Topic Summary

For my Capstone project I would like to focus on the importance of how to best identify and

strengthen weak cognitive skills to support early reading acquisition.

Cognitive Skills that Support Reading

I would like to focus my research and application of classroom methods to support and strengthen the following cognitive skills:

1. Attention

2. Working Memory

3. Auditory Processing

4. Visual Processing

5. Logic and Reasoning

Relevance to Literacy Curriculum/Instruction

Cognitive skills are the building blocks of learning. Strengths and weaknesses of these skills influence not only a child’s academic success, but also their motivation and confidence as they travel through their academic career. Having the knowledge to not only identify specific cognitive struggles, but also how to best strengthen and expand these important cognitive abilities is a powerful component to support not only reading acquisition, but academics as a whole.

Capstone Project

• I would like to develop not only a better understanding of how to best identify cognitive struggles, but also how to infuse, or blend daily cognitive skill training into primary classrooms. As we are introducing our early readers to the world of letters, sounds, blending, word recognition etc. we should also introduce activities and routines that strengthen these various cognitive skills. My project will outline ideas that primary teachers can use in their classrooms.

• I would also like to develop a parent friendly version of activities that can be done at home to also strengthen cognitive skills.

How this project will improve teaching, intervention & curriculum

• Understanding cognitive skills, using specific tests & observations to determine possible cognitive weaknesses, and building classroom activities and routines to build these important skills can have a long-term impact on student learning. We differentiate instruction for our students, but understanding how a student’s brain is processing information is essential in giving them the opportunities to grow cognitively.