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Research -- StepUp to Learn

Connection of children to nature brings less distress, hyperactivity and behavioral problems

by StepUp Staff

Connection of children to nature brings less distress, hyperactivity and behavioral problems

University of Hong Kong study found that parents who saw their child had a closer connection with nature had less distress, less hyperactivity, fewer behavioral and emotional difficulties, and improved pro-social behavior. 
Posted in Attention, Health & Wellness, Motivation, Movement & Exercise, Social Skills

Intellectual Curiosity and Confidence Help Children Take on Math and Reading

by StepUp Staff

Intellectual Curiosity and Confidence Help Children Take on Math and Reading

Characteristics related to openness, such as intellectual curiosity and confidence, made children more adept to take on math and reading than characteristics describing conscientiousness, such as diligence and perseverance.
Posted in Attention, Education, Engagement, Mathematics, Memory, Motivation, Neuroscience, Reading Skills, School Readiness

Attention, please! Anticipation of touch takes focus, executive skills

by StepUp Staff

Attention, please! Anticipation of touch takes focus, executive skills

Inside the brain, the act of anticipating is an exercise in focus, a neural preparation that conveys important visual, auditory or tactile information about what’s to come. New brain research on 6 - 8 year olds shows not only this expectation in real time, but also how anticipation relates to executive function skills.

Posted in Attention, Neuroscience

The powerful impact of real-world learning experiences for kids

by StepUp Staff

The powerful impact of real-world learning experiences for kids

Researchers found that 4- to 9-year-old kids knew more about how animals are classified after a four-day camp at a zoo. It wasn’t that children who attended just knew more facts about animals, the researchers noted. The camp actually improved how they organized what they knew – a key component of learning.

Posted in Attention, Education, Engagement, Memory, Motivation

Boys with social difficulties most susceptible to early substance use, study finds

by StepUp Staff

Boys with social difficulties most susceptible to early substance use, study finds

Varying patterns of social, emotional and learning problems are associated with increases in verbal, physical and relational aggression and substance use among adolescent boys, according to a new study led by social work professor Kevin Tan.
Posted in Education, Social Skills

Attention Deficit Disorders Could Stem from Impaired Brain Coordination

by StepUp Staff

Attention Deficit Disorders Could Stem from Impaired Brain Coordination

Researchers have discovered how two brain regions work together to maintain attention, and how discordance between the regions could lead to attention deficit disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression.

Posted in Attention, Memory

Kindergarten difficulties may predict academic achievement across primary grades

by StepUp Staff

Kindergarten difficulties may predict academic achievement across primary grades

New research suggests deficits in executive functions in kindergarten increase the risk for experiencing repeated academic difficulties in mathematics, reading and science from first to third grade.
Posted in Education, Mathematics, Memory, Reading Skills, School Readiness

Helping Children With ADHD Thrive in the Classroom

by StepUp Staff

Helping Children With ADHD Thrive in the Classroom

School is tough for a lot of children, but the classroom can be especially stressful for kids struggling with attention deficit hyperactivity diso...
Posted in Attention, Education, Engagement

Developing Instruments to Detect Language Problems Earlier

by StepUp Staff

Developing Instruments to Detect Language Problems Earlier

The research team at San Diego State University is working on ways to better detect language problems in children prior to age 3, when intervention might be more effective.
Posted in School Readiness, Speech & Language

Sensory Integration Dysfunction Case Study

by Jonathan Rowe

Sensory Integration Dysfunction Case Study

An August 2010 doctor’s report included history of Oromotor Dyspraxia, Auditory Sensitivity, Articulation Disorder, Developmental Language Delay, and Heavy Metal Toxicity which had improved with prior therapeutic interventions. Current diagnoses include Sensory Integration Dysfunction, Metabolic Disorder, and Developmental Coordination Disorder. Michael was receiving Speech Therapy 5 days a week and Occupational Therapy once a week. His delays first became evident at age 2 when he had not begun to talk.
Posted in Attention, Education, Language, Movement & Exercise, Neuroscience, School Readiness, Speech & Language

Case Study: Developmental Coordination Disorder

by Jonathan Rowe

Case Study: Developmental Coordination Disorder

Emily is an eight year old in the third grade at a private school. She does not receive any special education services through the local school district. Emily was conceived as a result of in vitro fertilization and carried to full term. Developmentally, Emily was a late walker and an early talker. Significant health history includes fracturing the tibia at 12 months of age and again at 4. At birth she was diagnosed with Lordosis (curvature of the spine) and the presence of a sacral dimple. Emily had a few ear infections between the ages of 1 and 2 at which time she was considered for tubes.
Posted in Mathematics, Motivation, Movement & Exercise, School Readiness

Pencil Grip is Less Important than Letter Formation and Speed

by StepUp Staff

Pencil Grip is Less Important than Letter Formation and Speed

The increased use of computers and tablets in schools and at home has shifted educational focus toward a child’s keyboard skills rather than handwriting. Children are still expected to learn how to write by hand, but the importance of letter formation and speed is often overlooked.
Posted in Education, Handwriting