The Importance of Cognitive Skills in Academic Success

What are cognitive skills, and how do they play a role in academic outcomes? These skills are what activate our brains’ mental abilities, distinguishing them from motor skills (used to activate muscle groups) or other brain functions. For those who are struggling with academic success, it’s one of the reasons we suggest brain training—to help target and sharpen those critical skills needed to learn, think, and remember. 

Cognitive abilities are intrinsic to all kinds of skills, both small and large, that you may take for granted. From reading to staying focused, making decisions, and recalling memories, we use these skills countless times throughout everyday life. While they allow us to complete many processes, broadly speaking, these skills can be broken down into 7 distinct categories: 

1. Attention or focus helps us multi-task, pay attention to small details, and filter out distractions. 
2. Processing speed is needed to complete tasks with accuracy and swiftness.  
3. Logic and reasoning enable us to examine ideas critically, think of new concepts, and solve problems. 
4. Visual processing allows us to identify, interpret, and use visual information, including written materials and creating mental pictures. 
5. Auditory processing is key for distinguishing and interpreting sounds and other auditory information. 
6. Working memory makes it possible to hold on to information while performing tasks. 
7. Long-term memory is used for recalling information, recollections, and facts that we’ve stored in our minds.  

Already, you may have a sense of how necessary these mental skills are to academic success. But let’s take a deeper dive into how they matter and what can help to strengthen them. 

How Cognitive Skills Affect Learning Outcomes

3 Reasons that Cognitive Skills Matter for Learning

Our cognitive capacities allow us to unlock all kinds of astonishing skills—and many of these are closely tied to the learning process. It’s no surprise, then, that strong cognitive skills can be essential for strong academic performance. Here are a few reasons why: 

• Cognitive skills make it easier to read. Reading is almost inextricable from learning—and it relies on several skills working in tandem. Visual and auditory processing skills allow us to connect letters to the sounds and words they make, while working memory allows us to process sentences. These are just some of the skills needed to read and learn. 
• We draw on cognitive skills to remember. It’s one thing to understand a new concept, but storing it in the mind for future recall is another skillset altogether. It’s not enough to have a strong long-term memory. Logic and reasoning also play a part, making it easier to draw on relevant information when needed.  
• Cognitive skills are vital for effective organization. Organization and planning aren’t always critical for general learning, but they can be vital to academic success. Keeping notes, doing research, preparing for tests, and completing homework—these all require strong organizational skills. That means a good foundation of cognitive skills, too. 

When Do Learners Need Help with Cognitive Skills?

It’s tempting to think that some people are naturally inclined to learning and some aren’t. But many of the cognitive abilities needed for learning can be honed and improved over time. Here are a few signs that a learner may need support with building cognitive skills: 

• Reading and math skills are a challenge. When students struggle with foundational learning skills, school can be a huge upward battle. In these situations, strengthening that foundation of skills can be transformative. 
• They consistently struggle in the classroom. Whether a learner has difficulty sitting still or paying attention, or they simply struggle to retain information from lessons, working on cognitive training may be a huge benefit. 
• Homework and test preparation bring them to tears. Many students get daunted by homework and tests, causing strong emotions and even tears. That can often be tied to a lack of planning, organization, or time management skills. 

Target Cognitive Abilities with One-on-One Brain Training

For kids, teens, and adults, cognitive skills aren’t set in stone. Instead, they can be targeted, honed, and strengthened, unlocking new learning abilities and strengths! 

That’s where LearningRx comes in. We offer comprehensive, one-on-one brain training for students of all ages. Through personalized programs, students work on improving their core cognitive skills with the help of a dedicated brain trainer. When they see gains in cognitive skills, it can enhance their ability to read, think, learn, and remember. 

Our programs have seen great results over the years for all ages. From 2010 to 2021, kids and teens who graduated from LearningRx programs improved their learning and thinking skills by 3.5 years on average! 

(Results based on studies and surveys of past clients. You or your child may or may not achieve the same results.)

Why not explore cognitive skills training for you or your learner? To find out more about your local LearningRx, simply visit our website or contact 866-BRAIN-01!