Originally Broadcasted
Date: Thursday 20th May, 2021

Here are the 3 main takeaways:

1. There are “invisible” skills driving the achievement of successful learners. These pre-academic cognitive skills, such as working memory, processing speed and attention stamina, influence how the brain grasps and retains academic teaching and knowledge. They also impact processing of information, how we think and solve problems.  
 

2. These pre-academic cognitive skills undergo rapid development in the early childhood years. However, not all children develop these skills evenly and weaknesses may persist well beyond the preschool years, affecting how a child performs in school later in life.

3. Pre-academic cognitive skills can be strengthened through exercises that target the processing accuracy and speed of specific brain networks. For example, to improve pre-academic cognitive skills for optimal language development, the brain needs to be trained to process auditory processing information rapidly. From the use of parentese in young babies to phonological activities in preschoolers to structured computerised training using brain games designed by neuroscientists, we can improve rapid auditory processing and accelerate language and literacy development.

Featured Speaker

Ms Cheryl Chia, Founder and Director, BrainFit®

With more than 20 years’ experience in brain fitness training, Ms Cheryl Chia is an accomplished physiotherapist, who is also the founder of BrainFit, an entity that specialises in scientific brain fitness training. Cheryl holds a Master Degree in Physiotherapy Studies from the University of Queensland, Australia. She was awarded a full scholarship from KK Hospital, Singapore and was also the overall coordinator for paediatric neurology physiotherapy there. She has lectured in Nanyang Polytechnic and is a much sought-after speaker, including at events organised by MediaCorp, the Child Guidance Clinic, schools and international brain-based learning conferences. She is a frequent invited guest on Parenting Made Easy Radio 93.8, where she shares her expertise on brain fitness to help parents raise smarter and more resilient children. Cheryl is also an author and a mother to two young girls.