When Alexis’s daughter first joined Edublox, she had already worked with several tutors. Each one patiently re-explained the same reading passages and math concepts, but nothing seemed to stick.
“My daughter was reading two grades behind and struggling with math facts. We tried regular tutors, but with her learning disability, their techniques weren’t working. Now she is on grade level with reading and above grade level with math.”
— Alexis Smith, New York
Her progress wasn’t the result of more hours or harder worksheets — it came from addressing a problem most tutoring programs overlook: the underlying cognitive skills that make learning possible.
Why traditional tutoring often falls short
Traditional tutoring focuses on reteaching material that a child has already been taught in school. For many learners, this is sufficient; they simply require additional practice or clearer explanations. But for children with dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, or broader learning difficulties, the obstacle lies deeper.
If a child’s working memory can’t hold sounds long enough to blend them into words, or if their sequencing and processing speed are weak, no amount of phonics drills or math repetition will create real progress. The content goes in — and falls straight back out.
That’s why some students appear to “plateau” with ordinary tutoring: they’re being helped to swim harder, not taught to strengthen the muscles needed to stay afloat.
The cognitive training difference
Cognitive training takes a different route. Instead of re-teaching information, it develops the mental tools required to absorb and retain that information.
At Edublox, students engage in targeted cognitive exercises that strengthen:
- Attention and concentration, allowing them to focus long enough to understand.
- Working memory, so they can hold and manipulate information while reading or calculating.
- Sequencing and directionality, which underpin reading fluency and number sense.
- Logical reasoning, the skill that turns facts into understanding.
As these skills grow stronger, schoolwork begins to make sense. The frustration that once accompanied reading and math turns into curiosity and confidence.
The science behind it
This approach is grounded in neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to reorganize and form new neural pathways through practice and experience. When a child repeatedly exercises a specific mental process, such as remembering sequences or analyzing visual patterns, the related brain networks become faster and more efficient.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that enhancing core cognitive functions can result in significant improvements in reading, math, and overall academic performance. In short, when you train the brain, learning itself becomes easier.
From struggle to strength
For Alexis’s daughter, that change was life-altering. Once two years behind, she is now confidently reading at grade level and performing above grade level in math. Her teachers noticed a sharper focus, better comprehension, and a newfound enthusiasm for learning — signs that the underlying gears of learning were finally working together.
Her success didn’t happen overnight, but it was lasting because it targeted the real root of the struggle.
Every child’s journey is unique
Each child’s progress depends on individual needs, consistency, and the combination of cognitive and academic training they receive. But stories like Alexis’s remind us of an important truth: tutoring reviews content; cognitive training rebuilds ability.
For children who continue to fall behind despite receiving extra help, the key may not be more of the same — it may be a new approach to strengthening how the brain learns.
Discover how Edublox can help your child overcome learning barriers and thrive. Book a free consultation.
