Prof Sam Wass and Dr Gemma Goldenberg on Take Action on Distraction

Professor Sam Wass is a child psychologist and neuroscientist who studied at Oxford, London, and Cambridge. He leads the Institute for the Science of Early Years (ISEY) in East London, which is one of the most demographically diverse areas of the world, and a major focus of their research is to explore how early living environments influence early attention, learning and stress. He studies typical and atypical development, including ADHD, Autism, and anxiety, and collaborates on international projects studying early development. Sam has published over 100 academic articles and a book. He frequently appears in the media as an expert in child development, advising the UK Departments of Education and Health, charities like Save The Children, and brands such as Kinder, LEGO and Disney+. He was an on-screen scientist in five series of Channel 4’s award-winning The Secret Life of 4- and 5-Year-Olds.

Also at the Institute for the Science of Early Years, Dr Gemma Goldenberg is a researcher, teacher, writer and speaker with two decades of experience working in schools and nurseries, with a particular focus on outdoor learning and the impact of learning environments. She was previously the Assistant Headteacher in charge of CPD at a large 4-form entry school in Newham, London and writes regularly for print and online publications including Nursery World and Early Years Educator.  Dr Goldenberg’s research was the first of its kind worldwide, with results being shared on her hugely popular @‌phd_and_three Instagram.

Together Prof Wass and Dr Goldenberg founded http://www.nestkids.co.uk , a consultancy that supports nurseries, schools and parents to use neuroscience in their work with children. AND – they are also co-authors of a fabulous new book, published by Bloomsbury, called Take Action on Distraction.

This fascinating session delves into how the neuroscience of attention and arousal affects children’s learning and behaviour in early years settings. Prof Sam Wass and Dr Goldenberg explain the complex relationship between stress, arousal and concentration, offering practical strategies that practitioners can implement immediately in any Early Years environment to support children’s ability to focus and learn effectively.

In this episode you’ll:

• Discover how children’s varying arousal levels affect their ability to concentrate and what the “sweet spot” for optimal learning looks like
• Learn how to recognise when children are in “fight or flight” mode and practical techniques to help them regulate back to a calmer state
• Understand why some children respond better to outdoor learning environments and how this affects their attention and focus
• Find out why fidgeting and movement can actually help some children concentrate better, challenging traditional expectations about “sitting still to learn”
• Explore how to create more predictable learning environments that support children’s concentration and reduce unnecessary distractions

Watch this enlightening conversation to discover evidence-based strategies for helping all children in your setting find their optimal state for concentration and learning.

Episode Links:

http://www.profsamwass.com

http://www.isey.org

http://www.nestkids.co.uk

You can find their brilliant book here on the Bloomsbury website:

https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/take-action-on-distraction-9781801995580

Or here on Amazon:

https://amzn.to/42k238r