Research School Network: Why metacognition matters in the early years Play helps young children to develop crucial self-regulation skills – but some will need extra support to get there

Adam is nearly 5, and he’s finding Reception difficult. He seems to understand how to count when he is in a small group, but the next day he is all over the place with numbers and quickly gives up. This is a common occurrence: after watching one of his classmates pedal a two-wheel bike, for example, Adam has a go. But when the bike wobbles and tips over, Adam curls up on the floor, with angry tears running down his face.

How can teachers help children like Adam?

Read on in the Times Education Supplement