Learning Archives - Tooled Up Education

The Power of the Home Learning Environment

Did you know that parents are extremely powerful in shaping children’s early view of learning and can greatly influence their capacity to thrive academically? As parents, we are responsible for planting those early seeds that mean children enjoy learning and embrace challenges. When learning is ‘embedded into everyday life’, it shouldn’t feel onerous or stressful and in fact, should be enjoyable for the whole family. In this video, Dr Weston describes little things we can do at home that can maximise children’s chances of thriving at school.

August 12, 2023

Nudging Versus Pushing

As parents, we want the best for our children and we want to know that they are reaching their full potential. But we do have to be careful to keep a sense of balance between academic expectation or pressure and all of the other activities that keep them feeling good about themselves and their progress. There is a big difference between nudging and pushing. Find out more in this short video.

August 11, 2023

What Really Works in the Classroom and What Doesn’t?

Is what you learned in teacher training still relevant? In this webinar, educational scientist and author, Pedro de Bruyckere, talks us through common classroom practices that have become outdated, outlines their replacements and describes new, actionable ideas that educators should bring into their practice, with particular focus on pupil resilience and motivation.

July 6, 2023

The Specificities of Learning and Teaching Foreign Languages in the Primary Years

In this webinar for Tooled Up school staff, Professor Florence Myles examines how primary-aged children learn foreign languages and how different the process is from older children and adults, before moving onto pedagogical implications. She addresses whether or not young children are quicker at learning languages, whether younger children are more motivated than older children and what drives their motivation. She also outlines how learning foreign languages is linked to cognitive, emotional and social development in this age group and finishes by presenting the work of her research group RiPL (Research in Primary Languages) and explaining how to access its varied resources.

June 26, 2023

Dr Christie talks with Professor Johan Korhonen: Math Anxiety and Math Performance

In this interview, Professor Johan Korhonen talks with us about math anxiety and its role on math performance. Find out about why math anxiety may develop in children, what are the early signs of math anxiety, and how it may impact future educational aspirations. Professor Korhonen provides a number of insights into strategies both parents and teachers can implement immediately at home and at school to ease math anxiety in children.

June 23, 2023

A Teacher’s Guide to AI Tools

In this webinar, experienced computing teacher and teacher trainer, Rachel Arthur, talks to us about AI tools and the future of education. In this practical 30 minute session, Rachel demonstrates seven tools that can transform your planning and practice, outlining how they can be put to great effect for lessons and research. Not to be missed!

June 19, 2023

Researcher of the Month: Professor Beatriz Ilari Discusses the Impact of Music on Young People’s Development

Researcher of the month, Professor Beatriz Ilari chats to us about how music has a wide-ranging impact on young people’s social and emotional development. We might assume that being ‘musical’ means playing an instrument, but Professor Ilari stresses the importance of everyday musical experiences and simply of listening to and engaging with our favourite bands or songs. In this interview, we find out more about her fascinating work.

June 18, 2023

Paintings Every Family Should See and Know About

In this webinar, Laurence Hedges, Director of Art at Harrow School, will talk us through some of the ‘must see’ paintings of all time, that perhaps we can add to our viewing ‘bucket lists’ as families. More importantly, he will give us some wonderful ideas and clues as to how we can approach looking at art and, more broadly, how to promote art appreciation in children and young people.

June 9, 2023

Dr Christie Talks with Professor Courtenay Norbury: Understanding Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)

In this interview, Professor Courtenay Norbury talks with us about developmental language disorder (DLD), which she describes as a ‘chronically understudied’ topic. Find out about early signs and what impact it might have on children and young people’s development. Professor Norbury provides numerous practical strategies for both parents to use at home and teachers to try in the classroom to help children with DLD have as good outcomes as possible.

May 24, 2023

Dr Christie Talks with Dr Marina Bazhydai: Probing the Space of the Possible – Children’s Curiosity, Wonder and Creativity

In this interview, we talk with Dr Marina Bazhydai, Director of the Active Learning Lab (ALL) at Lancaster University, about nurturing children’s sense of curiosity, wonder and creativity. We learn about her innovative and fascinating work which investigates active exploration and curiosity in very young children, find out more about the links between creativity and emotional literacy and discover how she is seeking to pinpoint the elusive concept of wonder. This is a great listen if you are keen to learn how to cultivate curiosity and innovative thinking in your child (or the children in your care).

May 21, 2023