Oxford Languages: Neuroplasticity noun the ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience or following injury.
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“neuroplasticity offers real hope to everyone from stroke victims to dyslexics”
The Stronger Brains program uniquely targets cognitive abilities and social-emotional health needs of older children (aged 10-18).
Where does learning happen? In the brain, of course. And when learning is a challenge, it is a result of a weakness in one or more thinking skills (executive function). These skills can be strengthened! The fundamental skills related to executive function include proficiency in adaptable thinking, planning, self-monitoring, self-control, working memory, time management, and organization. I like this list.
Unless you are a top athlete, some parts of your body are probably weaker than they should be. If your arms were weak and you needed more strength for lifting heavy things on the job, you could go to the gym and lift weights to build them up. If your legs were weak and you wanted to be able to walk or bike ride further, up and down steep hills, you could exercise and build them up. It makes perfect sense, doesn’t it. Well, the same thing applies to the brain.
Children (and adults) who struggle with learning might not have weak arms, legs, or back, but they might be weak in attention, memory, listening, understanding, calculating, impulse control, reasoning, and more. These weakness could present themselves as reading deficits or dyslexia, ADHD or focusing problems, challenges with math, inability to follow the teacher’s lecture well enough to comprehend the lesson, or weak memory that prevents the message getting where it needs to go.
These are all trainable! And in a relatively short period of time.
The Stronger Brain program comes from the world’s leading neuroscientist (brain scientist), Dr. Michael Merzenich. Do an internet search for him and you will receive 600,000 listings including Ted Talks, awards, global speaking engagements, and neuroplasticity programs to develop brains. Since 2009 we have been the North American leader in his Fast ForWord and Reading Assistant Plus programs. My husband and I have done Merzenich’s BrainHQ (for aging brains) and I did the earlier version of that, The Brain Fitness Program, in 2010.
What are the Stronger Brains games like? Click here for DEMOS.
See also:
Science and Explanations – explains the exercises in the demos.
Brain plasticity-based therapeutics
Stronger Brains -Rewiring The Brain Impact Report
Stronger Brains Evidence – One Pager