• How can parents protect children's critical thinking skills in the face of Artificial Intelligence? Read on for practical ideas you can implement at home.
• ​* AI risks hindering children's critical thinking by encouraging passive learning, reinforcing biases, and creating ‘echo chambers’ that limit diverse perspectives.
• * Parents can nurture critical thinking by asking open-ended questions, teaching media literacy, promoting problem-solving activities, and engaging in discussions.

Introduction
Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way we live, work, and learn. With the rise of AI-powered tools such as chatbots, search engines, and automated homework helpers, children have unprecedented access to information and assistance. While these advancements can offer benefits, they also pose a significant risk to the development of critical thinking skills. Without the ability to analyse, question, and problem-solve independently, children may become overly reliant on AI, threatening their cognitive abilities.

The threat of AI to critical thinking
One of the primary concerns about AI's influence on children is that it encourages passive learning. With instant answers at their fingertips, children may be less inclined to think deeply about problems or explore multiple solutions. This reliance on AI can hinder their ability to evaluate information critically, distinguish between credible and misleading sources, and develop original ideas.

Another concern is the potential for AI to reinforce biases. AI-generated content is often based on existing data, which can sometimes include misinformation or biased perspectives. Without critical thinking skills, children may accept AI-generated responses at face value, failing to question their accuracy or consider alternative viewpoints.

Moreover, AI-driven personalisation can create ‘echo chambers’, where children are exposed only to information that aligns with their previous searches or interests. This limits their exposure to diverse perspectives, making it difficult for them to engage in open-minded discussions and develop independent thought.

How to develop critical thinking skills at home
Despite these challenges, there are proactive steps you can take to nurture critical thinking. Here are some suggestions:

1. Encourage open-ended questions
Instead of giving children direct answers, ask them questions that prompt deeper thinking. For example:

• "Why do you think this happened?"
• "What would you do differently?"
• "Can you think of another way to solve this problem?"

By encouraging curiosity and exploration, children learn to analyse and evaluate information on their own.

Example Activity: Give your child a simple science experiment, such as mixing baking soda and vinegar. Instead of explaining the reaction, ask:

• "What do you think will happen when we mix these?"
• "Why do you think that reaction occurred?"
• "How could we change the reaction?"

2. Promote problem-solving activities
Engage children in activities that require them to think critically, such as puzzles, strategy games, and brain teasers. Encourage them to discuss different ways to approach a problem and justify their reasoning.

Example Activity: Play board games like Chess, Scrabble or Monopoly. After each game, ask:

• "What was your strategy?"
• "What could you have done differently to win?"
• "What did you learn from this game?"

3. Read and discuss books together
Reading books with children and discussing the themes, characters, and motivations can help them develop analytical skills. Ask them questions like:

• "What do you think the character should do next?"
• "Do you agree with the character’s decision? Why or why not?"
• “Why do you think the author chose to write it that way, or to create that particular character?”

Example Activity: After reading a book, ask your child to rewrite the ending or imagine what happens next. Discuss how their version changes the story and what different choices the characters might make.

4. Teach media literacy
Help children understand that not all information online is accurate. Teach them how to fact-check sources, recognise bias, and differentiate between reliable and unreliable information. Encourage them to compare multiple sources before forming an opinion.

Example Activity: Show your child two different news articles on the same topic. Ask them:

• "Do these articles tell the same story?"
• "What differences do you notice?"
• "Which one do you think is more reliable and why?"

5. Initiate debates and discussions
Engage children in conversations where they must defend their viewpoints using evidence and logical reasoning. Encourage them to consider opposing viewpoints and articulate their thoughts clearly. This not only enhances critical thinking but also improves communication skills.

Example Activity: Pick a fun debate topic, such as "Should school start later in the morning?" or "Would you rather have the ability to fly or be invisible?" Encourage your child to defend their position and listen to counterarguments.

6. Limit AI dependence
While AI can be a valuable tool, it’s important to set boundaries. Encourage children to attempt homework and problem-solving tasks independently before turning to AI for help. When they do use AI, discuss the responses with them to ensure they engage with the information critically rather than accepting it blindly.
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Example Activity: When your child asks for homework help, resist the urge to give the answer or turn to AI immediately. Instead, ask:

• "How would you solve this problem on your own?"
• "What steps have you tried so far?"
• "What do you think the next step should be?"

Conclusion
AI has the potential to enhance learning, but if not used wisely, it can diminish critical thinking skills in children. By building a culture of curiosity at home, encouraging independent problem-solving, and teaching media literacy, parents can help their children become thoughtful, analytical, and independent thinkers. The goal is not to reject AI but to use it as a tool that complements and strengthens, rather than replaces, critical thinking skills.

I hope the new academic year has kicked off positively for everyone. As promised at the beginning of the term, I’ve compiled some suggestions to assist your child in learning their times tables. This message also includes ideas to support handwriting, spelling, reading, and vocabulary development.

• *Times Tables** - Please print and review the attached document, which contains resources and strategies to help your child build confidence in their multiplication skills. Mastering times tables is crucial during primary school, and the suggestions provided can benefit children of all ages. For those in Year 4 and above, I will be assessing their knowledge this week and selecting students for a new six-week times tables learning program I’ve been developing. I will be in touch separately regarding this. (The attached document is also stored in Tutorbird/Online Resources/Maths resouces/Times tables).
• *Handwriting** - I recently spoke with a Year 5 student who has beautiful handwriting, and he shared how he developed this skill. He recommended this website: https://magiclinkhandwriting.com/. He really enjoyed learning through it, making it a great option for practice at home.
• *Spelling & Reading** - I came across an app that offers practice in reading, spelling, and phonics. While I haven’t used it personally, I believe many children who struggle with spelling or aren’t yet reading fluently could greatly benefit. Although it’s marketed for children diagnosed with dyslexia, it would be useful for a broader audience. If you try it, I’d love to hear your thoughts: https://golexic.com/dyslexia-reading-app/.
• *Book Loving!** - Toppsta is a fantastic website for children where they can write their own book reviews and read others' to uncover new titles. If you’re seeking book gift ideas for Christmas (can you believe it?), this site is perfect for browsing. When your child sets up an account and submits reviews, the website learns their preferences and offers tailored recommendations for future reads: https://toppsta.com/.
• *Vocabulary** - This one’s for the adults. I’ve been enjoying the podcast ‘Something Rhymes with Purple,’ which explores new words and their origins in a light-hearted way. Many of the words discussed are suitable for sharing with your children to enhance their vocabulary (though some may not be appropriate, so listen carefully!). I’ll try to remember to include a new word at the bottom of the lesson notes each week. Today’s favourite is ‘scurryfunge’ – to hurriedly tidy up before guests arrive! You can listen here (or on your usual podcast platform) https://www.bestpodcasts.co.uk/podcast/something-rhymes-with-purple/.

I hope you find these resources helpful as you support your child at home. Please let me know how it goes if you try any of the mentioned websites. I would also love to hear about any other topics you’d like me to cover, if possible.

10 easy, quick ways to improve your child's maths over the summer!
 
1. Try the 'maths at home' challenges here: https://bit.ly/3W4S7gc
2. Play dice and card games - here's some great ideas: https://bit.ly/3W1oZGx
3. Improve mental maths skills a minute at a time (perfect when travelling): https://whiteroseeducation.com/1-minute-maths
4. Join my 30-minute times tables & mental maths classes: https://www.mrsoshtutors.co.uk/school-holidays.html
​5. Use a fun book - look at this: https://amzn.eu/d/0g6tKUgg
6. Try a maths booster class with me: https://www.mrsoshtutors.co.uk/school-holidays.html
7. 5-a-day mixed maths with video demos of tricky topics here: https://corbettmathsprimary.com/
8. Be a times tables master with this page-a-day book: https://www.schofieldandsims.co.uk/product/780/my-times-tables-book
9. Practise times tables online: www.timestables.co.uk
10. Looking for more ideas for free games at home? https://thirdspacelearning.com/blog/fun-maths-games-activities-for-kids/

A recent study of over 250 5-8 year-olds has identified that children who can tell stories verbally will go on to learn to read more swiftly. 'This research found that children who displayed more complex narrative structures in their oral stories tended to perform better on reading tests several months later. This link appears to be independent of the child’s intelligence and understanding of others’ perspectives.'

So rather than the ability to tell stories originating from reading books, it appears to be the other way around - those children who can tell a good story tend to take to reading more easily. Although the article doesn't explore this, I question how the children studied became good storytellers in the first place. My guess would be they had adults around them reading them picture books from an early age to develop their vocabulary and bank of stories in their imagination.
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https://www.psypost.org/new-study-links-oral-narrative-structure-with-reading-skills-in-young-children/

Maths challenges at home perfect for 7+ and 11+ students and all children with maths curiosity: https://nrich.maths.org/15188

NRICH have just opened up some primary level maths challenges that you can take part in at home. NRICH is part of the University of Cambridge and they aim to develop confident mathematicians at all levels of education. Their resources are perfect challenges for any child on the road to the 7+ or 11+ and I especially urge those families to take part. But every child would benefit from getting involved and seeing if they can develop their problem-solving skills through these fun scenarios. This year there is one challenge that is super practice for times tables - this would be a great place for most children to start.

​Deadline for entries is 4th March.

Lovely to be back in the swing of a new half term. The children seem recharged and ready to learn! I have a growing list of things that I thought might be of interest to you, so here they are. I'll be as brief as possible!
 
February half term - unfortunately this is not at the same time for all schools so I have decided to take the week off which fits with the majority. Plenty of notice that I will therefore not be working from 17th - 23rd February inclusive. (If your child attends a group class, the dates may differ slightly and you received all dates back in December. Feel free to ask me if you can't remember!).
 
Podcast - I've been enjoying Dr Chatterjee's podcasts recently and listened to one this morning that I think might interest you as parents. He is in discussion with a psychologist about the many factors that help children to fulfil their potential and the importance of the character skills of prosocial, proactive, discipline and determination over cognitive skills and knowledge accumulation in the longer term. (Please don't panic if you have a child in Reception with an inexperienced teacher after listening to it though!). Find out more here. It is worth listening to the whole podcast as they return to the topic multiple times and the other issues discussed probably resonate with many of us (perfectionism did for me!).
 
Children's book suggestions - A nice little list of some recent quality books. I loved Escape to the River Sea and The Highland Falcon Thief and will now be buying Greenwild and Peanut Jones. (If your child enjoys drawing and you didn't discover Rob Biddulph's draw-along videos during COVID, take a look here.)
 
Finally - writing competition! A reminder of the 50-word story writing competition which runs until 10th February. Please send your child's typed entry to me over the coming weeks.

Take a look at the attached to find out what happens in my Creative Writing & Book Club. Hear what the children think of their lessons - and read some of their work from this half term!

There are lots of ways to help your child keep making progress over the long summer holiday and prevent what’s known as ‘summer slide’ (where children fall back a little between the end of one academic year and the start of the next due to lack of practice). Here are some suggestions:

Reading
First and foremost is to keep your child reading. One study showed that an hour of reading actually taught children more than an hour’s English lesson! Probably not true in isolation but it does highlight the significant academic benefits of reading (reading is also proven to improve maths and science scores – not just the obvious text-heavy subjects). But reading also helps children to regulate their emotions, have empathy for others, learn about the world around them, give them a place to escape to, spark their imagination and creativity…the list of benefits is endless.

Join the Summer Reading Challenge at your local library. It is an easy way to keep their engagement through the summer. They earn prizes along the way and finish up with a certificate that they can show their new teacher. I believe in the scheme so strongly I have signed up as a volunteer in Buckhurst Hill library this year so that I can meet children and hope to encourage their reading. 

Spellings and vocabulary
Use wordsearches to improve spellings and crosswords to develop vocabulary knowledge. You can pick up cheap books of these in places like The Works. A little and often makes the biggest difference. Children are more likely to want to do crosswords and wordsearches if you have fun taking part too.

Maths
The best way to inspire your child’s interest in maths is by including them in your everyday maths (measuring cake ingredients, working out the cheapest bottle of ketchup in the supermarket, counting objects like pasta shapes, telling the time, counting money, noticing 2D and 3D objects and describing them etc). If it’s fun and with you, they won’t even realise they are learning.

However, the summer holiday also offers the chance for some intense practice of specific mental maths skills that just make all of maths easier, such as knowledge of number bonds to 10/20/100 and recall of times tables. It is worth investing time in these over the summer as it will free up your child’s brain space in their future maths lessons to learn new concepts if they are not so busy struggling with the basics of mental arithmetic. 5-10 minutes a day is perfect.

For those looking for more of a challenge try the daily maths brain teasers from NRICH at https://nrich.maths.org/primary-summer2023

Creative writing
Most children I see find creative writing their most challenging area of learning. It is a craft honed over many years of daily practice and heavily underpinned by what we read. So, outside of reading what can you do to support their development in writing?

The most important aspect is to fire their imagination and freedom to be creative. Discuss ‘what if?’ scenarios as you go through your day – make them wild and silly! Children who can talk eloquently can write, so keep challenging and developing their ideas verbally. Feel free to pick them up on their spoken grammar and vocabulary choices. They need practice in developing their voices in order to write. Use art and craft projects to stimulate their creativity and then ask them to talk about what they are making in an open-question manner. (I.e. Avoid “Is that a dog?” in favour of “Can you tell me about your picture?”).

One tip to avoid: forcing your child to ‘sit down and write’. It can backfire. Buy them a cute notebook and say you would love to see anything they write then leave them to it. If they do show you – just say supportive things and avoid too much ‘that spelling is wrong; where are the capital letters’ etc. Leave that part to me and their school teachers (we can be the bad cops!).

I hope this has helped offer some ideas for helping your child over the summer. Please do let me know what was useful and if there are things you would like suggestions for or more information about. I look forward to seeing many of you through the summer anyway: a reminder of what is on offer is here: https://www.mrsoshtutors.co.uk/school-holidays.html 

Helping children discover (or rediscover) a love for writing is one of the reasons I was inspired to set up creative writing classes. This article shows quite how out of love children have fallen with this skill: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jun/05/childrens-enjoyment-of-writing-has-fallen-to-crisis-point

Please take a look at my latest newsletter, with news and updates as well as examples of children's creative writing from my classes. 

​If you'd like to be added to my mailing list, please get in touch.

I once read that a child spending one hour reading would make greater progress than if they had spent one hour in an English lesson! I'm not sure if that's true but it is proven that reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator in a child's long-term academic success - in all subjects (including maths).
If I had to choose one single factor that makes the greatest difference to a child's confidence and ability in maths, it would be knowledge of their times tables. If they have quick recall of these, their brain is freed up to learn new concepts and strategies without having to take a moment to count off times tables on their fingers. 
I have added more than 50 resources to practise times tables at home on the Tutorbird app app.tutorbird.com. Navigate on the left hand side to the 'download' symbol which will take you to Online Resources. You will find a folder filled with times tables activities in the Maths folder, called 'Times Tables'. I have plenty more so if there is a times table you are particularly struggling with and can't find what you need, let me know.
As a guide, children in KS1 should become fluent with their 2, 5 and 10 times tables. Year 3 should see the introduction of 3, 4 and 8. By the end of Year 4 children should confidently know all their times tables to 12x. I would recommend children in Y5&6 also familiarise themselves with 15, 25 and 75 times tables as these are very handy.
The best practice is short daily practice - 5 minutes is plenty. Making a regular time for it can minimise resistance!  ​

Excellent guidance for parents for online tutoring. I tutor face-to-face but there is still relevant, helpful advice here. I am always happy to show my certificates when meeting families - please just ask. If you use other tutors who are online, please do follow the guidance below. 

I use this website's resources quite a bit to make learning visual and interactive. Their games and tools are fantastic for all learners so their name is a bit misleading, I feel! It's worth a browse if you are looking for little things to help at home. https://www.thedyslexiashop.co.uk/ 
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If you would like any advice about which products would be most helpful for your child, feel free to ask me. 

Grab a £10 discount off my summer workshops for 6-11 year olds - Chocolate Workshop or Tiger Art.  Find out all about these fun half-day sessions and how to claim your discount here.

There are many excellent websites with helpful 11+ information but I think these two pages from Bond are useful for parents to look at and understand a bit more of the process, as well as free opportunities for your child to practise questions online. 

https://www.bond11plus.co.uk/about-11-plus#:~:text=11%2B%20exam%20papers%20are%20timed,within%20a%20given%20time%20frame 
https://www.bond11plus.co.uk/practice-area 

A completely free one-hour taster session in celebration of books, stories and our imaginations!

To celebrate the launch of my new weekly classes in September, I am offering a free class on Tuesday 9th August 10-11am.  Only 8 spaces are available (for children who will be in Years 4 - 6 from September) - so please get in touch to book a place.