ILT Blog and News
By Dr. Shirley Kokot
Magic movements
From virtually the moment of conception, human genes dictate that we must and will move. The earliest movements we make are not deliberate but are automatic reflexes. These ‘primitive’ reflex movements are truly magic because they help develop the brain. Each time...
Why does my child always forget and lose things?
The ‘Lost and Found’ bin at most schools overflow with lost or forgotten items, ranging from school shoes to lunch boxes. Even more importantly, some children’s homework is left behind on the table instead of being in a schoolbag. This is frustrating for everybody,...
Learners who strugle: are they ‘slow learners’
One definition of intelligence is that it is the ability to react to or to interact with the environment or with thoughts and ideas. This becomes possible by the interaction between the trillions of brain cells (neurons) we have. Some children have the same number...
How can I help my child eat a healthier diet?
Some children eat only processed foods, like breakfast cereals, fish fingers, chicken nuggets chips and so on. It’s a battle to get them to eat anything fresher or more wholesome. But they’re not alone – this is happening in many homes around the world. If this...
Does your child refuse to wear warm clothing in winter?
Its cold outside but your toddler is insisting on wearing a summer dress without a jersey. Why? Part of the reluctance to wear the warm clothes you’ve taken out is their growing sense of independence. Between the ages of two and five years, children are developing...
Behaviour is a window to the brain
These days, we are all too aware of how the foods we eat, the air we breathe and our activity level affects the way our brains function. The way the brain is affected can be seen in our behaviour – and children who struggle with learning tasks or behaving...
Why do some children struggle to read?
Why are there so many bright and hard-working children in our schools that aren’t learning to read as they should? Interestingly, if you read something to them, giving them information through their ears, they understand. But when you give them the same words to...
Can you prevent maths anxiety?
It is fairly common to hear parents explain a child’s struggles with maths as being an hereditary trait, and that the child is simply ‘not good at maths’. But is this true? I know of maths teachers who claim they can teach maths to ‘any’ child, and others who...
A vicious circle between screen time and emotional problems?
An article by the American Psychological Association (details below) finds that there seems to be a vicious circle between the amount of time spent on screens and emotional problems in children. While spending a lot of time on various screens may lead to emotional...