Can Brain Training Help with the Connection Between Reading and Math Struggles?

Reading and math are two very different subjects—but they may be more connected than you realize. If your learner needs math help, they may also benefit from reading help, too. At LearningRx, our brain training programs offer one-on-one support for both subjects, so learners can focus on building the crucial learning skills they need to thrive. We understand that a strong foundation of learning and thinking abilities can be essential for any student, and that these skills may be more interconnected than most people think! 

Every day, scientists are learning more about how the brain functions, and this helps to shed light on the reasons that students struggle, too. Studies show that many of the difficulties of math and reading can overlap—so when a learner has a hard time in one of these subjects, they’re more likely to face challenges in the other subject, too. 

Today, we’ll explore the connection in more detail—and talk about how brain training programs from LearningRx can offer the math and reading help needed for students of all ages. 

Understanding Math & Reading Challenges 

What’s the Connection Between Reading and Math Struggles?

From a distance, math and reading may seem like completely unrelated subjects. But they often rely on leveraging cognitive skills effectively to decode, analyze, and retain important information. Here’s just three key skills that play a role in both subjects:  

• Processing speed. Both math and reading require processing a tremendous amount of information quickly and frequently. Accuracy is also vital to successfully completing math or reading. In addition to processing speed, these skills also rely on strong auditory and visual processing abilities.  
• Logic and reasoning. Reading and math require learners to work sequentially to build an understanding of a situation—whether that’s understanding a paragraph or a difficult math problem. When students lack a solid basis of logic and reasoning skills, it can be more difficult to process complex sentences or equations, or to understand the ideas being presented. 
• Working memory. In both math and reading, students must draw on working memory to temporarily store and retrieve key pieces of information. That’s true when trying to keep track of characters in a book—and just as important when trying to solve a multi-part equation. 

If your learner is having a tough time with these skills, there’s good news. When students work on improving skills in reading, it can help to improve results in math—and improving math skills help with reading, too! Even better results have occurred when students get math help and reading help in tandem, and that’s where brain training can play a crucial role.  

How Brain Training Offers Math Help and Reading Help 

At LearningRx, we know that no two learners’ struggles look exactly the same. That’s true even when students are having a tough time with the same subject, like math. It’s important to tailor brain training to each student’s unique abilities and needs, which is exactly what we do. 

Here’s just some of the ways our programs can help with math and reading: 

• Students can work on practicing and honing underlying skills. We offer a range of brain training programs, including programs that focus on strengthening overall cognitive skills! These include skills like logic and reasoning, visual processing, and working memory, all of which are used when reading or studying math. 
• Learners can opt for subject-specific brain training. In addition to general cognitive training, we offer subject-specific brain training programs for reading and math! These programs are always personalized to a learner’s specific abilities, and are designed to help them become more fluent in math or reading. 
• Students can explore math help and reading help together. If you think your student will benefit from getting both math help and reading help, you can also find that at LearningRx! With an initial Brain Skills Assessment, we can also assess those areas where your learner struggles, and offer our own recommendations for brain training programs, too.  

Find One-on-One Support with Our Brain Training Programs

If your student would benefit from math help or reading help, get them the support they need through one-on-one brain training! To discuss your learner’s needs, you can contact 866-BRAIN-01—or, visit LearningRx online to locate your local Brain Training Center.