Social skills

• SILAS has almost tripled in size since 2020 purely through word of mouth and teacher referrals and now touches 35,000 students across over 40 school districts in New Jersey.
• A 2019 study also concluded that the use of SILAS curriculum and software generated a statistically significant increase in student ratings in all competency areas.
• I can add elements of different models of counseling and also add psycho-educational topics that impact the students in school."
• Another SILAS customer, Ettie Luban, MA, CCC-SLP, BCBA, Speech Pathologist from Bright Beginnings, also shared, “The students are highly motivated by the moviemaking component.

Walk into any bookshop these days and you will find Montessori-labelled books and games galore. Born at the start of the 20th century, Montessori teaching methods have enjoyed increasing popularity in Europe over the past 20 years. But what does the science tell us about the effectiveness of Montessori education compared with other forms of teaching? Is the method, which is now more than 100 years old, still relevant to modern life?

The ABCs of Montessori education

• Founded on a number of key principles, Montessori education believes children will learn better if we entrust them with more freedom.
• À lire aussi :
  Pédagogie Montessori : les ressorts d’un engouement qui dure

  In addition, the Montessori environment enables embodied cognition.

• It would appear that the Montessori teaching method has all of the ingredients to champion a child’s education and psychological development.
• However, up until now, there has been no comprehensive study that has been able to draw any real conclusions about the effects of Montessori teaching methods.

Better grades and social skills

• The results of this meta-analysis show that Montessori teaching methods have significant positive impacts on social skills and school results.
• Compared with other forms of teaching, Montessori’s approach enables students to better grasp social situations, solve social problems, and put themselves in other people’s shoes.
• Various features of Montessori’s approach are thought to encourage the development of social skills, such as valuing cooperation over competition, and encouraging mutual respect and sharing.

Lesser impacts on other (less studied) areas

• For example, the teaching method benefited only very slightly cognitive skills, which include memory, inhibition, attention span, planning as well as IQ.
• This could be because children are more likely to exercise their cognitive skills through school tasks themselves than through a particular teaching method.
• All in all, the impacts of Montessori education on children’s development and learning vary from low to high.

Les auteurs ne travaillent pas, ne conseillent pas, ne possèdent pas de parts, ne reçoivent pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'ont déclaré aucune autre affiliation que leur organisme de recherche.

• EAU CLAIRE, Wis., Feb. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Caravel Autism Health , a leader in the diagnosis and treatment of young children on the autism spectrum, is hosting a ribbon-cutting on February 6 to celebrate the grand opening of a new, state-of-the-art autism therapy clinic.
• Caravel specializes in Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, which uses positive reinforcement to help children with autism improve a wide range of skills including communication and social skills.
• "Providing access to high-quality therapy at a young age is how we ensure that children achieve the best possible outcomes.
• "We change the lives of families touched by autism by helping children reach their full potential," explained Carly Burish, Caravel's Eau Claire clinic director.

• However, while stiles connect trails and public pathways, they are a physical barrier to accessible green spaces for all.
• Research by us and others shows how opening up natural spaces in such ways can particularly benefit young and disabled people.
• Disabled people access natural and rural green spaces, including national parks, much less frequently than non-disabled people.
• Rural green spaces can simply feel daunting for some people, often requiring skilful navigation, specialist equipment and confidence.

Removing barriers

• Launched by the Lake District National Park nearly two decades ago, the Miles Without Stiles initiative improves the accessibility of many public footpaths and trails.
• The Lake District National Park now boasts 51 Miles Without Stiles routes, the Peak District National Park has 20 and South Downs National Park has seven.
• And 21% of visitors to the Lake District National Park choose routes because of their accessibility, according to a 2019 Lake District National Park Authority report.

Connecting with nature

• That relates to nature access too, and is especially relevant for young people with special educational needs and disabilities who experience a range of barriers to regular physical activity.
• We believe that schools, sport, and other physical activity providers could learn much from Miles Without Stiles about accessibility.

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Anthony Maher works for Leeds Beckett University. Janine Coates does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.