Challenging Our Minds Weblog

This is an extension of the Body Language exercise. For this task one must carefully study an outline cartoon figure to determine if it is doing one of several types of walking or running. For Level 1, one matches the cartoon movement (side view of the figure) to a written one or two word description of the action. For Level 2, the task is the same but the figure is presented face on rather than side view. For Level 3, you are presented with one face on view and three side views. You have to determine which side view character is doing the same thing as the face on view. Good attention to detail, including arms, hands and legs actions makes this task easier to complete.

This task is focused directly on training accurate and quick discrimination and use of p, q, d and b without confusing them. There are three different scenarios (three Levels) that require one to discriminate and/or use the letters p, q, d or b. The first is a simple matching exercise, the second requires reading and the third requires one to think of the proper word (given a particular picture) that starts with one of these letters. For those who have trouble with this, repetition seems to be the best strategy to obtain accuracy.

This is our version of the Soduko type puzzles. All of the puzzles are randomly generated so that every time the program is run, the puzzles are different. On Level 1, only nine numbers are missing. There are eighteen missing for Level 2 and twenty-seven missing for Level 3. As with all of the tasks in COM, we are trying to develop good methods of approaching a task, thinking about what you need to do to accomplish the task, making a plan and carrying out the plan in an organized, structured manner. We are not trying to teach people how to play the games, but rather we are using the games as a means to develop good thinking skills that can be used anywhere and in any situation.

I have observed, on many occasions, that when I ask a person to do Nines All Around, they will just immediately start in the upper left corner area without any analysis or study of the whole puzzle. Think about ways to simplify a difficult task and make it easier to do. Look for a row, column or red square group that only has one digit missing. Every time you place a digit, look at the row, column and red square that contains the digit you just put in to see if you created more easy answers. Usually there are more than one way to do something. Some ways are better than others. Most of the time there will be at least one way that is much better than the other ways. Spend a little time thinking about what would be the best way to accomplish what you are doing - in daily life and with your school work.

Task 3 - Angle Discrimination - You are shown all of the possible lines/angles at the bottom of the display. A single line is shown in the upper section. Your task is to decide which line at the bottom matches the angle of the line at the top. Keep in mind that if the angles are the same the two lines would have one of two possible relationships with each other. One, if the two lines are pointing straight up then, if you extended the length of them they would line up directly on top of each other. And two, for all other lines, the two lines will end up being parallel to each other. That means that if they were extended they would never cross, they would run side by side like railroad tracks.

On level three, one should use the process of elimination as an aid. You will be shown five drawings, each with two lines, that look like the hands on a clock. The center of the middle drawing is missing. The four drawings in the corners are all center pieces. One of them fits the drawing in the middle. By quick comparison of the drawings you can tell that some of the corner drawings could not be the answer, so you can eliminate them as possibilities. By doing this you narrow the choices and increase your chances of getting the answer correct. This is a very good technique to use in many different test situations.

Task 3 - Number Recall (Visual) - This is a sequenced-digit, recall task designed to teach the utilization of techniques to enhance storage and recall, expand working memory and improve one’s ability to manipulate information in working memory. The three levels address immediate recall of the information in the same format as presented (level 1), immediate recall in reverse order (level 2) and recall in same order as presented but after a brief delay (level 3). Techniques that can be employed (and should be discussed with the student) include:

1. talking aloud,
2. rehearsing the sequence (aloud) several times before responding,
3. chunking the digits and
4. being vigilant for patterns that might appear in the sequences.

Chunking refers to strategically grouping the digits. For example, for a four-digit number like 8462, one could study it and then recall it in the format eighty-four, sixty-two. For a five-digit number like 95728, one could chunk it in the format nine-fifty-seven, twenty-eight. This reduces the information from 5 discrete pieces to two pieces. The primary object here is not to just teach someone a better technique for recalling numbers but to expand their working memory skills in general and instill in the student that one should spend time thinking of a technique that might facilitate recall of whatever they are trying to memorize. So, when studying for a history test or learning scientific facts in science class, one should analyze the data to be learned, organize it into an easier format, rehearse it sufficiently (aloud) and repeat all of this on multiple occasions.

Task 3 - Flash Count I (Patterns) - The Flash Count tasks are designed to help one develop a conceptualization of numbers such that a person can quickly and easily recognize how many objects are in a group (up to five objects) without having to count them. Once this conceptualization has been mastered and become automatic, then one should be able to do some of the basic math skills more accurately, quickly and easily. We start out by having the objects grouped into patterns that become easily recognizable. By doing this the association of the number represented by the objects is much more easily learned. There is a variety of patterns for each number group to help with the process of generalizing the number/object perception skill to broader presentations. The skills acquired here will undergo further development in Track 3 - Task 4 - Flash Count II (Random) where the student is required to automatically perceive numbers of objects without the aid of the patterns.

Task 3 - Two Choice Visual Reaction - The decision for Task 3 calls for even more thought. It is going to take a little longer to make this choice. Therefore, the overall reaction time average should be about 50 milliseconds longer than on Task 1, where there was just a reaction response, and perhaps an additional 10 to 15 milliseconds longer than on Task 2, where there was just a simple choice decision to be made. Because of this, one should intentionally take a bit more time to make sure that you see the colors and think about your response before you make it.

Getting prepared can improve speed and accuracy. Prepare yourself by saying aloud what the target color is going to be. Many people avoid talking aloud to themselves as they think other people will think there is something silly about doing it. Talking aloud, so you can actually “hear yourself think,” can be a crucial step to thinking better.