Do ability-based groupings work? What does research say about smart drugs? What evidence backs up teaching methods for students with additional learning needs? Discuss these questions and more with researchers and other teachers in tonight’s live chat on individual differences, 8:30-9:30pm:
- Chat with Lorna about typical and atypical development of language and literacy.
- Speak to Emma about the role genes play in behaviour and academic performance.
- Chat with Jacob about how basic brain processes might cause differences in decision making, particularly in numeracy and mathematics.
Can’t make the chat tonight? Post questions to 50+ scientists on the site any time to start a discussion about anything that interests you about the Science of Learning.
In the news
Every teacher is a researcher of SEND – Optimus Education, 15th March 2018
The academic disadvantage of being born in the summer – Nature Partner Journals, 15th January 2018
For children with dyslexia, multilingualism can be beneficial – Blog on Learning & Development, 12th March 2018
‘I take ‘smart drugs’… despite risks’ – BBC News, 15th March 2018
Recent discussions in the Learning Zone
- For students with attention deficit disorders (both ADD and ADHD) is there any way of distinguishing between inattention that is a result of their disorder and the inattention that is a result of not finding the lesson interesting? These are lessons which are accessible to the students…
- Mixed-ability classes – good or bad? I know I’m oversimplifying but – all else being equal – is setting good for some and not others, or bad/good for all?
- I am a woman engineer and educator. I often hear people say that boys and girls “think differently”. For example we all know that 2+2=4 but how we get to that is different. I have to say that I’ve never observed that either personally or as an instructor. Are there any reputable studies on this topic?
- Is there any research into the effectiveness of what teachers call ‘differentiated’ teaching? Does any of it suggest an optimal approach to teaching method?
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