Cogmed RM

In trials 80% of participants showed significant improvements in concentration and complex reasoning.

Cogmed Working Memory Training is a software-based intervention program designed to improve attention and reasoning skills by increasing the working memory capacity through training. It has clinically-proven results demonstrating that, after training, users improve their ability to concentrate, control impulsive behaviour and better utilise complex reasoning skills. In the case of children and young people training with Cogmed RM software, better academic performance can be achieved especially in maths and reading.

Why is working memory important?

Working memory is a temporary store for information that is being processed by the brain. Many every-day and academic activities demand cognitive reasoning, which relies on working memory. For example when mentally adding 2-digit numbers; the sum of the tens must be stored in the working memory whilst the sum of the units is being calculated. Comprehension of complex sentences also requires the reader to temporarily store information from the start of a sentence to link it to later parts. Pupils who struggle to keep the start of a long sentence in their working memory will not gain a full understanding of the text they are reading.

How does Cogmed RM aid working memory?

With regular training (3-5 times a week), completing the full 25 sessions and with the support of a coach (usually teacher, teaching assistant and/or parent), Cogmed RM is a proven means of increasing the capacity of the working memory and thereby improves academic performance and the ability to concentrate on tasks and instructions. The program involves pupils engaging in a range of activities which train the working memory. Pupils who have undertaken the training have made long term gains in their reading comprehension and mathematical problem solving, activities for which working memory is vital. In trials of the training 79% of participants' parents reported that the benefits gained from completing Cogmed RM had remained or increased a year later.

How does the program ensure children increase their working memory? The software automatically increases in difficulty in line with the pupil's success, gradually improving their working memory's capacity. Every pupil should have a Cogmed Coach (a teacher or teaching assistant) who analyses the results during the training and provides encouragement and feedback to the pupil. Immediate positive feedback is given via oral praise from the Robot character to encourage pupils; also a reward of time on a racing game at the end of a session is given depending on users' performance.

How do I know how well each pupil is doing?

Reporting facilities on the training website are integral to the program and teachers can access individual pupil's performance data. Users' progress is recorded as graphs which show their attainment in each memory skill across the training period.

The training website will also give coaches help and guidance documents, including frequently asked questions.

Cogmed recommended system requirements:

Operating system

• Windows XP (recommended)
• Windows Vista
• Mac computers running Windows XP or Vista through Boot Camp

Hardware

• Processor running at 1 GHz or higher
• 256 MB of RAM or more
• 150 MB of available hard disk space
• Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher-resolution monitor
• 3D Hardware accelerator with DirectX 9.0c support, min 32 MB memory
• CD-ROM or DVD drive
• Mouse or other pointing device
• Soundcard and speakers or headphones

Other requirements

• Internet connection
• Adobe Reader 8.0 or higher (available as a free download from www.adobe.com)

Setting up 'coaches'

When ordering, you will need to provide us with the names and email addresses of the teachers and/or teaching assistants you require to be coaches for the pupils.  This will provide them with log-ons to the Training Website.  Please complete this questionnaire and submit with your order.

The training website will allow coaches to set up pupil log-ons.  The training website show graphical reports of the pupils progress, as well as helpful guidance documents and frequently asked questions.

When logging in to the reporting site only numerical user IDs are available, pupils cannot use their name. This is to protect participants' identity; pupil's names are not transmitted to the website providers. Schools should keep a record of the pupil's login ID against their name for monitoring purposes.

The best results are obtained with training 3-5 times per week, completing the full 25 sessions per course and with the help and guidance of a coach.  For information on successfully implementing the programme please refer to the Coaching Manual that you will receive by email after purchase, and is also available on the Training Website.