| The word "cognition" is defined as "the act | | | | already enjoyed. This implies that perception |
| of knowing" or "knowledge." Cognitive skills | | | | is a cognitive skill that can be improved |
| therefore refer to those skills that make it | | | | tremendously through judicious practice and |
| possible for us to know.It should be noted | | | | experience.MEMORYA variety of memory problems |
| that there is nothing that any human being | | | | are evidenced in the learning disabled. Some |
| knows, or can do, that he has not learned. | | | | major categories of memory functions wherein |
| This of course excludes natural body | | | | these problems lie are:Receptive memory: This |
| functions, such as breathing, as well as the | | | | refers to the ability to note the physical |
| reflexes, for example the involuntary closing | | | | features of a given stimulus to be able to |
| of the eye when an object approaches it. But | | | | recognize it at a later time. The child who |
| apart from that a human being knows nothing, | | | | has receptive processing difficulties |
| or cannot do anything, that he has not | | | | invariably fails to recognize visual or |
| learned. Therefore, all cognitive skills must | | | | auditory stimuli such as the shapes or sounds |
| be TAUGHT, of which the following cognitive | | | | associated with the letters of the alphabet, |
| skills are the most | | | | the number system, etc.Sequential memory: |
| important:CONCENTRATIONPaying attention must | | | | This refers to the ability to recall stimuli |
| be distinguished from concentration. Paying | | | | in their order of observation or |
| attention is a body function, and therefore | | | | presentation. Many dyslexics have poor visual |
| does not need to be taught. However, paying | | | | sequential memory. Naturally this will affect |
| attention as such is a function that is quite | | | | their ability to read and spell correctly. |
| useless for the act of learning, because it | | | | After all, every word consists of letters in |
| is only a fleeting occurrence. Attention | | | | a specific sequence. In order to read one has |
| usually shifts very quickly from one object | | | | to perceive the letters in sequence, and also |
| or one thing to the next. The child must | | | | remember what word is represented by that |
| first be taught to focus his attention on | | | | sequence of letters. By simply changing the |
| something and to keep his attention focused | | | | sequence of the letters in "name" it can |
| on this something for some length of time. | | | | become "mean" or "amen". Some also have poor |
| When a person focuses his attention for any | | | | auditory sequential memory, and therefore may |
| length of time, we refer to it as | | | | be unable to repeat longer words orally |
| concentration.Concentration rests on two | | | | without getting the syllables in the wrong |
| legs. First, it is an act of will and cannot | | | | order, for example words like "preliminary" |
| take place automatically. Second, it is also | | | | and "statistical".Rote memory: This refers to |
| a cognitive skill, and therefore has to be | | | | the ability to learn certain information as a |
| taught.Although learning disability | | | | habit pattern. The child who has problems in |
| specialists acknowledge that "the ability to | | | | this area is unable to recall with ease those |
| concentrate and attend to a task for a | | | | responses which should have been automatic, |
| prolonged period of time is essential for the | | | | such as the alphabet, the number system, |
| student to receive necessary information and | | | | multiplication tables, spelling rules, |
| complete certain academic activities," it | | | | grammatical rules, etc.Short-term memory: |
| seems that the ability to concentrate is | | | | Short-term memory lasts from a few seconds to |
| regarded as a "fafrotsky" -- a word coined by | | | | a minute; the exact amount of time may vary |
| Ivan T. Sanderson, and standing for "things | | | | somewhat. When you are trying to recall a |
| that FAll FROm The SKY." Concentration must | | | | telephone number that was heard a few seconds |
| be taught, after which one's proficiency can | | | | earlier, the name of a person who has just |
| be constantly improved by regular and | | | | been introduced, or the substance of the |
| sustained practice.PERCEPTIONThe terms | | | | remarks just made by a teacher in class, you |
| "processing" and "perception" are often used | | | | are calling on short-term memory. You need |
| interchangeably.Before one can learn | | | | this kind of memory to retain ideas and |
| anything, perception must take place, i.e. | | | | thoughts when writing a letter, since you |
| one has to become aware of it through one of | | | | must be able to keep the last sentence in |
| the senses. Usually one has to hear or see | | | | mind as you compose the next. You also need |
| it. Subsequently one has to interpret | | | | this kind of memory when you work on |
| whatever one has seen or heard. In essence | | | | problems. Suppose a problem required that we |
| then, perception means interpretation. Of | | | | first add two numbers together (step 1: add |
| course, lack of experience may cause a person | | | | 15 + 27) and next divide the sum (step 2: |
| to misinterpret what he has seen or heard. In | | | | divide sum by 2). If we did this problem in |
| other words, perception represents our | | | | our heads, we would need to retain the result |
| apprehension of a present situation in terms | | | | of step 1 (42) momentarily, while we apply |
| of our past experiences, or, as stated by the | | | | the next step (divide by 2). Some space in |
| philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804): "We | | | | our short-term memory is necessary to retain |
| see things not as they are but as we are."The | | | | the results of step 1.Long-term memory: This |
| following situation will illustrate how | | | | refers to the ability to retrieve information |
| perception correlates with previous | | | | of things learned in the past.Until the |
| experience:Suppose a person parked his car | | | | learning disabled develop adequate skills in |
| and walks away from it while continuing to | | | | recalling information, they will continue to |
| look back at it. As he goes further and | | | | face each learning situation as though it is |
| further away from his car, it will appear to | | | | a new one. No real progress can be attained |
| him as if his car is gradually getting | | | | by either the child or the teacher when the |
| smaller and smaller. In such a situation none | | | | same ground has to be covered over and over |
| of us, however, would gasp in horror and cry | | | | because the child has forgotten. It would |
| out, "My car is shrinking!" Although the | | | | appear that the most critical need that the |
| sensory perception is that the car is | | | | learning disabled have is to be helped to |
| shrinking rapidly, we do not interpret that | | | | develop an effective processing system for |
| the car is changing size. Through past | | | | remembering, because without it their |
| experiences we have learned that objects do | | | | performance will always remain at a level |
| not grow or shrink as we walk toward or away | | | | much below what their capabilities |
| from them. You have learned that their actual | | | | indicate.Strangely, though, while memory is |
| size remains constant, despite the illusion. | | | | universally considered a prerequisite skill |
| Even when one is five blocks away from one's | | | | to successful learning, attempts to delineate |
| car and it seems no larger than one's | | | | its process in the learning disabled are few, |
| fingernail, one would interpret it as that it | | | | and fewer still are methods to systematically |
| is still one's car and that it hasn't | | | | improve it.LOGICAL THINKINGIn his book "Brain |
| actually changed size. This learned | | | | Building" Dr. Karl Albrecht states that |
| perception is known as size | | | | logical thinking is not a magical process or |
| constancy.Pygmies, however, who live deep in | | | | a matter of genetic endowment, but a learned |
| the rain forests of tropical Africa, are not | | | | mental process. It is the process in which |
| often exposed to wide vistas and distant | | | | one uses reasoning consistently to come to a |
| horizons, and therefore do not have | | | | conclusion. Problems or situations that |
| sufficient opportunities to learn size | | | | involve logical thinking call for structure, |
| constancy. One Pygmy, removed from his usual | | | | for relationships between facts, and for |
| environment, was convinced he was seeing a | | | | chains of reasoning that "make sense."The |
| swarm of insects when he was actually looking | | | | basis of all logical thinking is sequential |
| at a herd of buffalo at a great distance. | | | | thought, says Dr. Albrecht. This process |
| When driven toward the animals he was | | | | involves taking the important ideas, facts, |
| frightened to see the insects "grow" into | | | | and conclusions involved in a problem and |
| buffalo and was sure that some form of | | | | arranging them in a chain-like progression |
| witchcraft had been at work.A person needs to | | | | that takes on a meaning in and of itself. To |
| INTERPRET sensory phenomena, and this can | | | | think logically is to think in steps.Logical |
| only be done on the basis of past experience | | | | thinking is also an important foundational |
| of the same, similar or related phenomena. | | | | skill of math. "Learning mathematics is a |
| Perceptual ability, therefore, heavily | | | | highly sequential process," says Dr. |
| depends upon the amount of perceptual | | | | Albrecht. |
| practice and experience that the subject has | | | | |