3/2/2008

1

Supporting giftedness 

in Early Years

THE TECHNOLOGY OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Galina Dolya

Curriculum Director of Key to Learning

Researcher in the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy of 

Abilities, Russian Academy for Education

© 2007 Galina Dolya

All children are born 

geniuses, and we spend 

h fi

i

f h i

…developing abilities, unlocking possibilities…

© 2004 Key to Learning Ltd

the first six years of their 

lives degeniusing them

Buckminister Fuller

…zone of proximal development…

© 2007 Galina Dolya

DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER MENTAL FUNCTIONS

Reactive attention

Focussed attention

LOWER FUNCTIONS

Inborn, shared with higher animals

HIGHER FUNCTIONS

Unique to humans, passed on by teaching

© 2004 Key to Learning Ltd

Associative memory

Sensorimotor thought

Deliberate memory

Symbolic thought

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Maps

Charts

Plans

Graphs

Schemas

Formulae

F = ma

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1

2

3

4

5

6

Series2

Diagrams

Signs

Tables

Symbols

Numbers

Letters

Music Notation

Models

© 2007 Galina Dolya

…mediated learning – signs and symbols …

© 2004 Key to Learning Ltd

Vygotsky emphasised 

the need to teach the function 

of symbolisation prior to engaging children 

into the specific techniques of writing and spelling

Alex Kozulin

…developing abilities, unlocking possibilities…

‘Key to Learning’ Developmental Cognitive Curriculum                                        

offers specially designed optimal learning experiences that are

ƒ challenging but attainable

ƒ precisely matched to children’s learning and development

© 2004 Key to Learning Ltd

It creates right conditions for minds to open, for learning to become a 

pleasure and for creativity to flourish

• shared by children and responsive adults

ƒ emotionally vibrant, playful and enjoyable

challenging but attainable

Being ready for school now

…developing  abilities,  unlocking  possibilities…

Being ready for school now 

doesn’t necessarily mean 

being able to read, write and count, 

but being ready to learn how

to read, write and count.

L. Venger

© 2007 Galina Dolya

…developing abilities, unlocking possibilities…

CLASSIFICATION OF ABILITIES BY

O. DIACHENKO & N. VERAKSA

Cognitive

Self‐regulative

Communicative

General

abilities we use for all types of activities

Abilities

those qualities which provide

successful learning

Specific

abilities we need

for specific types of action

Linguistic

Mathematical

Musical

Physical

Visual / artistic

Intra‐personal

Inter‐personal

Naturalist

Intellectual

ability to solve problems

in a standard way

Creative

ability to find original solutions

to problems

ability to identify,
model and change

relationships

ability to make and

implement plans

ability to understand

others and be understood

Symbolic

ability to see one
object in another

Normative‐stabilizing

ability to reflect reality

Dialectical

ability to transform ideas

© 2007 Galina Dolya

The Vygotskian Approach to Early Education

THE TECHNOLOGY OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT

© 2007  Galina Dolya

3/2/2008

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Data was collected at three time points: March 2006: October 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
Learning’ modules.

3.25

3.5

3.75

4

4.25

4.5

4.75

5

Comparison of Reception 2006 with Reception 2007 (March)

EVALUATION OF KEY TO LEARNING CURRICULUM

Vocabulary

Story Telling

Attention

Frostig

0

0.25

0.5

0.75

1

1.25

1.5

1.75

2

2.25

2.5

2.75

3

Reception 2006

Reception 2007

Me

a

n

There were significant differences in the children’s vocabulary and creative language. The pupils accessing
‘Key to Learning’ had made on average 20 months progress during the 12 months of the intervention. Some
pupils advanced three years.

Dr Madeleine Portwood, Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist for Early Years

I made a further comparison of the children in Nursery in March 2006 and those in Nursery in March 2007, who
had accessed ‘Key To Learning’ for two terms September 2006 – March 2007.

2

3

4

Comparison of Nursery 2006 with Nursery 2007 (March)

Nursery 2006

Nursery 2007

M

ean

EVALUATION OF KEY TO LEARNING CURRICULUM

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
have had almost two years using the ‘Key To Learning’ Programme and I will then compare their results with the
pupils from 2006

.

Vocabulary

Story Telling

Attention

Frostig

0

1

y

M

Dr Madeleine Portwood, Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist for Early Years

In my 40 years of research in education, I have never seen a

programme that develops language and communication as

effectively as ‘Key to Learning’ does. Some children

advanced three years A second group on average made 18

…developing abilities, unlocking possibilities…

advanced three years. A second group on average made 18

months progress after 7 months of intervention.

Clearly ‘Key to Learning’ has a marked impact on the child’s

cognitive development and language skills.

Dr Madeleine Portwood, Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist 

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
August 2006, I introduced four modules.

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
their nursery as having a number of children with a range of social and academic
difficulties.

A Scottish Teacher’s Experience

As the term has progressed, I have begun to observe how quickly this group can
absorb new learning across all curricular areas. Moreover the problems that were
indicated by the nursery staff have not arisen.

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
pleasure working with children who are displaying such a thirst for learning.

Monika Dick, Kilsyth Primary School, North Lanarkshire

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.

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 

PARENTS’ FEEDBACK

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
creativity and ability to understand complex ideas. Thank you for all your input and I will endeavour to write again
with her progress.

Best wishes,Emma Helliwell

g

,

g

year  or  so.  She  has  taken  Speech  and  Drama  classes  and 
performed  well  in  local  events,  coming  amongst  the  top 
contenders.  She  also  won  a  Harry  Potter  competition,  and  was 
one  of  twenty  children  nationally  to  spend  a  weekend  at 
Hogwarts – a terrific prize.

Galina Dolya

Butterfly House 14 Mount Road

…developing abilities, unlocking possibilities…

Butterfly House, 14 Mount Road,

Wheathampstead, Herts. AL4 8BX

United Kingdom

Telephone:  [phone]

E‐mail: [e-mail]

www.keytolearning.com