We loved listening to @profsamwass.bsky.social on Today this morning sharing why books are the perfect form of connection for very young children. That's why our #ReadingRights campaign highlights the importance of early shared reading. Listen from 2h25m 🎧 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Today - 09/10/2025 - BBC Sounds

News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.

bbc.co.uk

7. A new project led by @profsamwass.bsky.social records brain activity in babies and toddlers while they’re watching TV to find out. media.leverhulme.ac.uk/feature/swass

We loved joining @profsamwass.bsky.social & Waterstones #ChildrensLaureate @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social at a Baby Lab to discover what happens to babies' brains when they're read to. Discover the neuroscience behind shared reading & how it enables children to flourish and thrive: bit.ly/44YCeMu

We’ve had a fantastic day at @hayfestival.bsky.social with our Waterstones #ChildrensLaureate @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social! He appeared with our President Sir Michael Morpurgo in one event & spoke to @profsamwass.bsky.social about the neuroscience of sharing stories in a #ReadingRights talk!

Our #ReadingRights report with @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social is out now, because early shared reading is vital. Frank & our CEO @dianajgerald.bsky.social joined @profsamwass.bsky.social at a Baby Lab to discover the difference it makes - watch the full vid 👇 www.booktrust.org.uk/about-us/rea...

To support the launch of ‪@booktrust.org.uk‬'s Reading Rights report today with ‪@frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social‬, here are six neuroscience-informed tips for sharing books with young children 👇

Just out 📣 in @JEnvPsych- 'Differential Effects Of An Urban Outdoor Environment On 4-5 Year Old Children’s Attention In School' - with @GemmaGoldenberg, Molly Atkinson, @jan_dubiel www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

The QRR will be hosting a Public Lecture on the benefits of reading at #BNA2025 featuring anncleeves.bsky.social Professor Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Sally Dynevor and @profsamwass.bsky.social www.eventbrite.com/e/the-queens... #readingforwellbeing #publicengagement #thequeensreadingroom

When it comes to early years screen media – how fast-paced is TOO fast? Just heard 🎉🍾🍾 we got funding from @LeverhulmeTrust for new project measuring how young brains respond to screen media in real time. With @JuliaDavidson13, Rachel Barr, @jessen_sarah, @MarriottIra, PLabendzki

How can you improve pupils' concentration in primary classrooms? @profsamwass.bsky.social and Dr Gemma Goldenberg share research-informed interventions ⬇️

3 research-backed tips to improve concentration in primary

The concept of building a ‘mental muscle’ in pupils has been challenged by recent research - so what are the best approaches for improving focus in the classroom?

tes.com

Just out in Nature Communications Psychology - in a multilingual corpus of child-directed songs, the cumulative-compressibility of the lyrics reveals multiscale complexity patterns that could support different relevant functions, e.g. attention, learning and bonding. www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Temporal patterns in the complexity of child-directed song lyrics reflect their functions - Communications Psychology

In a multilingual corpus of child-directed songs, an analysis of the cumulative-compressibility of the lyrics reveals multiscale complexity patterns that could support different relevant fuctions, e.g...

nature.com

Again, again, again! Article for Nursery World on the neuroscience of why repetition can help concentration in the early years www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...

Support children to maximise their focus - Nursery World

How can we capture children's attention? By Dr. Gemma Goldenberg and Professor Sam Wass

nurseryworld.co.uk

Are brain states in children passively generated in response to things that happen in our environment? Or are they actively created through micro-level movements? Big questions in latest pre-preprint from @MarriottIra that re-examines developmental EEG findings 👇 1/8

New preprint - 'From salience to semantics: multilevel hierarchical contingencies organise parent-infant joint attention' by Pierre Labendzki, @martaperapoch with Louise Goupil, @EmilyDevNeuro and team from @UEL_BabyDevLab DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.26638.47686

Guest Essay for the launch of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood's Shaping Us framework - on an under-neglected topic - on why some of the most important learning happens BEFORE we develop the ability to focus #RoyalFoundation centreforearlychildhood.org/news-insight...

Learning to focus: how early brain development boosts - and limits - raw learning power  - CFEC

centreforearlychildhood.org

When things are perfectly predictable, one doesn't need memory. Conversely, we need memory to store information that can be used in a world that is somewhat unpredictable. Source: Oxford Mathematics, Sam Cohen’s ‘Information Theory’ course. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScX2...

Information Theory, Lecture 1: Defining Entropy and Information - Oxford Mathematics 3rd Yr Lecture

YouTube video by Oxford Mathematics

youtube.com

ONE WEEK TODAY!🧠☁️ The countdown is ON for the publication day of Take Action on Distraction, from @profsamwass.bsky.social & Gemma Goldenberg!🎉 Take action on distraction and never battle for children's attention again!

A PhD Student opportunity funded by ESRC UBEL Doctoral and Training Pathway Scheme and Procter & Gamble, based mainly at www.uelbabydev.com @profsamwass.bsky.social in London with regular visits to P&G labs in Germany. isdp.org/2025/02/21/a...

A PhD Student opportunity based mainly at the UEL BABY DEV LAB in London with regular visits to P&G labs in Germany - International Society for Developmental Psychobiology (ISDP)

See below for a PhD opportunity funded by ESRC UBEL Doctoral and Training Pathway Scheme and Procter & Gamble, based mainly at www.uelbabydev.com in London with regular visits to P&G labs in Germany. ...

isdp.org

Join @MusharafAsghar, @DingleyCEO, @TTSResources, @theearlyyearsdietitian, @cherylJ_warren, @BoogieMites, Neil Leitch, Shannon Pite and me at @EYAlliance Celebrating SEND roadshows in Nottingham and Bristol this year - book here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alliance-c...

Alliance Connect Roadshows: Celebrating SEND – a world without limits

Join one of our two interactive and inspiring events where we explore how we as early educators can deliver truly inclusive practice

eventbrite.co.uk

FREE @EYAlliance family corner session tomorrow - Michael Rosen, Tiny Happy People, tips on outdoor learning, early language, neurodiversity www.familycorner.co.uk/home-where-s...

The neuroscience of 'I want NORMAL chicken!!' Article for Nursery World on why toddlers love predictability. www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...

I was at this too it was SO cool 📚

Nicolette Jones@nicolettejones.bsky.social · 2y ago

Messages for government about children's reading at the Reading Rights summit with @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social @cressidacowell.bsky.social and many more experts. @bookbrunch.bsky.social www.bookbrunch.co.uk/page/article...

You can never have enough Jan Pieńkowski! Here's a tribute I wrote to his work, when he won the @booktrust.bsky.social Lifetime Achievement Award: www.sfsaid.com/2019/05/jan-...

Jan Pieńkowski – BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award

SF Said, personal blog, Varjak Paw, The Outlaw Varjak Paw, Phoenix, Varjak, books, S F Said, author, blog, writing

sfsaid.com

Rose Ruane@regretteruane.bsky.social · 2y ago

Another Puffin Post magazine with a beautiful cover by Jan Pieńkowski

📣Just out in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews! @ELSneuroscience - 'Foraging and inertia: Understanding the developmental dynamics of overt visual attention' with @martaperapoch, Tom Northrop, @MarriottIra, @EmilyAPhillips www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Home is where the start is: a world of possibilities Free @EYAlliance sessions for parents of 0-5s Thurs 13 Feb to Sat 15 Feb www.familycorner.co.uk/home-where-s...

Our #ReadingRights Summit with Waterstones #ChildrensLaureate @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social is tomorrow! As part of his learning ahead of the Summit, Frank visited a Baby Lab to discover what happens to a baby's brain when they're read to... www.booktrust.org.uk/news-and-fea...

“This was biological. We saw two minds enter communion around the story”: Frank Cottrell-Boyce visits a baby lab

Find out what Frank Cottrell-Boyce took from his visit to the University of East London's Baby Lab, where he watched what happens to a baby's brain when they're read to.

booktrust.org.uk

Just out 🎉 at @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social - 'Finding order in chaos: influences of environmental complexity and predictability on development' with Katie Lancaster www.cell.com/trends/cogni...

Best line from this is @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social's about how cheap reading aloud to children is! There is TONNES of good scientific evidence for beneficial effects of reading to children - if you want a reference list DM me www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

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The Writing Web@thewritingweb.bsky.social · 2y ago

What does reading do to a child's brain? As part of his #R4Today guest edit, @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social visits the BabyDevLab at the University of East London to chat to developmental cognitive neuroscientist Dr Sam Wass. 🙌🏾 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...