Welcome to the May 2023 Learning Brain News.

There’s lots to read this month, including scientists watching a memory form in a living brain, tips to help develop your child’s learning brain and John Hattie’s new book “Visible Learning: The Sequel”, plus discover the musical elements that make us feel good.

Enjoy!

Kind regards,
The Learning Brain News Team

Why Some Children May Be Slower to Learn Words

New research from the University of East Anglia reveals why some children may be slower to learn words than others.

World-First Study Identifies Brain Changes Caused by High Blood Pressure

A new study has, for the first time, identified specific brain areas damaged by high blood pressure. The research, published in the European Heart Journal, suggests that this damage may contribute to mental decline and eventually dementia.

Scientists Watch a Memory Form in a Living Brain

In a new study by a team at the University of Southern California was able to visualise memories forming in the brains of laboratory fish, imaging them under the microscope as they bloomed in beautiful fluorescent greens. 

What they saw reinforces the view that memory is a complex phenomenon involving a hodgepodge of encoding pathways. But it further suggests that the type of memory may be critical to how the brain chooses to encode it, a conclusion that may hint at why some kinds of deeply conditioned traumatic responses are so persistent, and so hard to unlearn.

10 Ways to Develop your Child’s Brain for Reading Success

We know from scientific research that the ability to read is one of the most complex skills we can learn. Many children struggle with reading, but there are ways parents can help prevent reading difficulties.

Dr. Paula Tallal, a world-recognised authority on language-learning disabilities published a 10 point list in The Science of Learning Blog so parents can help their school-age children develop and fine-tune essential reading skills at home.