Brandon Learning Centre: British Education - process, preparation and practicalities

  The quickest way to kill interest in a book for many students is to make it into a study topic! I had one teacher who managed to drag out Steinbeck's 'The Red Pony ' over two terms. No mean feat given that my copy has only 95 pages. It is a brilliant work and incredibly moving but, for years to come, most of my classmates would groan every time a pony was mentioned.   Reading a book with your child can be used to build bonds and develop topics of conversation between generations. You don't have to make this exercise into another chore, try to approach it with a sense of wonder at what decisions and thoughts your child might reveal.  Explain to your child that you will be reading the same work simultaneously and creating a family book club.  Decide who will be the book club manager and generate discussion questions. Draw lots if necessary!   Steps:     1: Your child (or any age!) choses a book for you both to read. They are in control but tr...

Vygotsky developed his Zone of Proximal Development theories based on observing how groups of children learn. Children may have the raw ability to learn how to do something but they may not be able to achieve their potential without assistance from a knowledgeable person'who breaks down the task into steps which the child can master. We can call this 'scaffolding'.  Anyone who has ever studied painting or music will understand exactly what this process involves. Remember the Suzuki method? Think about the Zone of Proximal Development as having three steps:    1: Tasks which a learner CANNOT accomplish with assistance Sometimes, the task is too great for a learner. You as a parent need to step back and break the task down into small bites. Think about this; you wouldn't put a child on a racing bike for the first time and expect them to be a competant rider! Apply this to every area your child struggles with.    2: Tasks which a learner CAN accomplish with assista...

If you aren't familiar with the Australian children's writer Mem Fox, you are really missing out. Her stories centre on kindness, something that we could all do with more of in these fraught times.  In my absolute favourite  Wombat Divine, wombat is excluded from the nativity because he falls asleep, walks too slowly or can't keep up. In Whoever you Are, we also explore difference but with humans rather than animals. The book describes the ways in which people may look different but still experience the same pain. I strongly recommend it for anyone with children between 3 - 6. Thought provoking and lovely. A perfect starting off point for discussing inclusion with your family. If you don't want to read yourself, the link above also leads to an audio book!

I have just acquired a copy of Muriel Young's 1967 recording of Jellyco the Magic Budgerigar. I had the record as a child and have always wanted to hear it again. The story is simple but magic lies in the sound or Mrs Young's voice. The spoken word has a power of its own. Even over the hiss of a record, you can hear every word clearly and become enmeshed in the world of the story. I was fortunate, as a child my parents read to me daily and I grew up listening to Radio 4 ( www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 ) Research has formed links between reading to children and their emotional, health and academic development. You don't have to be a Shakespearean actor to create a special relationship between your family and books. Try the following: 1: Go to a quiet area of the house 2: Make sure that you will not be disturbed or distracted 3: Throw yourself into the world of the book: use voices, change your pace to create excitement 4: Have fun!  If you are looking for ideas, UK charity...