It’s time to rethink attention: Neuroscience in practice
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What if children’s attention isn’t a skill to train, but a response to their environment, emotions and engagement? Dr Gemma Goldenberg and Professor Sam Wass encourage us to think about attention in this newer, different way. In the article and podcast episode they discuss shifting our understanding of attention from a ‘mental muscle’ to a holistic, responsive process—one that educators can meaningfully support through informed, inclusive and practical adjustments to practice.

Read Gemma’s and Sam’s article here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/its-time-to-rethink-attention/

For more on this topic:

Dr Gemma Goldenberg’s previous research: The science of outdoor play series: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/contributors/gemma-goldenberg/ 

Understanding neuroscience in early childhood, by Mandy Worsley:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/understanding-neuroscience-in-early-childhood/ 

‘It’s not time out, it’s time in’ for both of us: Co- and self-regulation, by Julie Robinson and Charlotte Hannah: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/its-not-time-out-its-time-in-for-both-of-us/

 Self-regulation, co-regulation and mental health, by Dr Mine Conkbayir: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/self-regulation-co-regulation-and-mental-health/

 Should we punish and reward children’s behaviour? By Samantha Dholakia: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/should-we-punish-and-reward-childrens-behaviour/

This episode is sponsored by Funding Loop:

Funding Loop automates the process for nurseries of collecting funding forms from parents and typing that information into council portals. Funding Loop is used by over 2000 nurseries including over 80% of the top 25 nursery chains in the UK including Busy Bees.

To find out more visit: https://www.fundingloop.co.uk/home

 Episode break down:

00:00 – Welcome! 02:50 – Concentration as a ‘gateway skills’ 05:30 – Attention capture vs attention control 09:00 – Concentration training 10:30 – Visual clutter and distraction 13:00 – Visual field 14:30 – Background noise 17:40 – Music regulating stress 20:45 – Varied environments for varied needs 21:40 – ADHD, Autism and other neurodivergence 24:20 – Self-calibrating: Giving children control 25:45 – Fidgeting: Rhythmic and repetitive movements 28:50 – The Goldilocks Zone 31:00 – Predictability and repetition 33:45 – Neuroscience training and research  36:00 – Processing time and content input 37:15 – Screen time, fast paced content and stress 40:00 – Ai and targeted diffrentiation of progress 41:00 – Passive consumption of media vs active engagement 42:00 – Responding to simulated danger: Fight or flight

43:20 – From screen time to green time 44:15 – The effects of the outdoors on attention

46:30 –Stress contagion and mood states 47:30 – Practical tips in Gemma’s and Sam’s book

49:00 – Making micro-adjustments to classrooms

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com