Great Book on Processing Speed

Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up by Ellen Braaten, Ph.D. and Brian Willoughby, Ph.D. (2014) is the first book I have found that gives both an overview of processing speed and advice to help parents and schools provide intervention. The … Continued

Working Memory and Processing Speed

  Working memory skills are used for all learning tasks. A child with weak working memory skills has to work harder than other students to keep information in mind, as rather than being able to both hold and process the … Continued

“I want to be like him!”

  Bryce wants to be like his friend who is excellent at soccer, can memorize anything quickly and always has a witty comment to share. So he asked me to explain how his brain works and what he can do … Continued

Writing Workshops for Students with High Verbal Skills and Slow Processing Speed

  Many parents have written to me in response to my post about the Frustration Profile: High Verbal Skills with Low Processing Speed.   That article was written four years ago and remains my top post. Many students with the Frustration Profile … Continued

How do you teach executive functioning skills to a rigid child?

Today I spoke to a mom of a 10 year old boy who is struggling in school. This student, Ben, is a bright boy who had been diagnosed with ADHD and a processing speed disorder. Ben’s reading, writing and math … Continued

Slow Processing Speed…is it due to weak motor skills, weak auditory processing skills or weak executive function skills?

Slow processing speed can be due to more than just weak motor skills. Sarah’s experience highlights some of the more complex factors that should be considered for a child with slow processing speed. Sarah is a diligent, athletic and caring … Continued

How DO you teach children with learning challenges?

Effective teaching requires a connection between the teacher and the student. This is especially true when a child has a learning challenge. A close connection allows the teacher to modify and accelerate instruction as the student grows. Understanding the zone … Continued

Building Executive Functioning Skills May Be The Best Intervention For Increasing Processing Speed.

  Processing speed is becoming a stumbling block for many students. The number of students who are requesting extra time on tests has increased tremendously over the years. What does it mean to have a processing speed dysfunction?  Do executive … Continued

Processing speed issues are challenging at all ages

Sara is now 22 years old and still struggling with processing speed issues.  Here is Sara’s story: When I was 12 years old, I was diagnosed with slow processing speed, given a 504 plan, and told this was a part of my … Continued