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Nicola Call, author of The
ALPS Approach, in collaboration with Sally
Featherstone, has produced this exciting book that describes
how to put brain-based theory into practice in the foundation
stage. The Thinking Child – Brain-based
learning for the foundation stage describes in depth
the most up-to-date research that lies behind brain-based
learning theory and gives practical advice to help practitioners
from any type of setting to put the theory into practice.
It addresses many issues of interest to practitioners,
such as how to maximize learning through play, how to
define ‘intelligence’, the current thinking
about why some children develop disorders such as ADHD,
and how to help children develop emotional intelligence.
Contents
Introduction: Understanding the child’s brain
Step 1: Answering some frequently asked questions
Step 2: Let’s meet a brain
Step 3: Meeting the children in their settings
Part One: Preparing the climate and
context for learning
Step 1: Addressing the children’s physical needs
Step 2: Developing emotional intelligence
Step 3: Providing children with the tools for learning
Step 4: Managing behaviour positively
Step 5: Fostering partnerships with parents and carers
Part Two: Supporting independent learning
Step 1: Making maximum use of the environment
Step 2: Helping children to develop good attention skills
Step 3: Helping children to stay on task
Step 4: Talking the language of learning
Part Three: Developing brain-based
techniques
Step 1: Teaching children to mind map
Step 2: Adventures in play
Step 3: Maximizing learning through music
Step 4: Teaching and learning through movement
Step 5: The place for technology
Part Four: Teaching for intelligence
Step 1: Creative teaching for better learning
Step 2: Fostering the beginnings of group work
Step 3: Teaching through VAK
Step 4: Engaging the multiple intelligences
Website information
Bibliography
References
Index
Back cover
The practical brain-based techniques described in this
book include:
• Introducing children to mind mapping
• How to use music to maximise learning
• Teaching and learning through movement
• Fostering the beginnings of group work
• Managing behaviour positively
• Helping children to develop good attention skills
• Talking the language of learning
• Addressing children’s physical needs
• Teaching through VAK – visual, auditory
and kinaesthetic – means
• Engaging the multiple intelligences
Alongside theory, the book gives clear and practical
guidance for busy practitioners who want suggestions
of ways to implement brain-based techniques. Numerous
practical ideas are given to suggest where to start,
whilst Mini-Brainy characters illustrate key points
throughout the text. Additionally a number of informative,
and often amusing, snippets of information about the
brain and learning are given in boxes called Fascinating
Facts. Examples from a wide variety of settings give
an overview of how brain-based techniques can be used
to enrich the learning experience of all young children
– which is described in the book as a learning
adventure. The experience of practitioners using The
Thinking Child will be as exciting as that of the children,
as they embark upon this brain-based learning adventure
together.
Author
Nicola Call started her teaching career in Inner London,
rising rapidly to become Deputy Head of three primary
schools. When she met Alistair Smith, with whom she
co-wrote The alps approach, Nicola was beginning to
put theory into practice at her school on the outskirts
of London’s Heathrow airport. The most memorable
result of this work was when 100 per cent of her Year
6 students attained Level 5 in their science SATs, but
of equal importance was the incredible academic confidence
of the children who experienced these methods. Nicola
now lives in California where she combines writing with
research into Accelerated Learning work in schools.
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