3/2/2008
THE TECHNOLOGY OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Supporting giftedness
in Early Years
Galina Dolya
Curriculum Director of Key to Learning
Researcher in the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy of
Abilities, Russian Academy for Education
& developing abilities, unlocking possibilities&
All children are born
geniuses, and we spend
the first six years of their
h fi i f h i
lives degeniusing them
Buckminister Fuller
© 2007 Galina Dolya
© 2004 Key to Learning Ltd
& zone of proximal development& DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER MENTAL FUNCTIONS
LOWER FUNCTIONS HIGHER FUNCTIONS
Inborn, shared with higher animals Unique to humans, passed on by teaching
Focussed attention
Reactive attention
Deliberate memory
Associative memory
Sensorimotor thought Symbolic thought
© 2007 Galina Dolya
© 2004 Key to Learning Ltd
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3/2/2008
& mediated learning  signs and symbols &
Maps Charts
30
25
20
15 Series2
10
Plans Graphs
5
0
1 2 3 4 5 6
Schemas Formulae F = ma
Diagrams Signs
Tables Symbols
Vygotsky emphasised
the need to teach the function
of symbolisation prior to engaging children
Numbers Letters
into the specific techniques of writing and spelling
Alex Kozulin
Music Notation Models
© 2004 Key to Learning Ltd
© 2007 Galina Dolya
& developing abilities, unlocking possibilities&
& developing abilities, unlocking possibilities&
 Key to Learning Developmental Cognitive Curriculum
offers specially designed optimal learning experiences that are
precisely matched to children s learning and development
challenging but attainable
challenging but attainable
Being ready for school now
Being ready for school now
doesn t necessarily mean
emotionally vibrant, playful and enjoyable
being able to read, write and count,
" shared by children and responsive adults
but being ready to learn how
to read, write and count.
It creates right conditions for minds to open, for learning to become a
pleasure and for creativity to flourish
L. Venger
© 2004 Key to Learning Ltd
© 2007 Galina Dolya
& developing abilities, unlocking possibilities&
The Vygotskian Approach to Early Education
THE TECHNOLOGY OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT
CLASSIFICATION OF ABILITIES BY
Abilities
O. DIACHENKO & N. VERAKSA
those qualities which provide
successful learning
General
Specific
abilities we use for all types of activities
abilities we need
for specific types of action
Self regulative Cognitive Communicative
Linguistic
ability to make and ability to identify, ability to understand
implement plans model and change others and be understood Mathematical
relationships
Musical
Physical
Intellectual Creative
Visual / artistic
ability to solve problems ability to find original solutions
Intra personal
in a standard way to problems
Inter personal
Naturalist
Normative stabilizing Dialectical Symbolic
ability to reflect reality ability to transform ideas ability to see one
object in another
© 2007 Galina Dolya
© 2007 Galina Dolya
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3/2/2008
EVALUATION OF KEY TO LEARNING CURRICULUM EVALUATION OF KEY TO LEARNING CURRICULUM
I made a further comparison of the children in Nursery in March 2006 and those in Nursery in March 2007, who
Data was collected at three time points: March 2006: October 2006: March 2007.
had accessed  Key To Learning for two terms September 2006  March 2007.
I was then able to compare the attainments of children who were in reception class in March 2006 with
the children who were in reception in March 2007, who had had 12 months accessing the  Key To
Comparison of Nursery 2006 with Nursery 2007 (March)
Learning modules.
4
Comparison of Reception 2006 with Reception 2007 (March)
5
4.75
3
4.5
4.25
4
3.75
3.5 Nursery 2006
2
3.25 Nursery 2007
y
3
2.75 Reception 2006
2.5
Reception 2007
2.25
2 1
1.75
1.5
1.25
1
0.75 0
0.5 Vocabulary Story Telling Attention Frostig
0.25
0
Vocabulary Story Telling Attention Frostig
The most significant improvement is in the children s creative language. In two terms they have on average
made 18 months progress. It will be interesting to track these children through to Reception as they will then
There were significant differences in the children s vocabulary and creative language. The pupils accessing
have had almost two years using the  Key To Learning Programme and I will then compare their results with the
 Key to Learning had made on average 20 months progress during the 12 months of the intervention. Some
pupils from 2006.
pupils advanced three years.
Dr Madeleine Portwood, Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist for Early Years Dr Madeleine Portwood, Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist for Early Years
A Scottish Teacher s Experience
& developing abilities, unlocking possibilities&
I was inspired by the concepts behind the  Key to Learning and the wonderful
activities in the books. When Primary 1 children (4 to 5 year olds) commenced in
In my 40 years of research in education, I have never seen a
August 2006, I introduced four modules.
programme that develops language and communication as The children responded with great enthusiasm and their level of engagement has
been such as I have not witnessed before. This cohort had been flagged up from
effectively as  Key to Learning does. Some children
their nursery as having a number of children with a range of social and academic
difficulties.
advanced three years A second group on average made 18
advanced three years. A second group on average made 18
As the term has progressed, I have begun to observe how quickly this group can
months progress after 7 months of intervention. absorb new learning across all curricular areas. Moreover the problems that were
indicated by the nursery staff have not arisen.
Clearly  Key to Learning has a marked impact on the child s
I have taught Primary 1 children many times and I can honestly report that the Key
to Learning has improved the child s acquisition of new skills and given me great
cognitive development and language skills.
pleasure working with children who are displaying such a thirst for learning.
Dr Madeleine Portwood, Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist
Monika Dick, Kilsyth Primary School, North Lanarkshire
PARENTS FEEDBACK
& developing abilities, unlocking possibilities&
Dear Galina 1st June 2004
Hello, I wanted to write and let you know how well Alice is doing. after going to the Shining Eyes and Busy Minds
Young Learners Centre The move to Cornwall has been difficult at times for Alice. We enrolled her to the local all
girl prep school. She settled quickly and went on to win a partial scholarship that begins in September.
Galina Dolya
Alice took part in a national maths test, and was one of only two
girls to achieve the Gold level in her school. Alice enjoys Maths,
English and Art, and is looking forward to Latin classes in the next
g , g
Butterfly House 14 Mount Road
Butterfly House, 14 Mount Road,
year or so. She has taken Speech and Drama classes and
performed well in local events, coming amongst the top Wheathampstead, Herts. AL4 8BX
contenders. She also won a Harry Potter competition, and was
United Kingdom
one of twenty children nationally to spend a weekend at
Hogwarts  a terrific prize.
Telephone: [phone]
Well I hope you have enjoyed this update on Alice s progress, I know if I were you I would be wondering what has
happened to all the children you have been involved with. Alice continues to delight and surprise us with her
E mail: [e-mail]
creativity and ability to understand complex ideas. Thank you for all your input and I will endeavour to write again
with her progress.
www.keytolearning.com
Best wishes,Emma Helliwell
3
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Mean
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