Cogmed Working Memory Training
Cogmed is a company founded by Swedish brain researcher, Torkel Klingberg. Dr. Klingberg developed a program to enhance children's working memory capacity in an effective, efficient, and fun way. Through a computer program called Robomemo, children complete a specific set of exercises in a 30 to 45 minute session -- five days a week for five weeks. At the end of the program, children experience substantial improvements in working memory, decrease in attention and impulsivity problems, and better academic performance and achievement.
Cogmed Working Memory Training was developed for children and adults who need to improve their working memory. Working memory is the ability:
a) to keep information in your mind for a short time,
b) to focus on a task, and
c) to remember what to do next.
With a working memory deficit it is difficult to stay focused, ignore distractions, plan next steps, remember instructions, start and finish tasks. It is most often experienced as attention problems and is a source of poor academic performance.
Cogmed's Working Memory Guide (this link will take you away from my website) will show you working memory in action at different ages and indicate when training is needed. Cogmed Working Memory Training is designed for children and teens, starting at age seven.
There is a program for adults available and a program for children under age 7 is almost ready for release. .
Basic training (5 weeks)
Cogmed Working Memory Training is developed for adolescents and children over the age of seven who have attention deficits. The training is computerized using the RoboMemo software with support from a Cogmed-qualified coach. Training is done at home, with daily support from a training aide, such as a parent who participates in each training session. Training takes five weeks, about 30 minutes a day, five days a week. The full training process can be carried out over the phone and Internet.
Basic training includes
Interview – Training is preceded by an interview with a parent which can be done over the phone. During the interview, the child's specific difficulties are assessed and the likelihood of the child benefiting from the training is evaluated.
Start-up session – The coach will ensure that the program is installed properly and that it is working well. This helps to get the child and the training aide (usually a parent) off to a good start.
Five-week training with coaching sessions – The coach follows the results of the training over the Internet. Every week the coach discusses the results and developments with the training aide and sometimes with the child in a coaching session; this is usually over the phone.
Wrap-up session – When the course has been completed, the coach helps to evaluate the child's progress with the training aide and, then, produces a training report. If the training aide is someone other than a parent, then a parent will also be included in the evaluation session.
Follow-up – Five to six months after the conclusion of training, the coach calls the family to follow up on long-term progress.
The main difference in the program for adults is that the adult will, most often, complete the program by themselves. The coach is still involved but the training aid is not always needed.
About RoboMemo
The Working Memory Training program is built around a software application called RoboMemo. It takes about 30 minutes five days a week for five weeks. The program is dynamic and it adjusts to the trainee's performance; it always pushes the trainee to perform at the peak of their ability. The trainee completes 8 exercises each day, these are chosen by the program from a pool of 12 different exercises. The exercises are designed to train both the visuo-spatial working memory and the verbal working memory. The exercises become more challenging as the child’s ability to handle them improves.
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Click here for a short demo of Cogmed’s Working Memory Training software, RoboMemo. |
To help parents motivate their children and provide them with feedback, the program includes support from a personal coach at a Cogmed Qualified Practice.
Aside from a home computer with an internet connection and speakers, no additional accessories are required. At the end of each day's training, children gain access to a racing game that is fun and challenging -- it's called RoboRacing. This is their daily reward for completing training. It is also recommended that you incorporate a more formal reward system for the trainee.
I would be happy to discuss the availability of this program to assist you or your child. Please call Dr. Raymond Shred at 250 758 2331 (or, Toll Free at 888 758 2331) or email Dr. Shred to get more information.
Research Support
There is considerable research support for the efficacy of this method. Torkel Klingberg led the research in this field over the past decade. There is much information about the research that has been done and about the ongoing and current research projects on the Cogmed website.
Briefly, research results show that the RoboMemo program is successful in improving children's working memory, decreasing symptoms of attention and impulsivity, and enhancing academic performance (Klingberg et al. 2005 study).
Other research has shown that the program leads to changes in children's brain function. The primary change is increased activity in the prefrontal and parietal areas that tend to be under active in children with ADHD. (Klingberg et al. 2004 study published in Nature Neuroscience). Full text versions of all of these studies are available on Dr. Kingberg's own website.
