Reflection 1

Cognitive training is significant in several respects. To put it simply cognitive training re wires the brain of a person with a learning disability to do things that others take for granted. This is not a quick fix, but takes repeated practice that is integrated into lessons and needs to be used in different settings and situations to be fully developed. I really like the different strategies presented in the text. As I read the math strategy steps I realized that this is something they teach in general education students in third grade in Eustace as they get ready for their math TAKS, to the point students are given strategy cards and must must write down their strategy next to all word problems. It is great that so much of the cognitive training focuses on the child learning how to learn on their own and be motivated. I like how children can be taught how to self monitor and have control over their own life. It sure seems like a child with a learning disability would benefit greatly from all of these components from changing thought process and being given strategies to succeed, to self-initiative, as if teaching one without the others would be a failure at the expense of the student.

Let's use my brother Eric as an example here as we discuss how these strategies could benefit children with learning disabilities. Eric could not write letters or numbers that were legible as a child and to this day struggles with it and putting words together to make sense. When I get letters from him they are disasters on paper. Had these cognitive training techniques been used with him as a child, if he had been taught how to revise a thought on paper then perhaps he would have gained the ability to revise before the thought left his head which would make his letters much easier to follow. As it stands his paragraphs are two or three sentences long and he jumps back and forth between several subjects. I might read two sentences on how crummy prison food is then one about the type of books he likes, then back to food, then on to his plans after release, and some more on books and food. This kind of cognitive training would have helped him learn how to better organize his thoughts before putting pen to paper. I am sure that they could change the lives of many people in such a way.

I would definitely use the math strategies as I taught the math lesson for each day. I think that is fairly simple to work into a lesson plan as it is basic in that all students not just the ones labeled learning disabled should be using. I can also see using mnemonic devices in several subject areas like science and social studies. I remember the big one used when I was in school ROY G BIV the colors of the rainbow, now that's effective! I don't really see any difficulty in including these in the lessons either. I really liked the part of the text that talked about using mnemonic devices to learn the states and capitals. Something I will use if I get fourth grade. I also really like the motivators, and they only take a second more than just saying "good job." So many things talked about in the book seem like someone should have come up with them sooner. I also would really like to use the content textbook strategies. I think this is where I would need to sit with my student(s) that need it and go through it with them slowly and repeatedly. I will find a time of day that is relatively quiet and sit with the student(s) on the carpet or around a table and go through each step with them for each section that must be read and gradually reduce the amount of time I spend telling how to get information out of the text and increase the time the student(s) spend telling how to get information out of the text.

I scored a five as a reflective learner, this surprised me in that it was not an eleven. It is very hard for me to work in groups, I never feel like the others are pulling their weight and I end up doing all of the work even if I only submit my section as I want to make sure my grade is not affected by someone else's lazy streak. I also scored a five on intuitive another surprise after reading the descriptions I would have expected to score a one on either in this section as I feel I am fairly balanced between the two. I scored a three as a verbal learner, no surprises here I already knew that, I can remember things said when I was only a toddler but have a harder time picturing where we lived. I also scored a three on sequential, and again no surprises here. I expected that. I mean skipping around in the book is really upturning my world. I love things in the order they came. I used to expect things to be so linear that I even ordered my money by serial number within each denomination. I have a hard time seeing what a finished product will be if I don't have every detail in my head already.