How can you use the teaching of visual awareness and spatial ability as a method of eliminating anti-social behaviour?

Recent research shows that teaching children drawing and visual awareness techniques alongside current literacy and numeracy strategies can be particularly effective in improving memory and concentration. Visual awareness techniques can thus increase every child?s learning potential, offering less academically inclined children the opportunity to shine. As children achieve success their self-esteem and confidence increases, and in this way they become less likely to develop disruptive and anti-social behaviour.

Following a pilot study in the Isle of Wight, VAST Phase One is the first of a series of books designed to encourage teachers to use this innovative method. The book comes in two sections: the first contains lessons in the rudimentary skills of drawing and visual awareness techniques for the primary school teacher (most of whom have no training in art); the second demonstrates how to teach children:

• how to use positive and negative shape to visualise and draw the world around them
• using shape, how to form, write and read letters and numbers
• simple word recognition and geometry.

A scheme of work for ages 4 - 5 and class worksheets are included.

VAST is available in a ringbinder which comes with the text plus full colour worksheets on an accompanying CD Rom. A full photocopy license for use of the book within the school is included.

Cat No: 978 1 86083 729 6