C.E. Jottings

ACP Parliamentary Enquiry into Cerebral Palsy published today

Today, Action Cerebral Palsy publishes the findings of its Parliamentary inquiry into cerebral palsy. ACP is a national consortium of specialist charities, working with children with cerebral palsy and their families. The Inquiry heard evidence from "education and health professionals, those living with cerebral palsy and their carers, Government officials, charities, legal professionals and other organisations with an interest in cerebral palsy. "The headlines are: - Approximately 30,000 children in the UK have cerebral palsy, which is the most common... Read more →

Thinking differently about special education (from Carter and his review of ITT)

The Carter Review of Initial Teacher Training has been published. I struggle to imagine who could possibly find it an essential and inspirational document. It is a little more than a re-hash of the prevailing orthodoxy. It has nothing of value to say about special education or special pedagogy. In contrast, and coincidentally, I am at the moment reading "Vygotsky and Special Needs Education: Rethinking Support for Children and Schools" (Continuum International Publishing Group 2011. Eds Harry Daniels and Mariane... Read more →

"World going to pot? No it's a trick of the mind." CP, CE and becoming an adult

"World going to pot? No it's a trick of the mind." Such was the headline in an odd little story, just the sort of thing that catches the eye and then is quickly forgotten, in yesterday's The Times (£Murdoch paywall). The headline gives the gist of the article, which begins: The majority of people suffer from “declinism”, the belief that the world is worse than it used to be, discounting the benefits of medical progress, new technology and improved living... Read more →

Fools rush in ... "we now know how people's brains work" says KFC Marketing Director

"Fools rush in, where angels fear to tread," was never truer than when it comes to neuroscience. The following is reported on the excellent 'MindHacks' blog, a posting entitled "The scan says add fries and call it a special". "Marketing magazine has an interview with the marketing director of KFC who explains why he thinks neuroscience holds the key to selling deep-fried junk food. “Marketing as a whole is undergoing transformation,” he says. “We now know through neuroscience how people’s... Read more →

An afternoon pleasantly spent reading

Retirement has compensations, it seems. This afternoon I have largely spent slumped in an easy chair, the MacBook Pro propped open and balanced between my knee and the arm of the chair, guiltlessly reading. An altogether pleasant occupation. 2015, I hope, will offer more such afternoons. What have I been reading? Something I would not previously have found time to linger with: One is Not Born a Personality - Profiles of Soviet Educational Psychologists By Karl Levitin, Edited by Professor... Read more →