Why You Should Try Brain Training First We understand why there’s some hesitancy to try personal brain training if other interventions for learning, reading, or memory struggles haven’t worked. After all, the definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." Factor in the amount of time and money required to try tutoring, brain games, or other learning interventions, and things can start to feel hopeless. Even if you’ve never tried another "solution" for a learning, reading, or memory struggle, you may find that the options are overwhelming as you begin your research. Do you choose one subject and try tutoring for English? Should you enroll your child in a math-focused program? Is it worth paying for a monthly subscription to a brain game that promises to improve your elderly mother’s memory? With so many options on the market today, it’s best to determine your needs and better understand how each program works. Subject-focused Programs These programs may focus on teaching your child one thing—such as reading or math. Although they can be expensive and require a significant time commitment, they can be very beneficial if your child is only struggling in one area. For example, a student who otherwise gets straight A’s but has trouble excelling in math may do well from a math-focused program that teaches formulas, math facts, and concepts. Likewise, an adult who only wants to improve their reading comprehension may fair well by investing in a program that caters to adult readers. Brain Games and Apps One of the more affordable options, brain games and apps, are mainly provided as entertainment that can boost brain skills through repetition at home. For example, a homebound senior citizen may receive the mental stimulation that brain games can provide without attending regular brain training sessions. Although marketing regulations aim to prevent these fun forms of entertainment from advertising to be more than they are, some unsuspecting customers still fall prey to thinking they can drastically change their brains. Tutoring One of the questions we get most at LearningRx is, "What’s the difference between tutoring and personal brain training?" While both have their benefits and are fantastic solutions, they’re not interchangeable. There are two components to learning: educational content (taught, learned, and memorized) and the cognitive ability to learn and apply that content. Tutoring delivers or redelivers material not learned initially. For example, if there was loud construction outside the classroom during math for two weeks, the student may need a math tutor to reteach that math material. Or, for a student that changed schools mid-year or was ill or injured for a couple of weeks, tutoring might help them "catch up" on missed lessons. If none of these scenarios apply, another option is to determine if the student is struggling in multiple subjects or just one. If their grades are good except for one class, it’s probably worth investing in tutoring for that single subject. If they’re struggling in more than one subject and they haven’t "missed" class content, personal brain training might be the better option. Personal Brain Training Also known as one-on-one cognitive skills training, personal brain training addresses the root cause of most learning struggles: weak cognitive skills. As a general rule to help you determine if brain training is the right solution for your student’s needs, consider these criteriums: • Your student has received tutoring in subjects but continues to struggle month after month or year after year. Or • Multiple classes in school challenge your student. Or • Your student has difficulty with reading comprehension (which affects ALL courses). Or • Your student needs to work harder or longer than others to achieve good grades. When a student’s specific cognitive skill(s) need strengthening, they’ll struggle to grasp and retain information. Reteaching the material repeatedly won’t help because that particular skill—such as memory, attention, processing speed, logic & reasoning, visual or auditory processing—isn’t functioning at its best. The result of low cognitive skills may manifest as poor grades, frustration, low self-esteem, avoiding school, or taking longer to complete tests. Parents may find themselves "nagging" their student to complete homework or needing to console a child who takes much longer than their peers to complete regular projects. It’s important to realize that learning struggles aren’t about laziness or even intelligence; in fact, even smart kids can have a learning disability. Instead, recognize that weak cognitive skills are at the root of the problem and that personal brain training targets and trains those brain skills in need of strengthening. Are you interested in learning more? Contact your nearest LearningRx center to schedule a Brain Skills Assessment. The assessment only takes about an hour, and the results can help us create a personal brain training program for your student to make learning easier and faster in ANY subject!