| Many parents are surprised to learn that their | | | | reasoning, and attention skills. Each of these can |
| child's IQ score can actually be increased. After all, | | | | also be divided into identifiable sub-skills. For |
| we were raised to believe that IQ was stagnant - | | | | example, attention is made up of sub-skills such |
| that is, you are born with the IQ you'll have | | | | as sustained attention (staying on task), selective |
| throughout life. But in the 1990s, brain researchers | | | | attention (ignoring distractions) and divided |
| discovered that the brain is actually capable of | | | | attention (handling more than one task at a time). |
| changing and regrowing the connections between | | | | Each of these skills and sub-skills play a specific |
| brain cells. It's these connections, or synapses, not | | | | and necessary role, and must work in concert |
| the cells themselves, that actually increase the | | | | before an individual can learn effectively. |
| brain's powers by increasing the number of viable | | | | Here are some specific examples of studies that |
| paths for information. | | | | have proven that children's IQ scores can be |
| More paths also means faster routes for | | | | raised:o Researchers at the University of |
| information to travel. This is good news for | | | | Southampton studied a group of autistic toddlers |
| everyone - but especially for children with learning | | | | who were given Early Intensive Behavioral |
| disabilities like ADD, Asperger's, and dyslexia - | | | | Intervention (EIBI). Over the two-year program, |
| because scientists have used special brain imaging | | | | the researchers found that the children who |
| technology to prove that better learners use | | | | received the EIBI had higher IQs, more advanced |
| more direct routes from point A to B when | | | | language and better daily living skills than those |
| processing information. But how does a child learn | | | | who did not. The results? In two-thirds of the |
| to use the shorter, faster route? With "brain | | | | children, IQ increased, and in more than |
| training." | | | | one-quarter, IQ increased "very substantially." This |
| While "brain training" is a relatively generic term, it | | | | included one child whose IQ went from 30 to 70, |
| can be differentiated from tutoring, which focuses | | | | and another who went from 72 to 115. (SOURCE: |
| on a specific academic subjects, such as math, | | | | ScienceDaily, May 7, 2007)o Brain training |
| English or history. While tutoring has its place (such | | | | company LearningRx showed an average gain of |
| as when a child falls behind in a particular subject | | | | 28 points for children with an IQ lower than 100 |
| due to an illness, injury or school transfer), it does | | | | using a nonverbal IQ test. The national company |
| not serve to increase the brain's ability to learn in | | | | trains subskills of IQ like memory, processing |
| general. Brain training, on the other hand, works to | | | | speed, visual and auditory processing, and logic. |
| improve a child's cognitive skills. | | | | (SOURCE: LearningRx)o A University of California |
| "Cognitive skills are the essential, but often | | | | study reinforced Rauscher's original theory, "The |
| overlooked fundamental tools of effective | | | | Mozart Effect" (which theorizes that listening to |
| learning," explains Dr. Ken Gibson, author of | | | | Mozart's music can raise your IQ). The more |
| "Unlock the Einstein Inside: Applying New Brain | | | | recent study sited that listening to Mozart's |
| Science to Wake Up the Smart in Your Child." | | | | sonata for two pianos K448 can increase one's |
| "Learning isn't about how much you know, but | | | | spatial-temporal IQ scores by nine points. |
| how effectively you process or handle the | | | | (SOURCE: Smart-Kit) |
| information you receive. Cognitive skills are the | | | | "Changing a child's learning skills makes a huge |
| mental mechanisms that process incoming | | | | impact on all aspects of their life," says Tanya |
| information." | | | | Mitchell, Director of Training for LearningRx. "When |
| More specifically, cognitive skills enable children to | | | | children go through our programs they get their |
| successfully:o Focuso Thinko Prioritizeo Plano | | | | homework done faster, plays sports better, |
| Understando Visualizeo Remembero Create useful | | | | make more friends, and just find many things |
| associationso Solve problems | | | | easier that they used to struggle with." |
| Using intensive, one-on-one training, children of all | | | | IQ doesn't have to be a stagnant number. Raising |
| learning levels can raise their IQ scores by | | | | your child's IQ is simply a matter of increasing |
| improving their cognitive skill set. These include | | | | their cognitive skills. Talk to a cognitive skills trainer |
| auditory processing, visual processing, short and | | | | to find out your options. |
| long-term memory, comprehension, logic and | | | | |