Welcome to the August 2015 edition of The Learning Brain.
This month you can get up to date on the emerging field of Educational Neuroscience, the convergence of knowledge from education and research about how our brains learn. See Book of the Month: “Mind, Brain, and Education”, a collection of expert views on the impact of neuroscience on how students learn maths, reading and other subjects, plus its impact on their emotions and creativity.
And read what Professor Michael Merzenich, neuroscientist, authority on brain plasticity, and Professor Emeritus at the University of California said to The Future Ways of Thinking conference at the Queensland University of Technology last week about brain training and education.
Kind regards,
PS: Don’t miss the 7 tips to make neuroscience work in your school (you will need to scroll right down to the bottom of the newsletter).
PPS: Want more information about educational neuroscience? Then listen to Dr Martha Burns’ Podcast: The New Science or Learning.
Latest Research
Can we predict which kids will struggle with reading?
Imagine if we could test a newborn baby’s brain to screen for possible later reading difficulties when they go to school.
A child’s ability to connect sound to meaning is a key foundation for reading. Preschoolers who can match sounds to letters go on to read more easily.
Scientists are looking for ways to tell, as early as possible, when children are at risk for later learning difficulties so they can get early intervention. Read more.
How music training alters the teenage brain
Music training, begun as late as high school, may help improve the teenage brain’s responses to sound and sharpen hearing and language skills, suggests a new university study. The authors say that these results highlight music’s place in the high school curriculum. Read more.
What’s New?
Brain training exercises should be in schools: Dr Michael Merzenich
Neuroscientist, Dr Michael Merzenich, a pioneer of brain plasticity research and regarded by many as the “father of cognitive neuroscience”, told school principals and teachers at the Queensland University of Technology’s Future Ways of Thinking conference that brain training exercises should be used in Australian schools.
Dr Merzenich also said that brain training would soon become as common as physical fitness programs.
New MySciLearn Session Monitor App
The new MyScilearn Session Monitor App* – for iPad, iPhone and Android devices – helps educators more easily deliver the benefits of the Fast ForWord brain training and Reading Assistant online tutor programs to their students.
“It is great to be able to see what each student is working on
and who needs to be guided back on task”.
Teachers can use their iPad, iPhone or Android tablet or phone to monitor each student’s progress in real-time, seeing which program, exercise or reading selection a student is working on, as well as the number of exercises or minutes remaining in a session. They can even monitor students working in another classroom.
The Learning Capacity Podcast
The new science of learning. Teachers build brains
In this episode we hear Dr Martha Burns, Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northwestern University, discuss the new science of learning. It involves neuroscience, and understanding individual differences in children. Most importantly, it’s that educators don’t just teach. They build brains. Listen to the Podcast.
Is your child struggling to read and pay attention at school?
Lani, Rubin’s mother says, “What an absolute godsend the Fast ForWord program has been for us. He did it in term 4, 2014 – his kindergarten year. Then when Ruben started year one this year, 2015, he had jumped from a reading level 3 to a level 16 reader!”.
“And his attention has also improved hugely. The teachers no longer complain that he is not concentrating or completing his work”.
Read more about how Fast ForWord has made school easier for Rubin and also for his brother.
Memory
Five Simple Memory Improvement Tips to Boost Brain Power
Memory loss can happen to anyone and at any point in life. According to scientific studies, it is possible to increase your brain capacity with memory improvement exercises. The whole family can benefit from these five simple memory improvement tips.
Free Download
Homophones – Resource Pack
TeachStarter is offering a set of homophones posters to display in your classroom. The set of 12 commonly mistaken homophones posters offer a visual explanation of the subtle differences in spelling, but crucial differences in meaning.
Maths Skills Booster – August Worksheets
We thank you for sharing all your positive feedback on the Maths Skills Booster. Comments like these are very encouraging:
- “It’s been great watching the kids’ confidence grow as they not only get more accurate but faster – thank you” (primary teacher)
- “So far, it has proved invaluable for my sons confidence, concentration, ability to focus in all areas, especially all maths areas, not just times tables – thanks heaps!” (parent).
Ready for your new set of Maths Skills Booster Worksheets? You can download the August worksheets here.
Did you miss out on the original Maths Skills Booster? You can get it here.
Book of the Month
Mind, Brain & Education by David A Sousa
“Mind, Brain, and Education” edited by David A Sousa is a significant, informative book for all educators and parents interested in the rapidly emerging field of educational neuroscience.
David Sousa has put together contributions from 15 leading neuroscientists, educators and psychologists which explain how neuroscience impacts teaching and learning.
“Mind, Brain, and Education” includes chapters on the neuroscience of reading, maths, speaking, emotions and creativity, and how this science can be used in the classroom to improve educational outcomes.
Despite the list of academic papers at the end of each chapter, this is not a book filled with science jargon. It is written in plain, everyday language, making it easily readable for everyone.
App of the Month
Geo Walk HD – 3D World Fact Book
Geo Walk HD – 3D World Fact Book is a great resource for encouraging kids to explore the world. It presents more than 500 flashcards that cover places, animals, plants, people, and events. It also has a quiz mode which helps kids review what they’ve learned (or test their existing knowledge) in an entertaining fashion.
What’s On?
National Literacy and Numeracy Week
National Literacy and Numeracy Week will be held from 31 August – 6 September 2015. This is the 17th National Literacy and Numeracy Week to celebrate the importance of literacy and numeracy skills in schools across Australia. Find out how you can participate here.
The Learning Difference Convention will be held on 27th & 28th August at the Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, Sydney.
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According to research
70% of us are not
getting enough sleep.
See what it’s doing
to our brain.
7 Tips to make
Educational
Neuroscience
work in your school
Educators and schools
around the world are
increasingly applying
neuroscience in their
classrooms. Learn How.
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times-tables
can be smart
learning
Can memorising maths
tables help students build
their learning capacity?