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Get answers to questions about Gifted Children now to Dr. Sandhu, Ph.D in Educational
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The Secrets to Raising a Smarter Child
- By Inderbir Sandhu, Ph.D

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~ B R A I N Y - Z I N E ~

" Learn How to Nurture A Smarter Kid "

Volume #10   Issue #14

ISSN: 0219-7642    January 8, 2012

Andrew Loh, Publisher

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Table of Contents
 
  1. Editorial
  2. BrainyZine Sponsor
  3. Feature Articles
  4. Ask an Expert
  5. Brainy Product
  6. Latest Brainy News
  7. Contact Us
Editorial
 

Hi,
Welcome back! I hope you have had a great New Year celebration with your family and friends. I also believe that you are also catalyzed and motivated enough to work hard towards raising a family that is as energized and enthused as you are! Coming back to the hectic schedules of the New Year, did you write a list of New Year resolutions both for you and your children?

Many of us write resolutions for the New Year. It may look very strange but experts believe that teaching children to set meaningful goals for the New Year is a great way to make them self-sufficient and independent. In the process, parents may also teach them the importance of achieving goals and targets. Choosing the right type of resolution could be exciting when you include your children in the drafting process.

Work with your children to make the entire process as a fun-laden event. Sit down with your children and discuss about their needs and requirements, and later assist them how they can work their way to get the best of life and career. Best wishes for the New Year again!

Thought for today:
"No matter where you are in life right now, no matter who you are, no matter how old you are – it is never too late to be who you are meant to be." - Esther & Jerry Hicks

Best Regards,
Andrew Loh
Andrew Loh
Publisher & Editor, BrainyZine

BrainyZine Sponsor
 

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Feature Articles
 

How to Improve Children Memory Power? Understanding the Fundamentals
Poor memory in children could be a big setback for children as it is very important for classroom success. Improving memory in children could be a big challenge too. Understanding the basics of memory is the first right step towards improving memory in your children. Read more here!

How to Improve Children Memory Power? Some Simple Techniques
Why some children have more memory power than the others? Are they trained and guided by their parents to improve memory? What are the techniques that enhance working memory in children? Read this article to learn more.

Ask an Expert
 

Q1: WISC-IV results for my 7 1/2 yr. old daughter -Verbal Comprehension: 99 -Perceptual Reasoning: 127 -Working Memory: 80 -Processing Speed:121 -Full Scale IQ:109 *should be interpreted with caution because of wide variance in scores (noted by psychologist)

In the evaluation report, the psychologist noted that working memory is an essential component of fluid reasoning and other higher order cognitive processes. The 47 point difference between my daughter's working memory and perceptual reasoning makes no sense to me. Can you explain? I have been wondering if my daughter is dyslexic, but the psychologist suggested that she has anxiety. Possibly a combo? Thank you for your insights.

A: Working memory is like a mental workspace with only a limited capacity. This part of our memory keeps information active only for a short period of time. And when it is active, it helps us manipulate information mentally and thus guide our behaviour. To measure working memory, there are various tests. Examples on testing is e.g., how many numbers can one repeat after hearing them once; at times person can repeat back after hearing them in a different order (this is verbal working memory), or recalling placements an object holds after seeing them once (visual working memory), etc... Continue to read Dr. Sandhu's answer on Difference between Working Memory and Perceptual Reasoning on the WISC IV here.

Q2: Is there any scientific support for the idea that learning several foreign languages in the first few years of life improve the brain and learning?

We have a daughter-in-law taking her 1-year-old child to 4-5 language classes (including Chinese) each week...Partly on the theory that different languages strengthen different portions of the brain. So far, he is one bright kid! And physically very able.

A: Compared to adults, the child's brain is different in that it is a very dynamic structure that is evolving. They are ready to learn any language they hear as babies, but by six months of age, they start to specialise in their native language. There are many benefits of being bilingual or even multilingual and at 1 year of age, it is a perfect time to learn many languages as the child's brain is able to master languages well till about 4-5 years of age, when it slows down absorption of foreign languages. This is why, as adults, we often find learning a new language rather hard.... Continue to read Dr. Sandhu's answer on Benefits of Different Languages for Brain Development here.

Brainy Products
 

Helping Students Remember, Includes CD-ROM: Exercises and Strategies to Strengthen Memory
By Milton J. Dehn, Ed.D

A practical workbook designed to assist students whose academic learning is suffering due to a memory deficit or ineffective utilization of their memory capabilities, Helping Students Remember provides numerous strategies and methods to strengthen memory, including chunking, organization, keyword, self-testing, pegword, loci, and mnemonics.

Drawing on the author's extensive training and experience, this useful resource presents effective techniques and lessons on:

  • How memory works

  • Memorization methods

  • Goals for improving memory

  • Repetition

  • Using cards to build memory

  • Grouping words by category

  • Study skills that help memory

  • Using arithmetic to build memory

  • Using music to remember

  • Improving recall during tests

  • Creating and using review sheets

  • Picturing verbal information

  • Using context cues

  • Plans for using memory strategies

With an accompanying CD containing all of the worksheets and word lists for reproduction, Helping Students Remember is the first workbook of its kind for general psychologists, school psychologists, and special education teachers, offering practical, easy-to-implement, and evidence-based methods for working with children with memory impairments.

 

Working Memory and Learning: A Practical Guide for Teachers
By Susan E Gathercole and Tracy Packiam Alloway

A good working memory is crucial to becoming a successful leaner, yet there is very little material available in an easy-to-use format that explains the concept and offers practitioners ways to support children with poor working memory in the classroom.

This book provides a coherent overview of the role played by working memory in learning during the school years, and uses theory to inform good practice. Topics covered include:

  • the link between working memory skills and key areas of learning (such as literacy & numeracy

  • the relationship between working memory and children with developmental disorders

  • assessment of children for working memory deficits

  • strategies for supporting working memory in under-performing children

This accessible guide will help SENCOs, teachers, teaching assistants, speech and language therapists and educational psychologists to understand and address working memory in their setting.

 


Latest Brainy News
 

Early Relationships and Brain Development
Boston Dec 23, 2011

The research and knowledge about how early relationships shape brain development has been exploding in recent years. Three new studies caught my attention. The more we know about this area, the more we recognize how important it is to support parents and young children in the early years when the brain is most rapidly developing and so most "plastic," or able to change.


Kindergarten math skills key to later success, researchers say
UT San Diego Dec 23, 2011

It's one of the biggest debates going on among early childhood development experts: Is it more important for kindergartners to focus on academics and learn their ABC's and numbers? On the other hand, spend more time on social and emotional issues, like how to play nice and pay attention.


IQ isn't fixed at birth, can increase with education
US Today Dec 27, 2011

Although time spent in school has been linked with IQ, earlier studies did not rule out the possibility that people with higher IQs might simply be likelier to get more education than others, the researchers noted.


Exercise may be the key to success in the classroom
WHP TV Jan 02, 2012

If you want your child to get better grades, you may want to make sure they're getting physical activity. Researchers in the Netherlands analyzed 14 studies from the U.S., Canada and South Africa and found strong evidence of a relationship between physical activity and academic performance.


Reading To A Child
VPR Dec 22, 2011

King Arthur Executive and commentator Steve Voigt says that one of the best gifts you can give a child this holiday season - or any time of year for that matter - is to read aloud together.



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