Imagine and explore through ‘playful’ learning
A ‘playful’ approach to learning can hugely benefit children, but the system must give teachers the freedom to create the right environment. Making the case is Nicola Whitton, Professor of Education at Manchester Metropolitan University,...Read more
Students’ test scores rise weeks after families get food stamps
Families receiving food stamps get their benefits once a month. A few weeks later, kids’ test scores tick up. The pattern, revealed by a new study of thousands of North Carolina families, suggests that the...Read more
Friends in need are friends indeed
School bullying is depressingly common but having a group of friends, not just a single “bestie”, may bolster a child’s resilience, says Andrew Trounson, a writer for the University of Melbourne’s research publication platform, Pursuit. Surviving...Read more
England’s northern youngsters ‘left behind’ by southern kids
A new report by England’s Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield says that far too many young people growing up in the north face both deep-rooted deprivation and poor schools. While some children in the north are...Read more
What students can learn from studying videogames
Are videogames the missing element in the English curriculum? Debates about the purpose of English are not new. Perhaps the most highly politicised subject in the curriculum, English is tasked with developing literacy skills so today’s...Read more
Building the prefab schools of the future
Prefab technology is driving the development of new classrooms in Australia that are a world away from the old “portables” you may remember. Access to schools with high-quality classrooms and safe learning environments is something every...Read more
Early intervention increases educational gains for inner city children
Researchers followed the 30-year progress of 989 children who attended the Child-Parent Centers program in inner-city Chicago as preschoolers. Their findings suggest preventive interventions beginning in early childhood can promote long-term educational success that contributes...Read more
Transforming educational practices to increase children’s outdoor play
Insights from three years of study of an outdoor education research project sheds light on how gradual changes in pedagogical practice can create quality outdoor play opportunities for children. A pair of researchers have shared...Read more
Toddlers need books, and lots of conversation
Learning outcomes in the first two to three years of life have been shown to have a huge impact on children’s ongoing educational achievement. Children as young as two who fall behind their peers in intellectual...Read more
Teaching children about sustainability makes a city cleaner for everyone
Sustainability and the green movement often find themselves associated with the political left, yet there are many practical and economic reasons for sustainable living. Without trying to push one political agenda or another — teaching...Read more
Prescription for developing a child’s mind
How quality teacher interaction with children pays off in their future education and development. We know that quality early childhood education is critical, but what is actually happening in kindergartens, childcare and homes across Australia? The research Over...Read more
BBC launches site promoting digital skills for children
The new site Own It provides questions, answers and tools to help children ages nine to twelve gain confidence and resilience online. This is part of the BBC’s investment of £34 million into programs and...Read more
France to ban children from using mobile phones in schools
France’s Minister of Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer has announced the prohibition of mobile phones during school hours. This ban will begin September 2018. “These days the children don’t play at break time anymore, they are just...Read more
Is German youth prepared for democracy?
The German media is abuzz with the implications of the 2017 Kinderreport (children’s report), which found that only two-thirds of the adult population trusts young people to be competent enough for democracy. The organisation that published the...Read more