Prof Sam Wass on the Neuroscience of Babies

Professor Sam Wass is a research scientist specialising in early years neuroscience, funded by the European Research Council, Research Councils UK and others and based at the University of East London. His research examines the early development of stress and concentration during early childhood.

Professor Wass is a media spokesperson with expertise in early childhood, who has appeared regularly on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky television channels and was the psychologist in the multi-award Channel 4 series The Secret Life of 4-, 5- and 6-Year-Olds.

In this extended session, Professor Wass discusses 4 points where babies’ brains differ with adult brains:

1. Babies’ brains are messy
2. Each part of the brain develops at a different rate
3. Complex tasks are best learnt as simple tasks and then move onto the more complex task
4. Babies’ brains are very sensitive to all types of rhythms

He then goes on to explain how this knowledge should affect pedagogy and the environment in Early Years settings through: – repetition; slowing down; being predictable and contingent; reducing signal to noise; and introducing rhythms, both large and small.

Links:

Website: https://profsamwass.com/ and https://www.uelbabydev.com

For updates and opportunities to take part in research, have a browse through the following Instagram accounts:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uelbabydevlab/ https://www.instagram.com/profsamwass/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UEL-BabyDev-Lab-119212494756677/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUCc0OMkW8tsKKiLA4J9-VA
Research by Jeff Elman can be found here:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jeffrey-Elman