Redefine Education - Lauren Davis and Alison Scott

Cognitive Education and the Mediated Learning Experience – Deepening Thinking Through Pedagogical Practice in our Schools

Lauren Davis and Alison Scott

The brain can change and grow. Every child has potential for learning. Bellavista School has actively embraced cognitive education principles for over three decades. Knowing that the brain is characterised by ‘plasticity’ inspires educators and therapists to facilitate mediated learning experiences that deliberately develop new neural pathways and bridge cognitive skills to the curriculum, at any age. In this session, the presenters will share their school’s implementation of the pedagogy as a whole school culture, including the pitfalls and promise on the way. Delegates will be introduced to tried and tested strategies that address intrapersonal motivating behaviours within learners and consolidate their cognitive processing skills necessary for deep learning and 21st century.

*Please bring your notebook and stationery along to this session.

Lauren Davis is Deputy Principal and Director of Cognitive Education at Bellavista School in Johannesburg. She is an experienced Speech-Language Therapist with an active interest in cognitive education, including the mediated learning experience. Lauren trains educators and allied health professionals on IE Basic at Bellavista SHARE, a subsidiary of Bellavista School. She is passionate about the involvement of parents and teachers as mediators of learning in a child’s life. Lauren is trained to administer the LPAD assessment, delivered to the community through Bellavista iThemba, a recently founded centre for cognitive education.

Alison Scott is a seasoned educator with broad experience in School Leadership and Governance, Curriculum Development and Marketing. She is currently Executive Principal at Bellavista School, an organisation inclusive of a primary school, a cognitive education centre, an assessment practice and a professional development and training hub. Her interest in teaching and learning spans over thirty years and her belief in the modifiability of every human brain is fundamental to her work leading the organisation that comprises Bellavista School. Alison holds post graduate qualifications in inclusive and remedial education and, as a founding board member of the Institute of Specialist Practitioners in Inclusive Education, is a strong advocate for inclusive practice in all educational organisations. Alison is an author and public speaker.