LISA BRACKIN, MS, ET/P, FAMILY-CENTERED EDUCATIONAL SOLUTIONS
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The Future of Autism (ASD) Diagnosis

10/2/2019

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.Lets Imagine you walk up to three people in a park. They all have their right sock and shoe off and they are all rubbing their right foot. They are all wearing fitness and jogging wear. They all look focused and intent on what they are doing, paying little attention to what is going on around them. Without further information and just looking at behavior patterns you may come to conclusion that they are all in pain and that they may all have injured their foot. But, this may or may not be accurate. 

The way we currently diagnose autism spectrum disorders is similar. We reference observable behavior patterns, following criteria laid out for us on the DSM V and use measurable standardized instruments to gather information on these behavior patterns. 

As more and more people diagnosed with autism move into adulthood they are expressing many and varried thoughts and ideas regarding their experience having an ASD diagnosis, what it means to them, how or whether they felt valued, and whether they felt that the interventions that they were given were effective. What can be observed is that all of their experiences are different and that they truly experience their "autism" uniquely. 

It is also clear that at any one point in time, comparing two "similar" children diagnosed with ASD cannot in any way predict long-term outcome. Some children apparently "recover" by adulthood. Others remain "impaired" in many ways, but have found ways to express themselves through writing. Other individuals require life-long support. 

So, what does this say about diagnosis. One example to consider is in regards to Jenny McCarthy's son. Whether you are accepting of biomedical interventions or not, the reception of her son's "recovery" from autism in the broader community has been varied. Some, who have never actually met him, say that his symptoms more readily fit Landau-Kleffner Syndrome. Jenny, however, disagrees. 

The symptoms for Landau-Kleffner? Loss of verbal expression as a toddler,  language comprehension struggles, and seizures. While this disorder is diagnosed with an EEG, observational criteria would have a child with this diagnosis potentially fit in the ASD diagnostic criteria. Outcomes for this population of kids is quite positive for strong language "recovery". Who is to say then that kids with Landau-Kleffner are NOT in fact autistic? If they fit the diagnostic criteria then in our current diagnostic process one does not rule out the other. 

Back to the observation of the people on the bench at the park. One person may have twisted her ankle after having stepped off the running path. She is feeling quite a bit of pain. Another had been sitting for awhile, checking e-mails when his foot fell asleep. He is feeling prickles as he works to get blood flowing to his toes again. The third had an injury a few months ago and her doctor wants her to massage her muscles before each run. 

If we looked at each person based on behavior me might assume they have the same "disorder". This is, however, far from the truth. 

Diagnosis based on observational behaviors is an aging construct. With MRI and genetic technology, as well as biological tests, such as the up and coming Clarifi saliva test we may find that there is quite a bit of variation in the ASD population when it comes to causality, cognitive profile, appropriate therapies, outcome, and self-perception of ASD individuals. 

Why is differential diagnosis important? Ultimately people's needs (in all populations) should be addressed on an individual basis based and on their individual profiles. It is my hope that the ASD diagnosis as we currently see it will disappear and in its place we will see the development of support systems and "treatment plans" based a more broad level of cognitive, psychological, and biological investigation that can truly support an individual and their family. And, in the long run help each person with autism be seen as an individual. This is really the only way to move toward a combined neurodiversity and interventionist model of support. Ultimately helping each person, as an individual be accepted as an individual while working to continue to grow and develop as that individual. 

Focus on the individual, not a diagnosis will lead to a better world for us all. 

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Why is Reading Comprehension so Tricky for kids with ASD?

10/17/2017

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It happens countless times a year. A parent sits with me and says "He/She reads really well, but reading comprehension is such a challenge". 

Reading comprehension difficulty, to some degree, is such a common occurrence among individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder that it is almost expected as part of the child's academic profile. 

What is not consistent, however, is the cause, or causes of the difficulty with reading comprehension. Normally the challenge is not due to one simple cause, but a series of cognitive and processing factors that interplay in making reading comprehension difficult. Very few parents find that simply bringing in a tutor, or having a child practice with a few workbooks addresses the issue in any meaningful way. Rather, directly addressing the core cognitive challenges at the root of reading comprehension difficulties is a much more effective route. It is important, then, to understand what factors are impacting reading comprehension for a specific child and developing an individualized approach to address the issue.  

Below are specific cognitive factors that work in conjunction to impact reading comprehension. 

Short-Term and Working Memory

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Short-term Memory has been described as the "white board of the mind". This is partially true in that it is a format for us to actively focus on our thoughts and incoming information. It has been theorized through Braddley and Hitch's model that  Short-Term and Working Memory is comprised three separate functions, the Phonological Loop, The Visuospatial Sketchpad, and the Episodic Buffer. In simple terms, the Phonological loop is responsible for actively holding auditory information as it is being processed, while the Visuospatial Sketchpad is responsible for holding Visual information. The Episodic Buffer helps to organize and sequence information for the purpose of long-term storage. It assists in processing events in sequence. 

Efficient reading comprehension relies heavily on the Visuospatial sketchpad that is activated through visualization. If this is weak, then the Phonological loop takes over and information is processed in the language centers of the brain. This is not as efficient and results in a shallower comprehension of the text. Ideally what is read will activate the Episodic Buffer an will be stored in the same way we store experiences in our own life. 

A strong Short-Term/Working Memory is necessary for efficient logical reasoning as well as long-term storage. Every individual has a  Short-Term Memory (The ability to actively focus on information) and Working Memory (The ability to process information) that function differently from anyone else's. An efficient Short-Term/Working memory allows for the ability to actively focus on multiple things, hold information in mind when distracted by other tasks, and the ability to think flexibly about a topic. It impacts many other cognitive functions. 

While many programs and exercises address difficulties with the Phonological Loop, which can be very helpful with other skills, and a few address difficulties with the Visuospatial Sketchpad, very few go as far as working to support the Episodic Buffer. This is primarily due to the interconnected nature of this function and how it is impacted by other cognitive abilities.  

Visual Processing

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Visual processing, particularly the skill of visualization, is an important factor in reading comprehension and leans heavily on the Visuospatial Sketchpad function of Short Term/Working Memory. The ability to draw up mentally an accurate image based on described and imagined information from text helps the reader to comprehend information more effectively. The adage "A picture is worth a thousand words" is incredibly accurate when it comes to reading comprehension. This image must then be filtered through the language centers of the brain when describing what is comprehended to others. One way to see if someone can visualize is to ask them to describe their bedroom. See how they approach the task, ask questions like "what color is your bed spread?" or "where do you keep your clothes?" and evaluate the accuracy and detail of their response. 

Only a few really solid programs use research-based methods to address visualization skills on a language/literature level. Lindamood Bell by far the best in addressing these challenges. This may be the key to all reading comprehension difficulties for a child, or may need to be used in conjunction with techniques used to address Short-Term Memory and Comprehension/Knowledge. 

Sequential Reasoning

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With strong visual processing skills that comes with an intact Visuospatial Sketchpad comes an increased ability to sequence events and recall events in sequence in a story. This builds cause and effect reasoning. It helps with concrete comprehension of story. 

Inductive Reasoning 

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Inductive reasoning is the ability to pick up on clues in the story to find patterns and to draw conclusions. This requires a strong, efficient, and flexible Working Memory that allows a reader to juggle multiple pieces of information at once in order to identify relevant clues,  identify patterns, and come to conclusions. 

Theory of Mind

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Closely associated with the logical reasoning function of Inductive Reasoning is the Social Cognition process of Theory of Mind. Theory of mind is the ability to take an underlying understanding that another person might have differing thoughts from yourself and then use clues from behavior and situations to reason what another may be thinking or feeling. While it is not often considered, Theory of Mind is an important skill in being able to evaluate the emotions, thoughts, and motivations of characters in a story. The primary way to initially address this is to put the reader into the scenario in the story. This may help them to understand motivations and emotions. 

Comprehension and Knowledge Base

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In order to comprehend what is read, a readily available store of knowledge must be drawn from to apply to the new text being read. This goes beyond vocabulary and into concepts such as comprehension of time (past, present, future etc), and knowledge of the universe and our place in it (understanding of planets, our country, city etc.). If a person has a base of knowledge and understanding of the world at a second grade level, they will approach text on a second grade level. Even if visualization and reasoning are intact, comprehension is impacted by a limited knowledge base. 

Building a comprehension/knowledge base is cumulative. Knowledge is built upon previous knowledge in that an efficient mind connects new information to knowledge learned in the past. The best way to address this issue is to feed someone knowledge any way possible. Visual and experiential teaching go a long way to build understanding not just memorized facts. 

Meaningful/Episodic Memory 

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By using the Episodic Buffer, information, after it has been processed using Visualization, logical reasoning, and Theory of Mind, can be stored long-term. In a story form, this can be stored as Episodic or Meaningful Memory. This allows the information to be accessed later. To evaluate if this skill is intact, see if your child/student can talk sequentially and in detail about their most recent vacation. If this is a struggle, they will also struggle to recall, globally, details of what they read. 

Given short-term memory and visualization difficulties are addressed, this can be worked on by giving a person a platform (a photograph for instance) to discuss their own life experiences, practicing telling experiences in sequence and going over events with an unfamiliar person. Questioning really helps. 

Active Reading

Given all functions are intact, many individuals on the spectrum do not read actively. While they read words aloud or mentally, they are not interacting with the text. They make no effort to apply meaning to what they read. This is simply not something that they think to do. An instructor may need to set up a means to facilitate active reading. Some of this is done on an advanced level through frequent questioning throughout the text. Another involves matching pictures to events to specific sentences after they read, building to sequencing pictures for a paragraph or story. Anything that requires them to think about the text rather than expecting that they are doing this automatically. 
While everyone approaches what they read with different cognitive strengths and weaknesses, it is important to evaluate a person's reading comprehension ability within a cognitive system. This system, which is comprised of different functions and abilities, can impact reading comprehension at various points in the process. While there are a few best-practice interventions, a one size fits all approach is not the answer. An accurate understanding of cognitive functioning followed by targeted intervention will support the best outcome. 

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What I Wish Parents of Children in Special Education Knew

7/3/2015

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By Guest Blogger 
Deborah Foster, retired special education teacher

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“Oh, boy. I’m excited. It’s my first day to be in Mrs. Foster’s room.  There’s a first time for everything, you know.  I’m really nervous. I know Mrs. Foster is nice, but well, can’t I stay in my own classroom? Ok. I’ll go, but do I have to go today?”


I know these were the thoughts of students coming to my room for the first time. Most of the time they were only thoughts, but they were very strong thoughts none the less. Usually after the first day in my room, my students were excitedly ready and willing to come to my class.

One of the first and most important things I did upon receiving a new student was to make contact with their parents.  I found some common understandings among the parents of my most successful students. These are things I wish all parents of special education students knew and understood, because it would help guarantee educational success for their children with unique learning differences.

1.      I wish all parents understood that they are a major part of their child’s educational team.  Yes. It’s team work that makes children successful in special education. If I’m ‘flying solo’ and don’t have parental support, then learning becomes more challenging for students. Having a strong, consistent communication system with parents in place is essential for a successful special education program. Students become more cooperative and successful when they realize that their teacher and parents are ‘talking’ to each other. In addition, it is helpful when parents ask numerous questions. I know you’ve heard it before, but it’s true. Teachers are busy. If parents ask no questions, then we assume the parents have all the info they need to be part of the team. If there’s something you don’t understand, just ask!

2.      I wish all parents would ask questions to gain a clear understanding of…
  • Their child’s unique learning differences.  Most children in special education are not being lazy, inattentive, or defiant when they have difficulty learning a concept or practicing and strengthening skills. They have some kind of learning challenge that makes tasks that are easy for other students, difficult for them. As a parent, it is important that you understand exactly what those differences are, and it is important that you ask questions of your child’s teacher or diagnostician until you do. 
  • Their child’s unique learning strengths. Yes, in addition to learning differences and challenges, all students in special education have learning strengths.  Parents can be an integral part of the learning team when they use a skill that their child is strong in to help them learn things that are challenging. Again, this requires good communication and lots of questions asked by the parents so that they can gain a clear understanding of their kiddo’s strengths. 
  • How to help their child at home.  Sometimes it is just a matter of finding the right strategy/method, to use with our specially challenged kiddos that will make learning at home fun and easy. If a particular method is not working well at home, ask, ask, ask your child’s teacher for other ways of practicing skills and reinforcing concepts.  I promise you. Teachers have many learning ideas, and they will be happy to share them with you. 

3.      I wish that parents would join the teacher in building an “I can learn” mindset in their child with learning differences.  By the time a child has been placed in special education, they have experiences many educational failures. They have failed spelling tests, and math tests, and state mandated tests, and probably they have even failed and repeated a grade.  Many kiddos arrived in my room with an “I can’t learn because I’m too ‘dumb’” mindset,  When parents and I joined together and worked on rebuilding their child’s self esteem, “I can’t” soon became “I can”, and success became achievable.

When parents and teachers join hands with each other and with their child, strengths become stronger, challenges are overcome, and an “I can’t” mindset is transformed into “I can”. The successful kiddo is the real winner here, but I must admit that the parents and teacher feel pretty good too!

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Dear Warrior Parent 

6/12/2015

2 Comments

 
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Dear Warrior Parent,

Sometimes finding educational solutions for your child can be a real battle.  

You don’t have to fight alone. You can be empowered with the information, support, and direct intervention you need in order to be a game-changer for your child!

When a parent fights for their kids, education and learning is often the battleground. Whether you are pursuing the ideal educational setting, helping your child reach their academic potential, or simply battling with homework every night, this fight can be lonely and wearing. You need someone to “have your back” in this fight.   

Victory can be won!  Imagine a world in which your child is thriving academically, in which you have the peace of mind that they are learning and reaching their academic potential, a world in which THEY experience their own success! You can positively impact your child’s learning. You can and do make a difference!

Why is this battle so hard?

·         Parents need to be seen as the ultimate authority when it comes to their child’s education.

·         Our culture does not empower parents to make educational decisions for their child.

·         Parents often struggle to understand how their child learns and how to help.

·         Parents need real-world strategies tailor-made for their child and their situation.

·         There are too many options and not enough guidance.

How can you win this battle and find peace?

·         You have the ultimate authority when it comes to your child’s learning and education!

·         You can be empowered to make impactful decisions for your child!

·         You can get an accurate and useful picture of how your child learns!

·         You can receive strategies, interventions, and support that will actually work for your child!

·         You can find out what educational options are right for your child!


It is my passion and calling to help families who are struggling to find educational solutions for their children. 
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Contact me for a free game-changing phone consult!


I listen, offer strategies, and provide insights.


 Together, we can work toward a new, brighter, educational future for your child!

Contact
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Lessons Learned on the Farm

6/10/2015

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As a child, I had the benefit of spending long weekends and summer days on my great grandparents' farm. Mom and Pop were two wonderful people who believed that kids needed a good dose of love accompanied by freedom to learn from their mistakes. They lived in a little white farm house that they built with the help of their sons on a piece of Texas farm land surrounded by rolling hills that were dotted with scrub brush and prickly pear. Below are some lessons and skills I learned on the farm. 

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  • Be aware of your surroundings- I remember my dad and I climbing up "Pop's Hill" when I was five. Every couple of feet was some type of thorny plant or sharp rock. He told me to watch the ground in front of me, to know what was ahead. Maybe we would all be better off if we looked up from our phones a bit more. 

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  • Maintain balance- Mom and Pop had a cattle guard on the road that opened up to their front yard. A cattle guard, for those who aren't aware, is a series of parallel metal bars with gaps between them large enough to prevent cattle from crossing, but small enough to allow vehicles to go over. As a little girl, I learned to step carefully on each bar, being sure not to fall in a gap. Balance, both with our lives and our bodies, is a very important skill. 

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Face Fears Together- On two or three occasions Mom and Pop's farm was pummeled with hail stones. As a small girl I remember my parents gathering me up to carry me to the storm cellar. We waited what seemed like all night for the storm to pass. We sat, the whole family, me, Mom, Pop, and my parents in the darkness of the storm cellar, listening to the hail stones hit the roof. Instead of fear in that moment, I felt love and warmth of family. We all have difficult times to face, facing them with those you love can make all the difference. 

There were so many other things I learned on those days from how to avoid wasps,what to do if you see a rattle snake, how to play creatively with my great grandmother's empty sewing spools and how to swing on a swing-set made of old tractor seats and scrap metal. It was a wonderful part of my childhood. Some things just can't be taught through digital media. Some lessons can only really be learned by doing and experiencing. This is what Mom and Pop's Farm was to me. 
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The Association of Educational Therapists, Supporting a Therapeutic Model of Educational Intervention.

6/4/2015

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A third girl sits, disheartened and frustrated, looking at her test score. She had studied hard with her parents and seemed to know the material, but when it came time to take the test, she froze! Now she would have to go home and tell her mom. 


A teenage boy reads a paragraph in school, his teachers say he just isn't trying. He doesn't understand what half the words mean, but can look at the book and figure out the answers. 


A ten year old boy with Autism can do addition and subtraction problems beautifully, but cannot decipher a story problem even though he can read the words. 


Each of these kids, and many more out there, need a therapeutic model of intervention. A therapeutic model not only the child's weakness, but also how their situation in life and capabilities may be impacting their learning. It then takes an individualized approach to effectively address the problem. The girl, for instance, may need improved confidence in test taking rather than just drill and practice. With the teenage boy someone may need to recognize that he is not lazy, but rather frustrated, and then put in place an intensive vocabulary program. The boy with Autism may need some help understanding math concepts, rather than just learning to do the problems. Every case is different, but they all need a therapeutic model that goes deeper than traditional tutoring. 



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The Association of Educational Therapists was started in 1979 in California to provide a foundation of validity, training, and professional camaraderie for professionals who were combining special education and clinical/therapeutic disciplines. 

According to the Association of Educational Therapists website, 
"AET defines an educational therapist as a professional who combines both educational and therapeutic approaches for evaluation, remediation, case management, and communication/advocacy on behalf of individuals of all ages with learning disabilities or learning problems."

When a child has a speech/language difficulty, they see a speech therapist. An Educational Therapists plays this same role for someone with a learning difficulty. Like ASHA, the Association of Educational Therapists has standards for professional conduct and required continuing education hours. 

As an Educational Therapist/Professional, I discovered the Association of Educational Therapists when attending a local workshop hosted by AET. I found that the professional standards and therapeutic model of the organization mirrored the work that I had been doing with kids for years. It was a match that was meant to be. 

For more information on my work as an Educational Therapist, contact me, or click here. 




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Looking for Educational Solutions for Your Child? A Cognitive Analysis may be the Key. 

5/31/2015

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As parents, we sometimes have questions that cannot be answered by looking at a report card or reviewing state standardized test scores. 

Some very common questions that parents have are…



  •  My child seems to be doing ok in school, but are they reaching their potential.
  • Why is it that my daughter will forget what I tell her minutes after walking away?
  • Is my child with autism reaching their academic potential?
  • Why is it that my son loves to spend hours with his Legos, but will not touch a book at home?
  • What are the best extracurricular activities for my child based on their own unique abilities? 
  • Does my child need any additional educational support outside of school to enhance their learning?
  • What are my child’s academic strengths and weaknesses? 
  • Is my child in the right school? 
  • I know my child is gifted, but how can I enrich their education?

Now there is a way to answer these types of questions. A Cognitive Analysis is an in-depth study of how a child thinks, learns, and communicates, and how those factors impact academic success. This is a valuable tool for any parent who wants to know and understand their child better. 

Every child has their own unique way of seeing and experiencing the world. Their mind processes information differently than any other individual. In a society where the mass production model of education is still the norm, parents must look for tools to help them discover how their child thinks and learns, what makes their child unique, and how best to encourage strengths while bolstering weaknesses. Cognitive Analysis is the gold standard for doing just this!

Your child will experience a calm, friendly, relaxed atmosphere over the course of two to three sessions with me. Students regularly find the process both challenging and enjoyable! Parents find the information gleaned enlightening and invaluable. An in-depth cognitive report is provided, including individualized recommendations and information on a child’s strengths and weaknesses. 
 
A Cognitive Analysis is one of many tools I use to help families find educational solutions for their children. You can have the answers you need before school starts back again. Contact me for more information today! Summer slots are still available for a Cognitive Analysis or Educational Therapy.  

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Parents, The True Superheroes 

5/29/2015

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To all the Daddies, up at night with the little one while Mama gets some sleep....


To all the Mamas, taking their kids to school, sports, classes, and therapies....


For every Mom and Dad helping their kid with a late homework project the night before it's due....

To all of the Parents, bravely navigating the special education system to be the best advocate they can for their child....


Don't forget that you know your child better than anyone else. Your goals and dreams for your child go beyond the classroom door and are stored deeply in your heart. You are the key to your child's success!


YOU ARE A TRUE SUPER HERO!
Thanks for what you do. 

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The Challenge Threshold, An Unseen Factor in Success 

5/28/2015

2 Comments

 
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About a decade ago I found myself working with a 10 year old boy who was behind his peers academically by a couple of grade levels. His parents were unsure why, and aside from ADHD, he had not been diagnosed with a specific learning disability. 
The first session I had with him gave me a few answers. I pulled out a page of single digit addition problems. "I can't do it", he said, and refused to put his pencil to paper. He had visual signs of anxiety. I wrote the problems on a small white board, and he still refused to try. Reading was a similar experience. What I found is that he easily demonstrated many of the skills that brought him so much anxiety when playing games, or talking about sports. 


Students who cannot push much past their current level of capability into a challenge before shutting down can be said to have a narrow "challenge threshold". These kids often struggle in school because any time a new challenge presents itself, they don't have the emotional resiliency to deal with the possibility of not succeeding. 


In this case, I stretched my client's challenge threshold little bits at  time by having him try one problem, or by reading one page, or writing one sentence, then praising him for his efforts. I worked with him on developing a "growth mindset", basically helping him to value growth and learning over academic perfection. Over the next year, this young man gained two years of academic growth and a whole new level of confidence. 


We all have a challenge threshold. The wider our challenge threshold, the more prepared we are to tackle what life throws at us. Nurturing a wide challenge threshold in our children is another way that we can help our children experience life-long success!

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Short Term Memory, The Work Bench of the Mind 

5/28/2015

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Short Term Memory is the "work bench" of the mind. It is the space in our thinking where we are actively working. It is the "surface" that holds the items we are actively thinking about, and where we "work" on those items, creating new thoughts and ideas. Different people have different "work bench" sizes, capacities, and levels of stability. Some people have large work benches that can hold vast amounts of information at one time. These people may be able to easily repeat back what they heard, often don't have difficulty taking notes on what they hear, and may be able to quickly recall details of what they read. Some people have work benches with smaller surface area. They may not be able to put as many items on their work benches before things start falling off. These individuals may lose track of conversations, may have difficulty recalling what they read, and may need to refer back to lists of tasks often in order to remember the next step. 

Short term memory can also be impacted by how much work is done with the items on the bench. This is called "working memory". Some people have a working memory that is strong enough that thoughts can easily be worked on, manipulated, re-organized, and built upon. People with a strong working memory can easily "work with" the information. For instance, they may be able to mentally re-organize a list of tasks, may be able to adjust ideas based on new information that they take in, or be able to create new ideas from what they already know. People with weak working memory may be able to keep information on their "work bench". Their short term memory may be fine, but their working memory is week and the entire "work bench" collapses under the stress. People with weak working memory have trouble thinking about what they hear, they have difficulty generating new ideas, and may forget things easily when they do more than just repeat back with they see or hear. 


Short term and working memory can be improved on with consistent practice with simple techniques. I often address challenges in working memory in my Educational Therapy sessions. There are also brain-training programs that address weaknesses in Short Term and Working Memory. 


Curious about your child's mental "work bench"? 
With my Cognitive Analysis Program and Psycho-Educational Evaluations I am able to give parents powerful information about how their child learns, including their "work bench" capacity. 
Learn More!
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    Lisa Brackin, Family-Centered Educational Solutions

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    Lisa works with families who are looking for educational solutions for their children. She has provided services to families in the DFW area for over 10 years. 

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"For the first time, I feel like we truly understand my son's learning challenges and have a plan in place to work on it."
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