Texas City ISD Uses Cognitive Cross-Training Program to Help
Struggling Students in Both the General and Special Education
Population
Cognitive cross-training has
helped children with ADHD
overcome barriers by increasing
their attention, memory and
processing speeds. These skills
are necessary both inside and
outside the classroom.
For Cynthia Peltier, Director, developing the executive function skills for all
students in need is a priority.
Pull-Out Sessions Benefit Both the Special Education and
General Population
Special Education Director, Cynthia Peltier, believes that access to
high-quality, cognitive cross-training programs shouldn’t be limited
to children within the special education population. All struggling students, regardless of their diagnosis, deserve the opportunity to learn and
grow in the area of executive functioning. This can be a challenge for
students in the general population as well.
Let’s face it, many individuals have a challenge with attention. Have
you ever sat in a meeting or attended a conference and found your mind
wandering? The goal with students that exhibit an excessive difficulty
with sustaining attention, or any high-level functioning areas, is to catch
the challenge as early as possible. When this is done, instructors can
address and meet students’ individual challenges head-on with tools that
give unbiased feedback.
Cognitive cross-training programs are important tools that are available
to help struggling children. Since programs like this are so valuable, Peltier didn’t want to limit its use to only one area of Texas City’s student
population. Occasionally, children’s schedules are rearranged during
school hours to get access to these programs. Peltier plans to use this program as a tool to help children’s individual challenges.
“We believe there is a strong correlation between the quality of life
in our community and the quality of its educational system.”
-Texas City, Foundation for the Future
Texas City, Texas
Situation
Director, Cynthia Peltier, knows the
importance of identifying strengths
and weaknesses in executive
function for her students. Peltier
searched for a tool for teachers to
use to help their students in a more
beneficial way.
Solution
Texas City ISD adopted a cognitive cross-training system with
four embedded NIH assessments.
This program identifies the exact
areas of executive function that
need to be targeted.
Results
Individualized reports are given
at the beginning, middle and
end of the program. Suggested
strategies are provided to empower teachers to differentiate
instruction for their students
more efficiently.
Technology Does the Heavy Lifting
Franz Kohfeldt Elementary School, one
of nine schools in the district.
“The report provides us with some
very valuable information concerning our son and the deficiencies from
which he suffers.”
-Parent
Texas City ISD
District Demographics:
Total Number of Schools
9
Total Number of Students
5,922
Number of SPED Students
518
Economically Disadvantaged 62.7%
District Rating Academically Acceptible
School Breakdown:
Elementary
4
Middle
1
High
1
Intermediate
1
Disciplinary Alt
Education Program
1
Headstart and
Pre-K Center
1
Ethnic Makeup:
Hispanic
42.2%
White
36%
African American
19.6%
Asian/Pacific
Islander
0.6%
American Indian/
Akaska Native
0.7%
Instead of deciding which areas of executive function to focus on, TX
City ISD can let the neuroscience technology do the work. The cognitive
cross-training program turns each child’s computer session into a data
goldmine that accurately pinpoints the exact area of executive function
that that needs to be developed. Every click, choice, answer and hesitation
is captured for each student. All of this raw data is then organized for her
teacher into multiple, unbiased reports for them to use to guide instruction and strategies. For Peltier, this was one of the appeals of the program
and what may most help her teachers give differentiated instruction to
struggling students in both special education and the general population.
Cognitive Cross-Training Program and RTI, A Natural Fit
for Providing Students with Differentiated Instruction
The three-tiered RTI model and cognitive cross-training program work
hand-in-hand for a school- and district-wide strategy to provide differentiated instruction. The cognitive cross-training program meets
students exactly where they are and using real-time error diagnostics,
guides them along a unique path based on their individualized brain
function.
Computer Program as a Medical Intervention
Every time the child uses the program, a medical intervention takes place
by stimulating the areas of executive function in the brain thereby increasing dendrite growth. Research indicates that growth in the areas of
executive function can transfer to improved test scores and noticeable behavioral changes. Dr. Bruce Wexler, Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University, won the NIH Director’s Award for this “high impact, high innovation, and paradigm changing medical research.”
“One of the things I find so
valuable about Activate is the
time factor. It’s a manageable
amount of time to incorporate
into a regular routine – just 20
minutes. The format is engaging
and appealing and I don’t have
to tie my son to the computer. It
reinforces the idea that he needs
to be a proactive participant
in strengthening his executive
functioning weaknesses which
is an underlying philosophy
that we have in raising him and
Mike’s message when he speaks
to parents and teachers —
ownership, cooperation and
self-advocacy.
Thanks very much!”
Lori Perkins, Parent
Figure 1: fMRI Scan
Increased practice and time using a
cognitive crosstraining system correlates with increased brain activity
and ultimately more skill in the area
of executive function.
Differentiated Instruction for Physical Education (P.E.)?
J and I had dinner together out
tonight and she brought up how
much the brain training [Activate] changed her and how she
can feel it working, helping her
be organized. The gains have
persisted. She’s more observant.
She plans her schedule two
weeks ahead now rather than
reacting at the last moment
to everything. She’s more goal
oriented; she’s saving money.
She’s a better listener. It’s like she
matured 5-8 years’ worth since
last June. I know it’s anecdotal,
but she’s a pretty powerful example of what can happen when
you train someone whose frontal
brain is more developed than a
third grader’s.
Director, Cynthia Peltier, believes that the cognitive cross-training
physical exercise program may work for kids who don’t fit into the
traditional PE classes. This not only benefits the child physically, but
also strengthens their executive function skills because the exercises
are designed to stimulate the area of the brain that deals with executive
function.
Mark, Parent
If you would like to be a
part of the NIH funded
program ACTIVATETM,
click here.
For Additional Information
on how to implement this cognitive cross-training program in
your school or district call us today at (877) 360-9229 or visit the
website at www.C8Sciences.com
Physical exercise programs can improve cognitive health.
Built to National K-3 Standards:
Designed by physical education experts, each of our lessons has
been mapped to the National Association for Sports and Physical
Education’s Standards for PE for grades K-3. Both the school and
home program consist of over 100 exercises designed to exercise
the same cognitive skills of the computer program.
References
http://tx-texascityisd2.civicplus.com/index.aspx?nid=85
http://wwwernweb.com/educational-research-articles/executive_function_role_in_reacing_comprehension/
January 2011 School District Summary, http://loving1.tea.state.tx.us/lonestar/Reports/Summary2010/District/AAG1-DIST-SchoolDist-PDF-en-us-084906.pdf
© 2014, C8 Sciences