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Research -- StepUp to Learn

Less than Ideal Start in Life: What Next?

Less than Ideal Start in Life: What Next?

The early talk and communication that children experience when very young, though essential in preparing them for school, has no direct impact on their reading and writing skills by age 11.
Posted in Education, Language, Reading Skills, School Readiness, Social Development, Social Skills, Speech & Language

Humans are Born with Brains 'Prewired' to See Words

Humans are Born with Brains 'Prewired' to See Words

Humans are born with a part of the brain that is prewired to be receptive to seeing words and letters, setting the stage at birth for people to learn how to read, a new study suggests.
Posted in Language, Neuroscience, Reading Skills, Speech & Language

Heavy TV and Computer Use Impacts Children’s Academic Results

Heavy TV and Computer Use Impacts Children’s Academic Results

A new study reveals an association between heavy television use and poorer reading performance, as well as, between heavy computer use and poorer numeracy.

Posted in Education, Mathematics, Reading Skills, Speech & Language, Technology

Regular Physical Activity Seems to Enhance Cognition in Children Who Need it Most

Regular Physical Activity Seems to Enhance Cognition in Children Who Need it Most

New research shows that regular physical activity can enhance cognitive functions, especially in those who have the most room for improvement.
Posted in Education, Memory, Movement & Exercise, Neuroscience

How the Brain Detects the Rhythms of Speech

How the Brain Detects the Rhythms of Speech

Neuroscientists have discovered how the listening brain scans speech to break it down into syllables.
Posted in Language, Neuroscience, Speech & Language

Sport and Memory Go Hand in Hand

Sport and Memory Go Hand in Hand

By exploring the benefits of sport in memory and motor learning, scientists are opening up promising perspectives for school programs.

Posted in Education, Memory, Movement & Exercise, Neuroscience

Why Writing By Hand Makes Kids Smarter

Why Writing By Hand Makes Kids Smarter

New brain research shows that writing by hand helps children learn more and remember better. At the same time, schools are becoming more and more digital.
Posted in Attention, Education, Handwriting, Memory

Busy Pictures Hinder Reading Ability in Children

Busy Pictures Hinder Reading Ability in Children

New study shows extraneous images draw attention from text, reducing comprehension in beginning readers.

Posted in Education, Reading Skills, School Readiness

Children Use Both Brain Hemispheres to Understand Language, Unlike Adults

Children Use Both Brain Hemispheres to Understand Language, Unlike Adults

Whereas adults process most discrete neural tasks in specific areas in one or the other of their brain's two hemispheres, young children use both the right and left hemispheres to do the same task. The finding suggests a possible reason why children appear to recover from neural injury much easier than adults.

Posted in Language, Movement & Exercise, Neuroscience, School Readiness, Speech & Language

Children Will Wait to Impress Others—Another Twist on the Classic Marshmallow Test

Children Will Wait to Impress Others—Another Twist on the Classic Marshmallow Test

When it comes to self-control, young children are better able to resist temptation and wait for greater rewards if they take into consideration the opinions of others, a new study finds.
Posted in Neuroscience, Social Development, Social Skills

Early Reading in Spanish Helps Children Learn to Read English

Early Reading in Spanish Helps Children Learn to Read English

Children who had strong early reading skills in their native Spanish language when they entered kindergarten experienced greater growth in their ability to read English from kindergarten through fourth grade.

Posted in Language, Reading Skills, School Readiness, Speech & Language

Visual-Spatial Learning Disorder Is More Common Than Thought

Visual-Spatial Learning Disorder Is More Common Than Thought

Nonverbal learning disability (NVLD), a poorly understood and often-overlooked disorder that causes problems with visual-spatial processing, may affect nearly 3 million children in the United States, making it one of the most common learning disorders.
Posted in Education, Health & Wellness, Mathematics, Memory, Movement & Exercise, Neuroscience, Reading Skills, Social Development