nferNelson encourages children to think!7 February 2006 – nferNelson’s Let’s Think! Early Years is a new resource pack that is designed to stimulate the development of children’s thinking skills as they begin formal education. It contains 15 fun and stimulating activities that encourage children aged 4 and 5 to recognise and develop the way in which they think through cognitive acceleration. Let’s Think! Early Years is the latest addition to nferNelson’s portfolio of highly regarded thinking skills materials in the Let’s Think! range, which are linked to the UK curricula and can be incorporated easily into a school’s teaching strategy. The teacher sets pupils a task that is beyond their current level of understanding, and encourages them to work together, asking questions and discussing their ideas, in order to find a solution. This step-by-step and hands-on approach to problem solving helps children to understand what they have done and how they have done it, promoting a deeper understanding of the subject. Ian Mooney, Director, nferNelson, said: “Thinking skills are increasingly recognised as vital to a child’s social and intellectual development. Research has shown that children learn more effectively when they work in groups, supported by an adult. The National Curriculum in England and Wales encourages thinking skills to be taught from as early as possible, and the age of five years is seen as critical period for a child’s cognitive development.” “If children are made aware of their thought processes and are encouraged to work through tasks collaboratively, their ability to solve problems will eventually become second nature. If these skills are nurtured in a supportive learning environment, there is no area of the curriculum, or society, in which children will not reap the rewards,” Mooney continues. Teachers can draw individual pupils into the lesson by stimulating dialogue and debate around the task presented to them. There are also suggestions for extending activities in order to challenge more gifted pupils, ensuring that every child actively participates in the lesson and fully understands how the problem is solved. This is designed to give rise to a shared sense of achievement which, in turn, will encourage a more positive attitude to learning throughout the school. Speaking about the use of Let’s Think! materials in his school, Wayne Jones, assistant teacher at Blackwood Primary School, explains: “This is a fantastic way to learn through problem solving, using fun games and activities. We have only been using Let’s Think! for a few months, but we are already seeing an improvement in the children’s ability to listen, discuss and communicate effectively. The bonus is that they all seem to enjoy doing the challenges with me.” Let’s Think! Early Years includes a teacher’s guide that sets out each activity clearly, explaining exactly what it involves and outlining the educational aims of the lesson. This will help teachers to save time in the planning and preparation of lessons as they can quickly see what materials will be required to prepare for each task, and how the activity can be adapted to suit different age groups, learning styles and children with special educational needs. The pack also includes a photocopiable Group Record Sheet and a resource pack that contains all the resource cards required for each activity.
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Notes for Editors:
About nferNelsonPart of the Granada Learning Group, nferNelson is the UK’s leading independent provider of tests, assessments and assessment services for education. nferNelson publishes assessments for the 0-19 age group, with the majority of assessments aimed at 5-14 year-olds.
About Granada Learning Granada Learning provides resources for the full spectrum of teaching and learning. It develops and publishes curriculum software, resources for children with special educational needs, revision guides and home learning materials, assessments, school management tools, learning platforms and professional development materials. These are used in all sectors of the market from nurseries, primary and secondary schools through to colleges and universities.
For further information, please contact Danielle Morgan PR Manager, Granada Learning Tel: 020 8996 3632 E mail: danielle.morgan@granadamedia.com
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