Cognitive Skills Roadmap

Normal brain development is not a given, and it’s not based on intelligence. Our Brain Works Cognitive Skills program detects cognitive processing weaknesses through specialized testing so that subsequent training can be focused on areas that need the most help.

Even the most active and restless students will enjoy the cognitive training method. They participate in a series of fun and challenging hands-on, mentally and physically stimulating exercises. These are specially designed to increase the connective ability between the essential processing skills. As a result, the potential for learning improves and the student’s confidence soars.

Our Brain Works Cognitive Skills Program is fun and exciting with serious goals to obtain. The average student will take about 6 months to complete the training needed to make a lifelong change. In this 6-month brain training process, we seek a 2 to 3-year scholastic and learning ability improvement. In most situations, the training exercises need to be conducted a total of 5 times per week for about one hour. We can usually involve a parent or loved one to participate in exercises at home.
In our most common program, we conduct one weekly office session with a student and parent. In these sessions, the parent becomes trained while working with one of our trained Cognitive Skills Brain Works instructors. This allows the parent to follow through with 4 additional home sessions. Other program options would include up to 4 office sessions per week, making for fewer home sessions. We currently offer programs from 1 to 4 offices sessions per week with the remaining sessions conducted at home to reach 5 weekly sessions.

Some students do not bring sufficient cognitive skills to the task of learning to read quickly and efficiently. Even if the reading code (letter sounds and combinations) is taught completely and sequentially, strong cognitive skills must be in place.

A student with a severe auditory processing deficiency, one who cannot concentrate adequately, works too slowly, has poor memory skills, or cannot create good mental images, will complete lessons slowly or exhibit poor retention. If such a student completes our program, the stronger cognitive skills that result enable the student to learn rapidly, read faster, comprehend and retain more as they read.

Learning struggles rarely go away with time. On the contrary, waiting and hoping a problem will go away without appropriate intervention will only lead to frustration, poor grades, low motivation, and time wasted in school.

Cognitive skills testing will uncover the source of the struggle, and guide you to a training strategy that can make the difference.
So, the reality is: “Intelligence is not fixed or unchanging!”
Potential is the possibility that something can develop or become actual. Obviously you or your child has the potential to actually improve reading, spelling, comprehension, and change overall intelligence, as science now proves. The “gap” between untapped potential and performance can be closed with the right brain training. If this weren’t possible any efforts aimed at improvement—study, practice, drills—would be meaningless. Tell that to the winner of the school spelling bee, accomplished musician, or star athlete!

What can you do? Uncover the source of what’s keeping you or your child’s full potential from being released. Have his or her cognitive skills tested to reveal these “gaps” caused by cognitive weaknesses. The test results will guide you to a powerful training strategy to help you or your child realize his or her own potential. If cognitive skills weaknesses are at the root of you or your child’s trouble, traditional solutions like tutoring might not be the answer. Our programs create results that are dramatic and lasting and we’ve got the numbers to prove it!

Using the “gold standard” of cognitive skills testing – the Woodcock Johnson Test, we measure the cognitive skills of every client before and after brain training. Whenever possible, we measure again a full year later. Our BrainWorks Cognitive Skills program enhances the learning process by developing cognitive skills.

Both sides of the brain are needed for learning. The left side of the brain controls thinking and logic more than the right, so left brain learning styles focus more on words, sequencing, mathematics, linear thinking, facts, and logic. The right brain is involved in imagination, rhythm, visualizing feelings, art, and holistic thinking. Although different functions can be found on either side, both hemispheres of the brain are interconnected by numerous nerve fibers.

The functions attributed to one side or another do not necessarily impact learning style. You may be engaged in a logical task or creating something artistic. Both sides of the brain are still functioning and providing input. Even when you are doing math problems, the left brain may be crunching the equations, but the right side enables you to compare data and estimate values.
A choice of left brain vs. right brain teaching techniques can assist a student who may be more analytical or visual, but everyone uses both sides of the brain when learning.

Left brain learning activities may limit auditory distractions, use word lists, include puzzles, or individual study. Right brain learning techniques often involve charts, graphs, and maps to accommodate students with visual and spatial aptitudes. They can also focus on visual reinforcements, study guides like worksheets, creative projects, group activities, and integrating music with classroom instruction.

Our Cognitive Skills program, however, doesn’t necessarily target the right or the left side separately. It is focused on cognitive development. The content learned in class isn’t the primary concern. That would be the exercises and processes used to strengthen cognition. This strategy helps get to the root of learning difficulties and address weak cognitive skills head on, so, instead of repeating a process, the results are lasting because the core skill is strengthened.