5
Cognitive Enrichment Advantage
For Families
_______________________________________________________________
Parents teach their children many things. As parents we know that if we
make the steps very clear that all children can learn amazing things.
As well as teaching them to skate, ride a bike or share toys, we can make the
steps of thinking very clear to our children and help them to more likely
think things through.
Cognitive Enrichment Advantage (CEA) is a method developed by
Katherine Greenberg (2000) to assist children to become aware of smart
ways to think and work through challenges that they might have at home, at
school or in their community.
CEA includes a set of 20 thinking skills. In the CEA approach families use
this language about thinking to solve problems that might come up.
The goal of CEA is to assist children to become independent learners
by helping them to understand how they can think through problems.
When using CEA, the parent is a coach. The parent guides and the child does
most of the thinking work.
In the next pages you will find CEA details and videos.
“My son started stopping and thinking where he used to just react.”
“Because she’s ‘self regulated,’ she’s calmed down, then she can think before
she reacts.”
(CEA parent quotes, 2002)
References:



Greenberg, K. (2000) Cognitive Enrichment Advantage: Family School Partnership Handbook
CEA Electronic Workshop: www.ctcea.ca
www.tvcc.on.ca/Information Resources/ Kids on-Track/Icons or /Tip Sheets
Tip:
Page 45: -Outline of what is in Module
5 – CEA For Families..
Video 8 presents a daughter and
mother who have used the CEA
approach for many years.
44
Cognitive Enrichment Advantage:
‘Thinking First’
_________________________________________________
Are you tired of saying to your children, “How many times do I have to tell
you?” Is homework a struggle every night? Are you wondering, how can I
help my child think through this by him or herself?
Cognitive Enrichment Advantage approach aims at helping
children to explore and plan rather than react quickly. The deep
connection that parents and children have helps children learn in a
comfortable and meaningful way. This is what is needed for children to be
able to learn to think through problems in their daily activities.
CEA Parent Quote (2002)
“It’s a lot easier for a lot of people just to say, you know, to yell at their kids, to scream at
him or get mad at them and use a loud voice and all this other stuff for them to listen. Now
that we’re understanding, it doesn’t necessarily need that, just some key words, some
really smart thinking. This program has been a real eye opener, makes life a lot easier.
Life’s not a power struggle anymore.”
Module 5 Activities:
1. Overview of Cognitive Enrichment Advantage – page 44.
2. Description of how to begin – page 46.
3. Thinking skills that other families have used with – page 47.
4. How to introduce a thinking skill with your child (page 51). Video 7
provides a sample of a family doing just that.
5. How to use the thinking skills with your child on an every day basispages 52 – 53.
6. Great questions to ask – page 54.
7. Summing it all up! (page 55)
8. In Video 8, a mother and daughter describe how they have used the CEA
thinking skills over many years.
45
Getting Started:
How To Begin Using CEA
_______________________________
What to do
1. Give yourself time to learn about the thinking skills.
a. Look at the next page (47)– a list of thinking skills that families
frequently have used.
b. Look at the chart that lists all of the thinking skills (pg. 48).
c. Look at the definitions of the thinking skills (pg. 49-50).
d. Look at the resources in Module Three of the CEA E- Workshop
(www.ctcea.ca)
i. Icon pictures – Appendix 2
ii. Examples – Appendix 3
iii. Explanations – Appendix 4
e. Look at Kathy Greenberg’s Family-School-Partnership Book (available
from Chapters or Amazon).
2. Think of your child doing their daily activities (i.e. homework,
sharing toys, hockey practice, getting ready for school)
a. How and when do they get stuck?
b. Which areas would you like to see them improve?
c. Which areas would they like to improve or change?
d. Which thinking skill would help them to be more independent in
their thinking?
e. This is the start of setting a thinking goal or direction.
3. Start with one thinking skill.
4. Read the definition, explanation and examples for the thinking
skill you are going to introduce to your child.
5. Now that you have made your choice, go to page 51, which describes
how families introduce a thinking skill.
“Learning to Think and Thinking to Learn”
46
CEA Thinking Skills Used By Families
_______________________________________________________________
Families have been using the CEA thinking skills in the London, Ontario
area since 2000. A Thames Valley Children’s Centre project called ‘Kids OnTrack’ assisted teachers and families to introduce the CEA thinking skills to
children. Families picked the thinking skills that made the most sense to
them.
Families most often chose to assist their children to learn about and use
‘self regulation’. They found that once everyone understood what self
regulation meant then they just had to say, “think about self regulation’ and
the child took over and considered what might be the best choice.
“I can say at home to ‘self regulate’ and she just does it. I just have to say the word
and she says it to her brothers for them to ‘self regulate’. They stop immediately…
She automatically calms down”. (parent quote, 2002)
Example:
If I use Self Regulation when my mom is talking on the phone, then I
will:
 Find something to do while I wait for mom to finish talking.
 Stop myself when I notice I haven’t made a good choice and choose a better
thing to do.
 Remember how the vase got broken yesterday when my mom was on the
phone and this time I’ll colour a picture instead of running after my brother.
Families also frequently chose to help their children learn about:
Exploration: Look, listen and think first.
Connecting Events: Think back and think ahead to help me now.
Problem Identification: Paying attention to that funny feeling that
tells me something is wrong.
Planning: Setting a goal and making a plan to reach that goal.
Feeling of Competence: Believing and knowing that I can do it.
These six thinking skills are from a set of 20 thinking skills (refer to diagram
on page 48) that are divided into five major groups or ways of thinking:

Getting Ready (Exploration, Planning)

Checking (Problem Identification)

Understanding (Connecting Events)

Motivation (Self Regulation)

Feelings (Feeling of Competence)
47
MOTIVATION
GETTING READY
Self Regulation
Self Development
Exploration
Goal Orientation
Planning
Sharing Behaviour
Expression
Thinking Skills
UNDERSTANDING
Making Comparisons
CHECKING
Connecting Events
Problem Identification
Working Memory
Selective Attention
Precision and Accuracy
Space and Time
FEELINGS
FEELINGS
Getting the Main Idea
Thought Integration
Feeling of Challenge
Feeling of Competence
Inner Meaning
Awareness of Self
Change
LEARNING TO THINK AND THINKING TO LEARN
48
Cognitive Enrichment Advantage – Thinking Skills: Definitions
Exploration: Gathering all the information that you need carefully and completely. It also means collecting just the
Approach
Thought processes
that help with being
organized and ready.
information you need not more than you need.
Planning: Predicting the goal and then figuring out the steps needed to reach that goal. Putting the steps in order,
using the plan and modifying the plan are also necessary.
Expression: clearly and completely communicating thoughts and actions in the correct order. Expression also
requires consideration of the task, the setting and the needs of other people to communicate thoughts and actions
carefully in the learning experience.
Problem Identification: noticing the sense of imbalance that occurs with a problem and defining its cause.
Confirm
Thought processes
to check and correct.
Selective Attention: deciding what is relevant vs. irrelevant. This is supported by and leads to getting the main
idea.
Precision and Accuracy: is based on wanting to find out the exact information to increase your understanding.
Once you have gathered the precise information that you need the next step is to use that information correctly. It also
means that you will be checking that what you say and do is careful and correct.
Space and Time Concepts: to understand and use information about space and time.
Make Meaning
Thought processes that
lead to understanding,
reflecting, seeing
relationships and
drawing inferences.
Making Comparisons: discovering similarities and differences automatically among some parts of the learning
experience.
Working Memory: using memory processes effectively.
Connecting Events: finding relationships among past, present, and future learning experiences automatically.
Getting the Main Idea: identifying the core idea that connects related ideas together.
Thought Integration: combining all the information that is needed at one time. Keeping this in mind and using
this combined information makes learning more successful.
49
Inner Meaning: looking for personal value in what you are doing and learning. When you determine Inner Meaning
Understand
Feelings
reasons it gives energy and increases commitment and success.
Feeling of Challenge: focusing on positive feelings and strategies to manage new and complex learning activities. This
helps the learner to overcome fear and anxiety about failure. Breaking the task into smaller parts assists you to look for
what you already know or how you have done this before. This makes it possible to find a starting point.
Awareness of Self-Change: being aware of feelings related to your growth and change. It helps to always expect and
welcome change.
Feeling of Competence: building a positive self-image that you can use to energize learning at school. This selfschema is a guide for successful learning strategies and recognition of typical difficulties.
Motivate
Behavior
Self-Regulation: monitoring what you are thinking and what you are doing. This helps you to know when you
need to use a different learning strategy. When you self regulate, you are able to keep track of your own learning
and know when and how to ask for help. Using Self Regulation motivates you to become an independent learner.
Goal Orientation: being responsible for setting, pursuing, and reaching your own goals.
Self-Development: becoming aware of your unique set of strengths and weaknesses. The next step is to actively set
goals and work towards achieving your personal potential. This also includes accepting and supporting the unique skills
and abilities of others.
Sharing Behavior: sharing thoughts, feelings and actions, creating a positive learning environment. This energizes
independent learning and learning with others.
50
Introducing a CEA Thinking Skill
___________________________________________________________________
There are two key ways to introduce a thinking skill:
Tip:
Check out Module 3,
Appendix 1 for
introduction tips for
each thinking skill.
1. With a younger child, (as young as two years old), you can just start to use the
name of the thinking skill and frequently describe to them how they
have used that type of thinking. For very young children this might occur for
months.
Example:
“ Sam you just used Exploration. You looked at all the shapes and then picked the
circle.”
2. With a child, 5 to 6 years or older, you can start with a ‘chat’ about the thinking
skill.
a.
The icon pictures in Module 3, Appendix 2 can be
used to tell the story of the thinking skill.
Example: Self Regulation
- “We are going to learn about Self Regulation”.
- Guide your child to describe the train on the top (notice
that the train has its own eyes & mouth).
- Now have them describe the train on the bottom.
- “What will happen to the train on the top? On the
bottom?”
- “How did the train on the bottom know what to do?”
- Guide them to an idea like, “The train told himself to do
things that help.”
b. Or use a home situation or issue that compares using
this thinking skill versus not using it. Use this as a
story to start the discussion.
Example:
“We are going to think about Planning”.
“Compare getting to the hockey rink with the right
equipment versus forgetting some things”
Tip:
Check out Video 9.
Watch a family
introduce a
thinking skill.
c.
Use questions or statements that help your child do the
thinking.
d. Let them tell themselves what the thinking skill means.
e. You will guide your child/children towards discovering the
key points of the thinking skill. (You already know the key
points because you read the definition and looked at the
example page).
f.
Figure out a summary sentence with your child that
includes the key point of the thinking skill:
Example: If I use Self Regulation then I will tell myself
to do things that help me and my family.
51
Now What?:
Using CEA Thinking Skills at Home ________________________________________________________________
Give specific
positive
feedback
1. Try to catch them using the thinking skill that you
introduced. Describe to them very specifically how they
have just used that thinking skill. This helps them to build a
positive ‘bank of knowledge’ about that thinking skills to use
later.
Example:
“Wow, you just used Connecting Events. You put your homework
right back into your backpack, so you will be sure to have it at
school for tomorrow. Great thinking!”
Hand over
the thinking
work to
your child
Cue Child to
Use Thinking
Actions are
sometimes
louder than
words
2. Now that you and your child have an idea about what that thinking
skill means, you can start to hand over more ‘thinking work’
to your child. Gradually over time they will do more of the
thinking work and you will do less.
3. At those points when you would really like your child to
stop and think about what they may be doing, thinking or
saying, you might say:
a. “This is a time for Self Regulation.”
b. “How could you use Exploration to find your shoes?”
c. “What about Planning? Would that help you with your
homework?”
d. What would it look like if you used Problem Identification
with your friend”?
e. “What would it sound like if you used Self Regulation at the
dinner table?”
4. When you are prompting your child to think a little deeper with
the thinking skills, you do not always have to hear their
answer. It may be hard for them to explain. Their actions may
just show that they have thought a little deeper about what will
work best.
52
CEA Plus: Going Further with the
Thinking Skills
________________________________________________________________
Connect
smart ideas
to the
thinking skill
1. As you and your child become more familiar with the CEA
thinking skills, your child and you can start to connect
smart ideas or strategies to that thinking skill. Your
child will be able to use these strategies in many situations
Example:
If I use Exploration to always read the instructions first
then I will know what to do.)
This smart idea (strategy) could apply to baking cookies, to
making a model car or doing a science project.
Family ProblemSolving
Discussions
2. In every family ‘tricky situations’ come up. The thinking
skills can be great ‘tools’ to spark family problem-solving
discussions in a positive way. The solutions or strategies
can be recorded and posted as a reminder.
a. Brainstorm and describe the situation.
b. Come up with a plan.
c. Record the plan.
__________________________________________________
If I use Self Regulation when I am going out with my family, then I will:

Get what I need before I leave the house.

Remember and use the rules I have made with my parents.
Notice when I am getting too silly and find a way to slow myself down.
___________________________________________________________________

Use visual
cues
Tip:
Check out Video 8.
A family describes how they
have used the CEA thinking
skills for many years.
3. It can help to use visual cues by:
a. Posting a picture of the thinking skill on the fridge. (Icon
pictures are in Module 3, Appendix 2)
b. Making a portable ‘thinking book’. Go to Module 3, Appendix
2. Look for the icon files that end in ‘x4’. This is a page of
smaller size icons. Print, laminate and put it on a key ring.
c. Having your child draw their own picture of them using a
specific thinking skill.
4. Have fun thinking with your child!
53
Questions that Help Your Child think
Deeper
In all your thinking discussions with your child, as a parent you are their
‘thinking coach’. Questions help you to guide and leave the thinking work
for your child to do. The following types of questions can be used whether you
are introducing a thinking skill, cuing your child to use a thinking skill, developing
a strategy or solving a problem.
1. Help your child discover and understand; don’t tell!
Asking questions encourages children to explain. The more they explain, the
more they will understand.
Start with simple questions that only require a describing answer. Then
move to questions that require your child to find connections, plan and
extend what they are learning.
I. Describe: 




What do you see on this page? in this picture?
What do you know about…? What does…….. mean?
Tell me one thing……?
What does this … (sounds like, looks like, feels like)?
You can use a statement that describes and leave room for your
child to come up with a plan (i.e. “Your coat is on the floor”; Your
homework is not done….”). Sometimes too many questions in a row
are overwhelming for a child.
II. Find Connections- Compare and Analyse:





How is that the same as…? ... different?
How have you done this before?
What might get in the way of...?
What might happen?
What are your feelings about?
IV. Plan:






What might be a better idea?
What would you like to have happen?
How might you start? What will you do first?
What are you ready to do today?
How might this work? How will you know that your plan has worked? V: Extend:





How will you know you are …? are not…?
How will that help you?
When or where else might you …..?
Why will your plan work?
What will you do if your plan works?.. does not work? 54
Summing It All Up!
This is all a lot to think about.
Go back to the Getting Started page, think about your child and pick one
thinking skill.
Take a deep breath and try out Cognitive Enrichment Advantage
with your child.
The CEA steps are:

Pick a thinking skill that would help your child.

Have an introduction ‘chat’ with your child.

Look for opportunities to describe to them how they have used
the thinking skill.

Prompt them to use the thinking skill.

Use the thinking skill in problem-solving discussions.

Post visual reminders about using the thinking skill.
Remember to have fun and remember this is not a quick fix.
CEA takes time and pays off in the end.
Thank you for thinking with us! 55