CORE COGNITIVE SKILL EXERCISES OVERVIEW
The Core Cognitive Skill Exercises help to build the cognitive skills (mental skills, intelligence, learning skills, learning tools and processing skills) that form the foundation for learning capacity. Any core cognitive skill that is weak generally makes learning difficult. These include processing speed, attention, memory, visual processing (VP), auditory processing (AP) and logic and reasoning. Each of the core exercises trains several cognitive skills but each focuses on a different primary skill. Many skills are trained through different approaches in multiple exercises. A brief description of each exercise and the cognitive skills each addresses is presented below.
ATTENTION ARROWS (22 LEVELS)
Major: working memory, sustained attention, divided attention, selective attention, visual manipulation, concentration
Minor: processing speed, orientation (reversals) and color discrimination
Different colored arrows appear on the screen. They will either be stationary or flowing up, down, left
or right. Some levels have distractions. Students must click on the corresponding arrow key on their
keyboard. There are four different speeds. Higher levels require students to manipulate the arrow
direction visually and respond according to the directions. For example, the instructions may require
the student to answer as if the arrow were rotated one quarter turn clockwise from what they see.
The higher the level the more complex the instructions.
COMPREHENSION FIGURES (25 LEVELS)
Major: comprehension, VP-manipulation, working memory
Minor: selective attention, VP-discrimination, divided attention, processing speed, logic and reasoning
A description of a graphic is presented. Students must select the right answer from four possible
graphic solutions. For example, find a square inside a triangle that is next to a star. Higher levels use
a code. For example: a shoe equals a square, a tree equals a circle and a car equals an octagon.
Find a shoe inside a car that is above a tree. The graphic answers are shown with the geometric
shapes so the student must translate and remember the code.
FIXATION NUMBERS (13 LEVELS)
Major: sustained attention, selective attention, divided attention, saccadic fixations, math Computations
Minor: working memory, processing speed, logic and reasoning, VP-discrimination, sensory-motor Integration
Numbers are flashed on the screen one after another. The student inputs a number on a keypad
based upon the instructions. Lower levels just input certain numbers seen. Higher levels require the
student to remember a previous number and do simple math to arrive at the final answer.
DELAYED MATH (17 LEVELS)
Major: divided attention, working memory, sustained attention, selective attention, math computations, processing speed
Minor: logic and reasoning, long term memory, VP-discrimination, AP-discrimination, comprehension, sensory-motor integration
Similar in style to Fixation Numbers, students are asked to remember multiple numbers presented
and perform simple math calculations.
PATTERN GROUP (27 LEVELS)
Major: logic and reasoning, VP-discrimination, divided attention, working memory, processing speed
Minor: comprehension, selective attention, long term memory, VP-manipulation, sustained attention,
saccadic fixations
Students must complete a pattern with a set of three cards. All sets must either be all alike or all
different based upon different graphics on the cards. Depending upon the level, the student will
select either one, two or three cards to complete the set.
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VISUAL PUZZLE (30 LEVELS)
Major: VP-manipulation, VP-discrimination, selective attention, processing speed, working memory
Minor: sustained attention, long term memory, logic and reasoning, comprehension, saccadic
Fixations
Students must join pieces of a puzzle together. In more advanced levels pieces will come apart and
some must be rotated to fit. Numbers are introduced throughout the puzzle with a plus, minus or
multiplication sign and students are asked to provide a final answer at the end of the puzzle. This
exercise is much more challenging than a traditional jigsaw puzzle game.
TAP BEAT (8 LEVELS)
Major: sensory-motor integration, sustained attention, selective attention
Minor: visual manipulation, divided attention, AP-discrimination, logic and reasoning, processing
speed, working memory, VP-orientation
Students must hit either the up or down arrow to keep a beat and in advanced levels, indicate
whether the last tone was higher/lower pitch or volume than the previous tone.
VISUALIZATION GOLF (10 LEVELS)
Major: visualization, working memory, visual span, sensory-motor integration
Minor: logic and reasoning, selective attention, divided attention, processing speed, VPmanipulation,
VP-discrimination
Students must navigate a golf ball through a golf course with obstacles. The challenge is that while
the ball is being moved, the course disappears. So the student must imagine the course from
memory. Passing is based upon completing the courses per level in under a certain number of
strokes.
AUDITORY ANALYSIS LETTERS (SOUND SELECTION) (41 LEVELS)
Major: AP-analysis, AP-discrimination, AP-segmenting
Minor: sustain attention, selective attention, divided attention, working memory, long term memory,
processing speed, comprehension
Introduction to 17 key letter sounds. Students will select the required answer based upon their ability
to analyze and segment sounds that make up words. There is only one speed per level.
MEMORY MATCH (29 LEVELS)
Major: working memory, sustained attention, divided attention, selective attention, visual manipulation, concentration
Minor: processing speed, orientation (reversals) and color discrimination
Benefits include improved short term memory, improved attention span, improved spatial memory
and visual processing and improved processing speed.
Students will see X number of faces on a screen with various characteristics. The screen goes blank
and then a new screen appears with a wide variety of choices from which to match the previous
faces.