...an article from Learning Rx Richmond Hill
For the last two school years, many students have signified the last day of school with the closing of their laptops. With students experiencing a mix of virtual learning, hybrid classrooms, and the like, it's easy to see why parents are unsure how their students will adjust when they return to in-person learning in the fall.
Before the pandemic, there was the "Summer Slide"— a term coined to describe the loss of knowledge and ability that typically occurs when formal education stops during the summer months. "Educators have always seen learning losses over the summer, but with COVID-19 forcing many schools to move to virtual learning, losses were magnified," explains Dr. Amy Moore, a cognitive psychologist with LearningRx. "This year, we expect the typical summer learning losses to be compounded by nearly a full school year of learning disruptions."
So, what can parents do to best prepare their kids or teens to return to in-person learning this fall?
According to Dr. Moore, although tutoring and summer classes can often help re-teach educational material, one-on-one brain training helps address the root cause of learning struggles: weak cognitive skills.
"Cognitive skills are the core skills our brains use to think, read, remember, reason, learn and pay attention," explains Dr. Moore. "They include attention, working memory, processing speed, long-term memory, logic and reasoning, auditory processing, and visual processing. By strengthening these skills, students can improve their ability to learn and retain information the first time it is taught. "Think of cognitive skills as the tools that your student needs to complete a project at school," explains Dr. Moore. "If they're expected to build a birdhouse in shop class, but the saw is dull, they'll struggle to cut the wood necessary for the birdhouse. But if you take time to sharpen the saw, it will be easier for the student to complete the birdhouse. If even one skill is weak, they may struggle with learning due to frustration. Investing in sharpened cognitive skills makes it easier to pay attention in class, complete homework, take timed tests, stay organized, and manage their time.
As Dr. Moore points out, "LearningRx one-on-one brain training programs weren't developed overnight. The company put in more than 35 years of trial-and-error research to develop a variety of programs. In recent years, the Gibson Institute's cognitive training and assessment research has been published in peer-reviewed medical, psychology, and education journals and presented at conferences around the world. More than 101,000 clients have gone through our programs. We can back our programs with both scientific research and anecdotal feedback from clients and their families."
Whether your student has been diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia, struggles in school, or just wants to get a "leg up" on learning before the fall, LearningRx may be able to help them get back on track this summer. Start by scheduling a Brain Skills Assessment through your local centre or online at www.learningrx.com.
"If ever a parent were to invest in their child or teen's future, now is the time," says Dr. Moore.
About LearningRx®
LearningRx, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the largest one-on-one brain training company in the world. Their training programs are delivered through more than 200 locations in North America and in 48 countries around the globe (as BrainRx®). LearningRx has helped more than 100,000 individuals and families sharpen their cognitive skills to help them think faster, learn easier, and perform better.
In addition to their in-Centre training programs that partner every client with a personal brain trainer to keep clients engaged, accountable, and on-task—a key advantage over digital brain games—the company also offers online training through real-time videoconferencing. This virtual delivery method allows clients to train from the comfort of their own home while still receiving the benefits of one-on-one brain training with a personal brain trainer.
LearningRx's pioneering methods have been used in clinical settings for over 35 years and have been subjected to peer-review in more than a dozen scientific journals. To learn more, visit www.learningrx.com
