Brain development

Proust and the Squid: the story and science of the reading brain Supporting young children's sustained shared thinking: an exploration Why Love Matters: How Affection Shapes a Baby's Brain More about brain development

• Proust and the Squid: the story and science of the reading brain by Maryanne Wolf (2008) Icon Books Ltd
  Proust and the Squid is a fascinating study of the science of reading, highlighting how recently, in evolutionary terms, our brains have needed to adapt to allow us to decipher the written word. Reading is described as an unnatural process that has to be learnt by each individual child, in a short space of time, and the book covers linguistics, archaeology, history, literature and neuroscience as well as education to give a full picture of what this study involves. By looking at dyslexia the author is able to highlight different brain developments, and she worries about the future of reading and our thinking processes as the technological age delivers words and information in different ways. The author highlights the importance of an early familiarity with words and books: "Children who begin kindergarten having heard and used thousands of words, whose meanings are already understood, classified, and stored away in their young brains, have the advantage on the playing field of education. Children who never have a story read to them, who never hear words that rhyme, who never imagine fighting with dragons or marrying a prince, have the odds overwhelmingly against them." (p 20)
  
  
• Supporting young children's sustained shared thinking: an exploration, by Marion Dowling, Early Education. Marion Dowling managed the project that produced these useful training materials and wrote the supporting booklet. The set includes a DVD, 19-page explanatory booklet and an A4 version that can be photocopied.
  The booklet highlights how alert practitioners can tune into young children's ability to investigate, reason and solve problems. There are also many pointers to how practitioners can behave in ways that will create the opportunities for 'sustained shared thinking' - the practical concept described in the EPPE and REPEY research. The DVD provides five examples of interaction between children and an adult and also between children themselves. The range encompasses an under-threes nursery unit, primary school Foundation Stage unit, a childminder, a nursery school and a Year 1 class.
  The resources are intended to be used in training workshops and the booklet offers brief suggestions for running the sessions. I think they could also work for in-house team development. Marion Dowling offers possible discussion activities, pointers for reflection and questions to stimulate discussion..This valuable resource could really help fine-tune practice to benefit young children.
  (Review by Jennie Lindon, psychologist and early years consultant, Nursery World, 03.08.06)
  
  
• Why Love Matters: How Affection Shapes a Baby's Brain by Sue Gerhardt (Brunner-Routledge, 2004). A lively interpretation of the latest findings in neuro-science, psychology, psychoanalysis and biochemistry explains why love is essential to brain development in the early years of life. The author vividly shows how early interactions between babies and their parents have lasting and serious consequences for emotional well being.
  
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