The Simply Smarter Project 9 +/- 2

The Simply Smarter Project 9 +/- 2 is a proactive, international effort to help everyone achieve more of their potential. Initiated by the National Academy for Child Development, an international non-profit organization, the Simply Smarter Project 9 +/- 2 is designed to become one of the largest research and development programs ever undertaken.

The Simply Smarter Project 9 +/- 2 is based on the assessment and development of sequential processing. For decades psychologists have understood the significance of what are called sequential processing skills, which refer to the brain's ability to take in auditory and visual information. Sequential processing skills determine the extent of our short-term and working memory—that is, how many pieces of information we can take in and manipulate or think about at one time. Sequential processing skills are identified by measuring visual and auditory "digit spans." An auditory digit span refers to how many numbers you can hear in a sequence and remember; a visual digit span refers to how many numbers you can see in a sequence and remember.

Based on Research

The original research found that these vital auditory and visual processing skills generally developed throughout our first seven to nine years of life. This research also demonstrated that most adults could process between 5 and 9 digits. Scientists concluded that humans normally obtain a digit span of 7 +/- 2, and that a person's digit span remains fixed after approximately nine years old.

For the last twenty-five years, the National Association for Child Development (NACD) has been investigating through clinical work the significance of sequential processing as well as innovating methods for improving processing skills.

One of NACD's first major discoveries was that both neurotypical and developmentally delayed children display a direct correlation between how well they process auditory/visual information and how well they function overall. NACD found that when children were able to develop their auditory and visual sequential processing skills, their overall ability to learn, think and communicate improved. Quite simply, improving sequential processing produced global development in children.

Discoveries About Global Function

NACD found that in most children under six years of age, their global function related directly to their processing skills—particularly their auditory processing skills (as measured in auditory digit spans). A child who could process two pieces of information generally behaved and functioned as a two-year-old; a child with a digit span of three functioned as a three-year old; a digit span of four correlated with the abilities and behaviors of a four-year-old, and a digit span of five, a five-year-old. As most any parent knows, the difference between children of these ages is tremendous; and, as a child grows through the years, the difference twelve months makes is remarkable. As NACD began studying older children and adults, we discovered that many big people with lower-than-normal digit spans were functioning and behaving like little children in big packages. We observed these older children and adults struggling every minute of their lives to compensate for their inadequate processing skills. Sadly, many of them were failing.

In the intervening years, NACD has tested many adults and children throughout the world and has come to some rather frightening realizations. The first is that it appears our ability to process auditory information has decreased over the last fifty years. To date, our findings suggest that adult auditory processing is no longer 7 +/- 2 but has dropped a full digit to 6 +/- 2. Assessment of underprivileged areas indicates processing levels as low as 5 +/- 2. Preliminary testing indicates a huge percentage of our population is destined to fail unless we can provide significant intervention. Just as you cannot teach a two-year-old to act like a four-year-old, you cannot expect an adult with the processing skills of a four or five-year-old to learn, think and communicate as a functional adult. Likewise, we cannot expect individuals to function at anything close to their innate potentials unless their processing skills are up to the task.

From a global perspective, the challenges and complexities of today's world require better processing abilities than ever before. Even a standard of 7 +/- 2 is not adequate for our present needs. The goal of the Simply Smarter Project 9 +/- 2 is to raise sequential processing levels to 9 +/- 2 in a majority of the population to allow people to experience greater success in life. NACD has found that it is relatively easy to improve processing skills. Digit spans of 10, 12, or more are possible and can be achieved by many if not most of us. Individuals who raise their sequential processing levels to even greater heights develop the kind of advanced mental capacity needed in our society to find solutions to the many complex problems facing the world today.

The Project: Phase I

Phase I of the Simply Smarter Project 9 +/- 2 involves testing hundreds of thousands of children and adults from all over the planet. This testing is being conducted online through a free, 15-minute digit span test, and through one-on-one testing when necessary. This data will help individuals, parents, educators, and governments learn how various groups and populations process information. The data will also highlight factors that influence the development of these vital functions. The preliminary Project data is very concerning. As the Project continues and gathers more data, we hope to open many eyes to the great importance of addressing the trend toward declining cognitive function as well as the exciting possibilities inherent in proactively reversing this trend.

The Project: Phase II

Phase II of The Simply Smarter Project 9 +/- 2 involves helping people within their homes, schools and workplaces to raise their processing skills and global function. We have the knowledge and tools today to help virtually everyone in the world become simply smarter and thereby increase the quality of their lives. The National Academy for Child Development invites you to join our humanitarian effort, and experience for yourself the difference improving your sequential processing can make in your own life.

Discover Your Processing Skills

Visit www.nacd.org to take the free on-line test to determine your current auditory and visual digit spans, and learn more about how you can improve your own intelligence while contributing to improving the lives of people around the world.

About NACD

Internationally recognized child development expert Robert J. Doman, Jr., founded the National Association for Child Development, Inc. (NACD) and the National Academy for Child Development in 1979 on the premise that every child is a unique individual with unlimited potential that can be developed given the opportunity. Since that time, NACD has helped over 30,000 people of all ages and abilities make exceptional strides in their mental and physical development. The focus of NACD's work has centered on children and adults with significant neurological issues ranging from brain injuries and autism to learning disabilities and attention problems. NACD expands horizons and opens doors for these individuals, offering targeted intervention programs designed to eliminate problems interfering with development.

Countless miraculous success stories have resulted from NACD's family-centered approach that empowers parents to become experts in helping their own children. Each client receives quarterly neurodevelopmental evaluations and a comprehensive intervention program to be implemented at home. Between evaluations, NACD provides families with ongoing support and training through video reviews, e-mail, and telephone conferences. In more than twenty-five years of operation NACD has designed and supervised over thirty million hours of individual interventions.

NACD's focus on assisting people with significant neurological issues has yielded profound insight into how typical and gifted individuals can achieve highly advanced abilities. The ongoing quest to discover "what works" keeps NACD on the cutting edge of innovations designed to maximize human development. In addition to creating individual home-based educational and therapeutic programs, NACD produces seminars, publications, software and CD programs that are redefining human potential.

NACD believes people gaining greater access to their innate intelligence could solve many serious problems facing humanity today. With this goal in mind, the National Academy for Child Development has launched its international humanitarian initiative, the Simply Smarter Project 9 +/- 2. Currently gathering data on how populations around the world are functioning at this time, the Project aims to raise society's expectations of human development and establish practices across the globe that will enable people everywhere to achieve more of their innate potential.

NACD operates chapters around the United States, serving clients from all over our nation and from many other nations as well. Since 2005, NACD has begun establishing chapters in foreign countries and is aggressively training individuals to meet the international demand for NACD's unique services.

To learn more about NACD or to receive an individualized program, please visit us at www.nacd.org.