What makes life special are the actions we take to live. Those actions all come from our ability to perform, and our performance is rooted in our ability to think. The better we can think, the better our performance becomes.
What are brain skills?
Also known as cognitive skills, they are the underlying tools that enable people to focus successfully, prioritize, plan, understand, visualize, remember, and solve problems. Those skills include auditory processing, visual processing, short and long-term memory, comprehension, logic, reasoning, and attention skills. If one of these skills isn't as strong as the others, it can affect the brain's ability to perform efficiently.
Did COVID-19 affect cognitive skills?
Yes. According to Harvard Health Publishing, “Although many people who have recovered from COVID can resume their daily lives without difficulty — even if they have some deficits in attention — there are a number of people who may experience difficulty now or later.” Your cognitive function is essential for a prosperous life, so don’t take it for granted.
How are grades affected by brain skills?
If you are following the numbers, students in our country aren’t doing so hot. (Visit NationsReportCard.gov.) You could blame our education system, but it’s deeper than that. Strong cognitive skills + strong academic content = academic success. Imagine a student whose attention skills make it difficult to focus on the teacher's instruction. They might miss taking critical information while taking notes, a homework assignment, or project details. Imagine if every cognitive skill were strong, including their attention skill. Students would thrive in school and perform at their highest potential.
What should I know as an adult?
Just like you exercise to keep yourself healthy physically, you need to work out your brain to keep it healthy. We are not functioning cognitively as well as you may think. According to Dr. Hui Zheng from Ohio State University, “The decline in cognitive functioning that we’re seeing does not come from poorer childhood conditions.” Why? Many of the problems linked to lower cognitive functioning are symptoms of modern life, and specifically unique to the US.
ADD/ADHD, Dyslexia, and Traumatic Brain Injuries are all labels that describe thinking that can hinder performing successful outcomes. Behind performance are cognitive skills, also known as brain skills, and the stronger they are, the labels and their effects tend to matter less. If you want to know how to address struggles, visit ThinkUpKnoxville.com or LearningRX.com/Knoxville for more information.