What is Processing Speed?
Processing Speed refers to the pace at which you are able to perceive information (visual or auditory), make sense of that information, and then respond. In a manner of speaking, processing speed is simply the amount of time it takes to get something done. According to the coauthors of Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up, processing speed “…can negatively impact the ability to quickly come up with [an] answer, retrieve information from long-term memory, and remember what you’re supposed to be doing at a given time.”
There are three main components when considering processing abilities:
- visual processing: how quickly our eyes perceive information and relay it to the brain (such as reading directions)
- verbal processing: how quickly we hear a stimulus and react to it (such as following oral instructions)
- motor speed: fine motor agility (academic fluency such as timed math worksheets)
How Does This Connect To Landmark’s Teaching Principles™?
By understanding processing speed and how it can impact students in the classroom, teachers can showcase Landmark’s first teaching principle: Provide Opportunities for Success. For the full text of the Landmark Teaching Principles™, including “Provide Opportunities for Success,” click here.
References
Braaten, Ellen Ph.D. (2014). “Coping with Slow Processing Speed At Home And At School.” The MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds.
Braaten, Ellen Ph.D and Willoughby, Brian Ph.D. (2014) Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up. New York: The Guilford Press.
Butnik, S. (2013). “Understanding, Diagnosing, and Coping with Slow Processing Speed.” Davidson Institute for Talent Development. Retrieved from:
http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10782.aspx
Kelly, Kate. (2015). “Processing Speed: What You Need to Know.” Understood.org. Retrieved from:
https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/information-processing-issues/processing-speed-what-you-need-to-know
