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Research -- StepUp to Learn

Do persistent babies make for successful adults?

by StepUp Staff

Do persistent babies make for successful adults?

University of Washington researchers argue that greater study of infant persistence can shed light on the factors that instill persistence, and the outcomes that may emerge from it later in life.
Posted in Attention, Engagement, Motivation, Neuroscience

Babies who hear two languages at home develop advantages in attention

by StepUp Staff

Babies who hear two languages at home develop advantages in attention

Six-month-old babies who are brought up hearing more than one language show advantages in early development of attention
Posted in Attention, Neuroscience, Speech & Language

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

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

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

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

Selecting Sounds: How the Brain Knows What To Listen To

by StepUp Staff

Selecting Sounds: How the Brain Knows What To Listen To

Scientists developed a new approach to how the brain singles out a specific stream of sound from other distracting sounds. Using a novel experimental approach, the scientists non-invasively mapped sustained auditory selective attention in the human brain. Published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the study lays crucial groundwork to track deficits in auditory attention due to aging, disease or brain trauma and to create clinical interventions, like behavioral training, to potentially correct or prevent hearing issues.
Posted in Attention, Neuroscience, Speech & Language

Kids connect with robot reading partners

by StepUp Staff

Kids connect with robot reading partners

Kids learn better with a friend. They’re more enthusiastic and understand more if they dig into a subject with a companion. But what if that companion is artificial?
Posted in Attention, Education, Engagement, Motivation, Technology

Honing Children's Language and Literacy Skills

by StepUp Staff

Honing Children's Language and Literacy Skills

If parents want to help their children develop language and literacy at a young age, reading bedtime stories together isn’t the only key to success.
Posted in Attention, Education, Language, Reading Skills, School Readiness