COGENT (Cognitive Enhancement Program) –
What is Cognitive Development?
Cognition simply translated refers to knowledge, to knowing. Cognition develops as children develop, starting from infancy and continuing throughout their developmental period, usually until 16 to 18 years. Development is an active period for learning. One of the unique kinds of learning in human beings is the acquisition of language so that language can be used as a tool. Language in the forms of speaking, reading and writing are the major tools children need throughout their developmental period. Of these three, reading and writing have to be taught, whereas speech occurs naturally. But does all of it? The content or meaning of children’s speech can be a different matter altogether from their ability to speak properly. The development of meaning and eloquence depend on children's family and the community in which they find themselves. The active involvement of both is necessary - it takes a whole village to bring up a child.
Grammar and pronunciation, fluency and the ability to segment a stream of speech, improve rapidly during preschool years and the cultural environment holds the key for learning to read when children enter school. Is it possible to accelerate these components of speech and consequently children’s ability to think and understand? Is this possible for those who might have missed the 4 cultural advantage that promote speech and language? The answer is yes, and the entire program that follows, namely COGENT, provides a series of select procedures to accomplish this goal.
Who wants cognitive and language enhancement? Kindergarten teachers and anxious parents express a need for program that has a solid foundation in research and common-sense experience. Particularly for those who suspect that their children may be at risk of falling behind in language development. Other children may be at risk because they are slow learners due to a variety of predisposing conditions including medical, sensory and physical handicaps, psychological conditions including attentional deficit, emotional trauma, and dyslexia, and as mentioned above, cultural disadvantage.
What is COGENT –
The COGENT Program is designed for the enhancement of cognition, especially linked to literacy and school learning.
Objective of the Program –
To supplement children's literacy skills that could be acquired spontaneously at home, school, and the community.
Who might benefit from COGENT?
COGENT is designed Kindergarten aged children. However, it would also benefit older children with special needs. These include children with limited exposure to literacy, mild developmental delay, and those at risk for developing dyslexia and reading difficulties.
Who can use COGENT?
Teachers, Teacher’s Aides under the supervision of teachers, and parents or guardians who have some background in psychology or education.
Is COGENT suitable for the classroom?
Ideally, the group size should be 10 children or less; however, it can be used to supplement the curriculum in regular classrooms up to a size of 30, provided there are Teacher’s Aides.
What it is not-
COGENT is not a set of drills/exercises. It provides a supplementary route toward the development of reading and associated academic skills through the development of cognitive processes inasmuch as these skills are assumed to be a part of general cognitive development.
Special Features -
Some parts of the program are specific to English phonology and orthography; these however can be easily adapted to other languages. The program allows room for improvisation by teachers and many activities to which students can contribute. An important caution, however, is that the theories and logic provided in the background for each task should be followed.
