BUILDING BETTER BRAINS

“Recent studies indicate that some types of brain training can make you smarter”

By: John Janides, Susanne M. Jeaggi, Martin Buschkuehl and Pritty Shah

Published: Scientific American Mind, the September – October issue
http://nf8dw5bv8p.scholar.serialssolutions.com/?sid=google&auinit=J&aulast=Jonides&atitle=Building+better+brains&id=doi:10.1038/scientificamericanmind0912-59&title=Scientific+American+mind&volume=23&issue=4&date=2012&spage=59&issn=1555-2284 

Level of Difficulty: *****

BEFORE YOU READ

1.       What activities could boost intelligence in your view?

2.       Can you think of lifestyles or activities that would have the reverse effect?

QUESTIONS

1.       What does the phrase “The very notion” in paragraph two refer to?

2.       One individual in the research lab stated that he could “plan further ahead”. What does this fact prove?

3.       The fact that SAT scores have increased steadily even though the genetic constitution of the population has not proves that ……………………………………………………………………………………………..

4.       Working memory is described as one of the key components of fluid intelligence. Why, exactly, is this so?

5.       What does the phrase “This pattern” refer to and what conclusion can we draw from this fact?

6.       The basic duties performed by the prefrontal cortex makes it possible to ………………………………

7.       What two facts instigated a closer look at executive function as a way to improve intelligence?

8.       What surprising ways of training intelligence are provided in the text? Try and explain in your own words why they work.

9.       Why was the n-back test considered a good way to help increase intelligence?

10.   What was the reasoning behind tailoring the training program as the subjects’ ability changed over time?

11.   What is the basic difference between memory training and calibrated n-back training?

12.   Which group of children in the 2008 study witnessed increases in fluid intelligence? Why do you think this was so?

13.   What conclusion can we draw from the information provided in paragraph fourteen?

14.   There seems to be a negative correlation between prolonged n-back training and neural activity. What is the reason for this?

15.   What does the phrase this conditioning in paragraph sixteen” refer to and why is it significant?

16.   Why is making people more important so important according to the text?

WRITING TASK

What kind of activities would you devise both at home and at school to improve intelligence in youngsters? What practices would you ban? Support your opinions with information from the text.

BUILDING BETTER BRAINS KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

This text is a seriously academic yet very interesting text which I decided to include to ring the changes in class. The students need to be exposed to more serious academic stuff as well so see what you think.

1.       An exercise to stretch memory, tighten attention and increase intelligence…

2.       Subjects can increase their IQ scores after training.

3.       Environmental variables can also either brighten or beleaguer minds.

4.       Working memory keeps vital information at the ready so that other parts of the brain can tap it to solve problems.

5.       As training progresses, the brain regions taxed by working memory become less active as if they become more efficient in their functioning; this pattern suggests that our program leaves the brain better primed to perform a wide array of tasks.

6.     Form plans,  make decisions, spot errors and break habits.

7.       The group who had practiced the working memory based intervention saw a lessening of some of their symptoms; they also raised their scores on a well established measure of fluid intelligence.

8.       Musical instruction board and card games, video games like Rise of Nations.  Open ended.

9.       Because it encourages you to juggle several pieces of information in your head, shifting attention from one to the other.

10.   Excluding the possibility that the subjects might simply improve by virtue of repetition or by developing specific strategies and habits. OR to make sure they thought on their feet.

11.   In memory training, the skill improves, overall intelligence stays the same. Calibrated n-back training targets many aspects of our reasoning skills.

12.   Those who practiced the revised version of the n-back task. Because there was more active mental involvement than passively receiving (Possible).

13.   N-back training renders people more psychologically conservative over time.

14.   Working memory training, it seems, leads to more efficient brain activation.

15. The parts of the brain that become more efficient through training are left better prepared for the task   N-back training leads to improvements on different working memory tasks and general intelligence tests; the effects induced by these activities can outlast the training period.

16.   It might help them to lead healthier, happier lives.