Get a Grip - Evidence-Based Conversations for Parents and Educators

Professor Paul Ramchandani, Lego Professor of Play in Education, Development and Learning at the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge, chats to us about different kinds of play, why play is so vital to children's development and wellbeing, and why all parents and carers should be considering their children's 'play diet'.

Relatively little work has focused on why we are motivated to learn words. In this interview, our researchers of the month talk to Dr Cassie Rhodes about the findings of their new study, which assessed whether children and teens experience a sense of intrinsic reward from word learning. They discuss how these findings might be useful in designing interventions focusing on vocabulary learning and reading, and talk about ongoing research into why some children, such as those with dyslexia or developmental language disorder, might struggle with word learning, and what role intrinsic reward plays.

Homework has a key role to play in strengthening memory, building attainment and helping students to develop transferable, life-long study skills. If done right, regular, good-quality homework has the potential to bridge achievement gaps and help all students become successful, confident learners. Experienced teacher, Dr Jovita Castelino, talks to us about her new book, The Homework Conundrum, providing advice and tips for teachers about how to set effective homework, build a strong homework culture, support students and use rewards and sanctions that work. For parents, she outlines how we can help children to understand the benefits of homework, support homework focus and encourage them to see how advantageous it can be to take control of their own learning.

Dr Isabel Morales-Muñoz chats about her fascinating work which investigates what role sleep problems in very early childhood have in the development of later mental health problems. Very few babies and toddlers sleep through the night all of the time, so Dr Morales-Muñoz chats about what might be normative developmentally, and what might indicate a problem that could benefit from intervention. Learn about the potential links between poor sleep and later ADHD diagnosis and find out about the links between sleep during pregnancy and children's later sleep patterns.

Our latest researcher of the month, Dr Natalie Brown, chats to Dr Cassie Rhodes about her latest study, which set out to understand young people’s perceptions of menstrual education in schools and their experiences of menstruating whilst at school, including within physical education. Teachers will want to tune in to find out more about a fantastic set of free lesson resources that Dr Brown and colleagues have created. Listeners will come away armed with a wealth of insight into what effective menstrual education can look like and the positive impact it can have on pupils' learning and lives generally.

Dr Rachel Moseley chats about her innovative research into the interaction of autism and/or ADHD and menopause. She outlines what we know so far about the experiences of neurodivergent people during menopause and explores some of the additional challenges that might be faced. Sadly, some people in her studies have described facing barriers or feeling invalidated when seeking help. Dr Moseley provides some excellent advice for individuals going through menopause, for their families and for employers.

From research, we know a lot about the impact of parental mental health on children. But we know less about the impact of children's mental health on parents. In this interview, Dr Faith Martin, currently senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Cardiff, discusses her research into the effects that children's mental health difficulties can have on parents and carers, and makes suggestions for how parents and carers might best manage their own wellbeing when they are looking after a young person in distress. If you are a parent or carer in this situation, tune in for numerous simple, practical tips that might help in everyday life. Remember, you matter too!

In this interview, Dr Wesley O'Brien, Senior Lecturer in Physical Education and Coaching Science at University College Cork, chats to us about his work on fundamental movement skills. Discover how actively developing these foundational movements when children are young can have long lasting positive impact on both their physical health and academic achievements. Dr O'Brien provides numerous practical tips to help both parents and teachers embed these skills into everyday life and learning.

Author Kandace Chimbiri discusses her most recent book, The Story of Britain's Black Nurses, which uncovers the contributions of numerous Black nurses, mainly women, in Britain. Written predominantly for children, it's a fascinating read for everyone which reveals a rich history and highlights the importance of Black nurses to the UK health service. We talk to Kandace about these inspiring stories and chat more generally about Black History Month, key things for teachers and parents to consider when talking about Black history and other great resources.

Our new researcher of the month, Dr Margarita Panayiotou chats to Dr Cassie Rhodes about her recent paper which examines the impact of social media use within the complex systems of adolescent mental health and development. In findings which might surprise listeners, her study showed that for the group of teens studied, social media was one of the least influential factors on mental health with other things like bullying and lack of family support being more significant. Tune in to find out more about what this might mean in practice and how we can cultivate open discussions with young people about healthy social media and smartphone use.