Three-year-old Sam and his mother are playing in the front yard. She tosses him his favorite ball, but he can’t quite catch it, and it bounces down the hill and into the street. Sam happily runs after the ball, while his mom yells, “Stop right there!” Sam keeps running, chasing his ball across the road.…
Foundation of Learning: What Preschools are Missing
For many parents and teachers, the learning foundation is dependent on learning ABC’s and 123’s. But research suggests otherwise. In her USA Today article, Rebecca Givens Rolland, Speech-Language Pathologist and Early Childhood Expert, explains how helping children learn and practice executive function skills may be more vital to later academic success. Read the article here.
Executive Function, Batman Effect and Pretend Play
Reflection Science’s Co-founder and Cheif Science Officer, Dr. Stephanie Carlson, explains key insights about how the Batman Effect and pretend play are important in developing a child’s working memory, executive function, flexible thinking, and impulse control. See the article here.
Pretend Play, Imaginary Friends, + Executive Function
What does a child’s relationship with their imaginary friends say about them? In this episode of “The Real Guide to Imaginary Companions” by SciFri, Dr. Stephanie Carlson explains how pretend play can help children perform better in tasks of self-control and creativity. See the video here.
Measuring Executive Function Skills: U of MN Feature
Reflection Sciences, a provider of training and tools for measuring executive function skills and promoting their healthy development, was featured on the front page of the University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development’s magazine! Read about Executive Function’s growing importance and the story of how Reflection Sciences, Inc. came to be. See the full…
When Less is More: Executive Function and Symbolism
Dr. Stephanie Carlson explains how executive function and symbolism can reduce temptation and improve self-control in preschool children. See the video here.
Promoting EF Skills with Reflection Training
Dr. Phil Zelazo explains how a child’s problem-solving abilities, memory, executive function skills, and impulse control can be fostered by reflection training. See the video here.
An Experiment in Mindfulness Training
Dr. Phil Zelazo explains how teaching calming and mindfulness training can help to improve attention, self-awareness, and perspective taking in children. See the video here.
Pretend Role Play and Executive Function Skills
The “Batman Effect”: Dr. Stephanie Carlson explains how pretend role play can improve executive function skills. See the video here.
The Science of a Strong Start: Learning and School Success
Reflection Sciences’ Co-Founders Drs. Zelazo and Carlson, together with their colleague Dr. Megan McClelland, explain how important executive function (EF) skills are for learning and school success and recommend that schools provide children with opportunities to practice reflection and exercise their EF skills. Read the Article