The Value of Knowing a Student’s Learning Skill Profile

Weak Cognitive Skills make learning hard.  Strong Cognitive Skills make learning easier, and even fun.  Even good students may be working much harder to maintain their grades than would be necessary if any weak skills were strengthened.

Cognitive skills are the underlying skills that must function for anyone to successfully read, hear, think, prioritize, plan, understand, remember, and solve problems.  The core cognitive skills are grouped into seven major categories which include: (1) processing speed, (2) working memory, (3) attention, (4) long-term memory, (5) visual processing, (6) auditory processing, and (7) logic and reasoning.  Cognitive skills are the foundational and essential tools for learning.

Academic testing provides information on a student’s knowledge base and ability to use that knowledge.  If a student struggles with academics, this type of testing does not provide any insights into the underlying cause.

A Learning Skill Assessment can provide valuable insights into how well a student processes information.  If any weak skills are identified, this information provides a basis for developing a pathway to a solution.  If a student struggles with learning, yet does not appear to have any weak skills, this information indicates that other potential causes need to be explored.

Knowing if a student has any weak learning skills may be the single most important data point to ensuring that each student achieves their full potential.

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