see What’s On for details. You can attend digitally.

Do you have a child or students who struggle with maths because they find reading the questions difficult? Read about how Chat GPT may help - see What’s New?

Kind regards,
The Learning Brain News Team

Latest Research

Bilingualism May Shield Against Aging Brain Problems

A new study from the Singapore University of Technology and Design demonstrates that learning a second language early in life leads to beneficial changes in the brain, providing protection against the cognitive impairments associated with aging.

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What's New?

Exploring the Use of AI to Help Students with Reading Disabilities

Carnegie Learning, an ed-tech company, has partnered with the U.S. Department of Education to research the use of ChatGPT for maths students with reading disabilities. The goal is to develop and evaluate reading supports that may be embedded in digital and adaptive maths tools so students can engage more effectively with maths.

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What's On?

16,000 attendees at Arizona State University (ASU) & Global Silicon Valley (GSV) Summit

San Diego, USA on April 14 -17

The annual ASU+GSV Summit has become one of the world's most important gatherings of leaders across "Pre-K to Gray" education and workforce learning. The event attracts over 16,000 attendees in person and virtually.

Past keynote speakers have included USA Presidents George Bush, and Barack Obama and Mexico President Vicente Fox Quesada.

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Autism

What’s the Difference Between Autism and Asperger’s Disorder?

Climate activist Greta Thunberg describes herself as having Asperger's while others on the autism spectrum, such as comedian Hannah Gatsby, they are "autistic". What's the difference?

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ADHD

ADHD Linked to Unusual Brain Connectivity Patterns

A study of nearly 10,000 brain images from youths with and without ADHD by the USA National Institutes of Health has discovered a connection between symptoms of ADHD and unusual patterns of brain connectivity.

This study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, could lead to more targeted and effective treatments,

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The Learning Success Blog

Ruben Struggled To Read & Pay Attention – How Did Fast ForWord Help?

Rubin was in his first year at school (kindergarten in NSW). His teachers told his mum, Lani, that he was not concentrating, he fidgeted a lot, and he could not complete his work.

He was also having great difficulty with his early reading, struggling to sound out simple sentences like "I am Tim. Tim sits."

Because his older brother had benefited from the Fast ForWord exercises a few years ago following an audiologist's recommendation for his auditory processing disorder, Lani decided to have Ruben do the exercises as well.

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Free Download

The Role of Working memory

Why is a good working memory so important for learning? What can you do if your child needs to develop their working memory?

This short e-Book was written in response to numerous requests from parents and teachers for an easy to read explanation of working memory and its role in learning.

Get it Here

Video of the Month

Why Can't Robots Check the Box that Says 'I'm Not a Robot'?

Comedian Lou Wall explains how Google's CAPTCHA tests work.

Watch the Video

Book of the Month

Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out

We read to escape, to learn, to find love, to feel seen. We read to encounter new worlds, to discover new recipes, to find connection across difference, or simply to pass a rainy afternoon. No matter the reason, books have the power to keep us safe, to challenge us, and perhaps most importantly, to make us more fully human.

Learn more