1. Topic Summary
For my Capstone project I would like to focus on the
importance of how to best identify and strengthen weak
cognitive skills to support early reading acquisition.

2. Cognitive Skills that Support Reading
I would like to focus my research and application of classroom methods to
support and strengthen the following cognitive skills:
1. Attention
2. Working Memory
3. Auditory Processing
4. Visual Processing
5. Logic and Reasoning

3. Relevance to Literacy Curriculum/Instruction
Cognitive skills are the building blocks of learning. Strengths and weaknesses
of these skills influence not only a child’s academic success, but also their
motivation and confidence as they travel through their academic career. Having
the knowledge to not only identify specific cognitive struggles, but also how to
best strengthen and expand these important cognitive abilities is a powerful
component to support not only reading acquisition, but academics as a whole.

4. Capstone Project
• I would like to develop not only a better understanding of how to best
identify cognitive struggles, but also how to infuse, or blend daily cognitive
skill training into primary classrooms. As we are introducing our early
readers to the world of letters, sounds, blending, word recognition etc. we
should also introduce activities and routines that strengthen these various
cognitive skills. My project will outline ideas that primary teachers can use in
their classrooms.
• I would also like to develop a parent friendly version of activities that can be
done at home to also strengthen cognitive skills.

5. How this project will improve teaching,
intervention & curriculum
• Understanding cognitive skills, using specific tests & observations to
determine possible cognitive weaknesses, and building classroom activities
and routines to build these important skills can have a long-term impact on
student learning. We differentiate instruction for our students, but
understanding how a student’s brain is processing information is essential in
giving them the opportunities to grow cognitively.