Helpful Processing Speed Strategies

In an effort to assist family members and friends of students with learning disabilities who have issues with processing speed, one of the most popular staff emails this year has been converted to the article below. A special thank you to Terri Douglas, Brehm Coordinator of Educational Services, Brad Sims, Brehm Coordinator of Speech Pathology and others.

Processing Speed – Why we need to understand it!

More than half the student population at Brehm has been identified with issues involving
processing speed that effect academic performance, behavior, and/or social interactions.

“Processing speed involves the ability to perform tasks requiring sustained, concentrated visual attention or working rapidly under timed conditions. A student with a deficit in this area may have difficulty with different types of tasks that require the rapid processing of symbols”

— Nancy Mathers and Lynne Jaffe

How to teach and cue:

Social behavior mapping works well as a teaching tool, especially because it deals
with both expected and unexpected behaviors in specific contexts. If behaviors
and their effects and consequences have already been “mapped” for a student for
a problematic context, the map can be used for cueing, goal setting, and/or
progress charting.

Direct verbal cueing in the moment may be needed for the student to notice and respond
appropriately. Use it (discretely) as a teaching opportunity. E.g. “I don’t know if you
could tell or not, but I’m not having such a good day.”

Regardless of whether or not the student inquires as to why, tell briefly what is going on with you. Follow up by talking about how to tell if someone is feeling down by how he looks and acts. Let the student know that people appreciate when someone inquires about how they are feeling if they appear to be downcast.

Helpful Strategies to help with processing speed
Interactive Paraphrasing for both listener and speaker

Listener

• Ask questions to slow down delivery of information

Speaker

• Accompany words with pictures and motion – a picture is worth a thousand words
• Repetition, clarity and monitor speed of delivery
• Chunk information (directions, instruction, etc)
• Check for Clarification

Instructor

• Pre teach when ever possible - integration of information will occur more quickly
• Provide extended time
• Modify assignments
• Increase size of font and spacing between letters
• Remain patient, offer help not criticism
• Allow greater response time; avoid making the student respond on demand; Let them know before calling on them; allow prep time

Student

• Use markers with windows to block out other visual distracters
• Advocate for needs
• Use cues to let people know that you are thinking and not just staring off into space. (Raise index finger to indicate you need a moment, request at moment to think about it, use a phrase such as “Let me see. . . “
• Use visual language strategies (Draw what you need to remember)
• Make use of written reference sheets, such as lists

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