
~ 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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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
mailto:andrew@brainy-child.com
Please visit our sponsor ad web site below. Thanks to our sponsor for keeping this a free newsletter.
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.
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.
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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:
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How memory works
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Memorization methods
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Goals for improving memory
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Repetition
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Using cards to build memory
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Grouping words by category
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Study skills that help
memory
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Using arithmetic to build
memory
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Using music to remember
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Improving recall during
tests
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Creating and using review
sheets
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Picturing verbal
information
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Using context cues
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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.
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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:
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the link between working
memory skills and key areas of learning (such as
literacy & numeracy
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the relationship between
working memory and children with developmental disorders
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assessment of children for
working memory deficits
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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.
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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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