1. There are "invisible" skills driving the achievement of successful learners. These pre-academic cognitive skills, such as working memory, processing speed and attention stamina, influence how the brain grasps and retains academic teaching and knowledge. They also impact processing of information, how we think and solve problems.
2. These pre-academic cognitive skills undergo rapid development in the early childhood years. However, not all children develop these skills evenly and weaknesses may persist well beyond the preschool years, affecting how a child performs in school later in life.
3. Pre-academic cognitive skills can be strengthened through exercises that target the processing accuracy and speed of specific brain networks. For example, to improve pre-academic cognitive skills for optimal language development, the brain needs to be trained to process auditory processing information rapidly. From the use of parentese in young babies to phonological activities in preschoolers to structured computerised training using brain games designed by
neuroscientists, we can improve rapid auditory processing and accelerate language and literacy development.
