Cognitive Skills Training IS the Solution!

You are not alone. Many parents are searching for real solutions. Repetitive learning challenges are not resolved by providing a tutor or extra help in school. You want your child to become an independent learner, to learn easier and faster, with less frustration. More often than not, the problem lies deeper than difficulties in reading, writing, comprehension, spelling, and math. The cause is often weak or underdeveloped cognitive processing skills that support the ability to learn academics. We identify the weak processing skills and develop them by working one on one with your child implementing specific mental exercises proven to strengthen processing skills. Learning will continue to be a struggle until these skills are identified and corrected. Once these skills are learned they are permanent. Learning then becomes an independent enjoyable process! Our goal is to provide the foundation for learning that will carry your child not just for today, this marking period or year, but to for a lifetime!

What is Cognitive Skills Training?

The training is used to help those with learning and attention problems. It is a scientifically based proven learning method to train and develop weak processing skills to take place automatically. Think how frustrating it would if you did not have automaticity and if you had to re-learn how to drive your car every time you wanted to use it. Automaticity is the mind’s ability to perform a task with very little effort, attention, and conscious control. Just like the pupils of your eyes shrink automatically in strong light and the beating of your heart occurs without conscious thought. Automatic Processing is like muscle memory. When you do something that you have done many times you complete it successfully without giving it any thought, that's automatic processing. If you play the piano, knit, type, text message, or drive you know how your hands seem to move on their own while your mind goes somewhere else. So too with learning, when your child’s cognitive processing skills function on an automatic level learning he doesn’t have to “work harder and longer” to meet his potential.

The Training Identifies and Develops . . .

Processing Skills	Definition	Learning Impact
Auditory Processing	Analyzing, blending, segmenting individual units of sound. Mind interprets verbal information.	Reading, spelling, following directions, taking notes, and learning new concepts.
Visual Processing	Reduced ability to interpret incoming visual information.	Reading comprehension, disorganization, poor written work, copying from the board, proofreading
Processing Speed	The rate and accuracy the mind processes incoming information. Poor processing speed leads to less efficient thinking and learning.	Takes a long time to complete tasks, slower in learning new concepts, homework completion, needs more time to finish assignments, and math equations.
Memory (long term, short term, and active working)	Different types of memory. Retain what was learned and to hold in place as new information is being processed.	Needs repetition to learn, cannot retain taught concepts in academic areas
Logic & Reasoning	Making comparisons and contrasts, adjustments from new information to existing information.	Math word problems, planning, organization, decision making .

How Does it Work?

The training teaches individuals how to monitor themselves, control their thinking, actions, plan in advance, set goals, manage time, act in socially acceptable ways, and transfer skills to new situations. The training begins with simple tasks and gradually proceeds to higher level skills. Students are not moved to a “higher level” until prior levels are mastered. Each level has a criteria that must be met in order to proceed to the next one. Participants are highly engaged and receive immediate feedback during sessions, which may include rewards.The training also improves the different types of attention that are needed for higher level skills and aims to improve focus, divided and sustained attention.

Components

Targets and develops weak processing skills

Builds skills upon mastered skills
Challenging fun tasks and activities
Immediate feedback
Incentives and rewards
One on one training
Builds Core Learning abilities
Highly engaging, reduces boredom and mental fatigue

Why Does it Work?

“Like a set of muscles the brain responds to use and disuse. For the first time, we are learning to see mental weaknesses as physical systems in need of training and practice. The brain is a dynamic, highly sensitive yet robust system that may adapt, for better or worse, to almost any element of its environment. If we are going to set about training our brains to succeed in the world, we certainly need to learn about the various factors that can influence brain functions."

Dr. John Ratey, Harvard Medical School

Why Choose ADDvantages?

The founder of ADDvantages personally knows what it's like for parents and students who struggle with learning and attention problems. We provide you with our years of experience and the expertise you need to help your child meet his potential. Our servies are based on the following principles:
Scientific Learning - Our Brains have Nueroplasticity
Our approach is proven by countless scientific research studies on how our brains can be re-wired to learn and are continually growing and changing. Tutoring and school programs ( IEP’s, 504 plans) are based on outdated re-teaching methods that are not supported by research. If what they did worked you would not be reading this!
We Are a One Stop

Once the brain learns new skills the “rewiring” sticks. Your child will then be able to receive the benefit of school instruction without needing continual support. The results are permanent, learning is easier and faster in school and home. Your child and family will no longer “endure” daily homework struggles.

Emotionally and Financially Cost Effective

Unlock You or Your Child's Potential

If you add up all the money you have spent on getting “extra help” over years and the emotional toll it has taken on your child and family, you will realize the results have not warranted the costs. Learning centers and franchises typically work with your child in small groups to re-learn school material without lasting results and charge much higher fees. We work with each child one on one for optimal results at a faster rate with lower fees. This compares to spending 12 - 15 months at most tutoring and learning centers and repeating again in a year or two because the cause of the learning problem has not been addressed.