Brain Training to Build Reading Skills
When reading difficulty rears its ugly head, students and families may reach for a couple
different interventions. They may try tutoring, afterschool programs, or learning strategies to live
with these struggles. But what if a reading struggle is just a sign of something more going on?
That is a question we at LearningRx Milwaukee-Brookfield have sought answers to for decades,
and it has led leaders and researchers to uncover the hidden truths behind cognitive skills.
Just as every person has different talents and skills that come naturally to them, each person
has a set of cognitive skills unique to them. But sometimes, one particular skill can start to take
over and grow stronger while some of the other abilities get pushed aside. Eventually, the brain
experiences difficulties.
Does this sound like someone you know?
Someone with strong processing speed may be able to think quickly, but if their memory skills
are not as strong, they will use their processing speed skills to find alternative methods of
remembering. A person with these skill sets may need to write everything down or record
lectures in class. While they have figured out different strategies for getting the information, this
causes them to take double the amount of time to learn information.
This same scenario reflects in people with lower auditory processing skills, which are
responsible for decoding words and reading information. You may know someone who loves to
watch movies but never wants to read a book. This person may have excellent visualization
skills and understands visual concepts well, but when they read a book, they struggle to
understand how the words could string together a story.
Fortunately, there is hope!
At LearningRx Milwaukee-Brookfield, we provide reading help rooted in building those skills that
may have gotten left behind and teach them how to work together. It’s our goal to help every
kind of learner target and build stronger learning and thinking skills. To learn more about this
process, check out our center’s “What is Brain Training?” page.
Strong reading skills depend on a number of distinct skills working at the same time. LearningRx Milwaukee-Brookfield helps readers strengthen the skills needed to:
- Quickly recognize words in written text
- Sound out unfamiliar words based on spelling
- Process complex sentences and language
- Create mental images while reading
- Retain important information
To do this, we tailor our programs to each client’s existing skill set. We start with a Brain Skills
Assessment to measure existing cognitive skills. This way, we can design each reader’s training
plan to focus on the areas where reading help can offer the biggest benefits.
“We feel that Amanda has made wonderful progress. Her study habits have improved; she has
greater fluency with reading and improved reading comprehension resulting in a child who now
loves to read! She has improved memory and organizational skills and greater understanding of
directions given by teachers and coaches. Overall, Amanda has greater confidence in school and
athletic activities.” – Amanda (age 10), Waukesha
We can’t wait to show you what your brain can do!
If you are interested in starting this conservation about reading help, contact LearningRx
Milwaukee-Brookfield by calling 262-395-2250 to learn more today!
