development

Cutting Out Visual Props.

From the colour I thought it was Geisha on the shearing table (she’s medium fawn), but when I saw her face on the next frame it turned out to be Nina – white! I should add that the alpacas are not suffering whilst on the shearing table – not keen, but not suffering, and the result feels so wonderful – no more itchy grass seeds against their skin, and ….freedom! Looking at her this way makes me want to tickle her tummy.

 

Jj is for Jottings 41.  Cutting Out Visual Props.

Enlarging upon the comment on Jottings 40 made by Ann on Facebook, who said she finds another great listening activity is to read a story to children without pictures – spot on!  When you ask them questions about the story afterwards, you will really begin to find out their ability to listen and to Continue reading →

Auditory Sequential Memory – Useful Figures.

Sam, the toenail-eating dog in Spring 2014, aged 15 years.

Jj is for Jottings 22. Auditory Sequential Memory: Some Useful Figures.

Thinking/cognition involves auditory sequential memory (also referred to as short term auditory processing or short term auditory memory) and visual sequential processing, working memory and executive function.
Auditory and visual sequential processing is how many pieces of information you can take in.
Working memory is how many pieces of information you can take in, hold it in your memory and DO something with it (manipulate the pieces).
Executive function is where you have taken in the information and remembered it, and now you are bringing in other information from long term memory and using visualisation (thinking in pictures) and conceptualisation (thinking in words) to manipulate the information and make associations i.e. think.
Auditory sequential memory is measured quite simply by using digit span – how many single numbers are remembered when presented one second apart. eg. 9-5-2-4. The average adult has a digit span of 7 (but this starts to decline after the late 20’s). At birth the sequential processing is 0. Typically it takes around 15 years to go from 0-7. Here’s a little guide:
Age Number of Digits
3 years 2-3
4 years 3-4
5 years 3,4,5
6 years 5-6
7-15 years 7 Continue reading →

More of the Other Side of the Coin

An “aerial” view of Manuel sucking my gumboot!

Jj is for Jottings 21. A Bit more of the Other Side of the Coin.

I thought I’d finished with this topic, but last week I was listening to lectures on autism, and came across some reinforcement from Bob Doman, a very well-respected and experienced educator who works in child development in the U.S. This also ties in nicely with early Jottings on repetition and learning. Continue reading →

Learning Vocabulary Through Reading.

Following the sequence from Jottings 16, it’s easy to read Marshmallow’s mind…”I’ll pretend I’m not looking.”

Jj is for Jottings 17. Learning New Words (Vocabulary) Through Reading.

Following on from Jottings 16, in which I encouraged you to keep reading to your children even when they are learning to read for themselves, here is some further information from a 2015 study:
Beginning in primary school, the ability to work out meanings of unknown words through reading is an important skill for acquiring vocabulary, and this continues right throughout life. Continue reading →

Learning, Part 2.

Otis Reading One of his Favourites. This was the title of a photo sent to me by a young first-time father.

 

Jj is for Jottings 4. Learning, Part 2.

During the processes of thinking, remembering and being physically active, new dendrites grow. (See Learning, Part 1.) They act as contact points and open new channels of communication with other neurons as learning occurs. Continue reading →