Founder's Message
Imagine having the power to shape and rewire brains with the assistance of brain fitness specialists! It’s not science fiction; it’s my everyday reality – and it’s just as cool as it sounds.
My journey commenced as a paediatric physiotherapist in the neonatal ICU of KK Hospital, where I was entrusted with the precious brains of premature infants and babies who had experienced traumatic births. This experience ignited my passion for brain science, and I’ve dedicated the last three decades to strengthening brains and transforming lives.
Now, as a parent to two wonderful daughters, I’m not only a professional in neuroscience but also an avid user.
Our Vision
Through our personalised approach, we help your child achieve their full potential at their specific age. Our experts work closely with each student, identifying strengths and areas for growth, and designing activities that cater to their cognitive needs.
BrainFit’s progressive approaches aim to make the learning journey enjoyable for your child, encouraging a lifelong curiosity and enthusiasm for intellectual pursuits.
Michael M. Merzenich
Dr. Michael Merzenich earned his Ph.D. in Neurophysiology at Johns Hopkins and went on to the University of California in San Francisco, where he pursued his interest in how the brain processes information.
Merzenich has published more than 150 articles in leading peer-reviewed journals (such as Science and Nature), and received numerous awards and prizes (including the Russ Prize, Ipsen Prize, Zülch Prize, Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award, and Purkinje Medal). He has been granted nearly 100 patents, and he and his work have been highlighted in hundreds of books about the brain, learning, rehabilitation, and plasticity.
In 2016, Dr. Merzenich was awarded one of the world’s top neuroscience prizes, the Kavli Prize, for his achievements in the field of brain plasticity.
Read more about Dr. Merzenich at http://www.onthebrain.com/
Zachary
I believe many parents like to see tangible results before investing in enrichment programmes for their kids, so I’ll start by sharing the results BrainFit’s Scholar Programme has delivered since my Primary 4 son embarked on it ten months ago. This is the only enrichment programme he is enrolled in; I do not send him for other tuition classes. There is clear improvement in my son’s cognitive profile, particularly in the area of focus. Auditory and visual skills have also moved from low to high average. These improvements are resulting in better grades at school. Overall, my son is more confident, motivated, focused, less temperamental, and more willing to accept and follow instructions.
I find the Scholar Programme well-structured and effective. Apart from the weekly 2-hour sessions at the centre, students are asked to set aside at least half an hour every day for a brain workout using their app or revision of school subjects – the centre has specific tools and guidelines for these. I am pretty amazed by how these short daily sessions really add up to aid information retention and prevent last-minute cramming when exams are approaching. If you are considering enrolling your child with the centre, my suggestions are to allow a reasonable timeframe of 6-12 months for improvements to show and to stay committed to the prescribed course structure. There may be some resistance starting off but just plow through! You’ll have a passionate business owner and her team of dedicated coaches backing you up.
Mother of Zachary
Paula A. Tallal
Dr. Paula Tallal received her Ph.D. from Cambridge University and held academic appointments at Johns Hopkins and UCSD School of Medicine before being recruited to Rutgers University where she co-founded the Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience. While at Rutgers University, she held the University’s highest academic rank, Board of Governors Professor of Neuroscience.
Tallal is currently one of the faculty at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies. For over 40 years, Tallal has led NIH and NSF funded multidisciplinary research teams and published over 250 papers on the neurobiological basis of speech, language, and reading development and disorders.
She was selected by the Library of Congress to be the Commentator for the Field of Psychology at its Bicentennial Celebration. In 1996, Tallal co-founded the Scientific Learning Corporation (SCIL), a neuroscience company dedicated to developing and delivering ‘smart technologies’ broadly aimed at improving cognitive, linguistic, and academic outcomes. She is the co-inventor of dozens of patents and won the Thomas Alvin Edison Patent Award for her innovative research leading to the development of the Fast ForWord® series of neuro-educational training programmes.
Dr. Martha S. Burns
Dr. Martha Burns is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Northwestern University and has authored four books and over 100 journal articles on the neuroscience of language and communication.
Burns’ expertise is in all areas related to the neuroscience of learning, such as language and reading in the brain, the bilingual brain, the language to literacy continuum, and the adolescent brain. Burns is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Director of Neuroscience Education for Carnegie Learning.
She currently also serves as Director of Neuroscience in Carnegie Learning.
BrainFit® CognitiveMAP Assessment
The BrainFit® CognitiveMAP is a comprehensive standardized whole-brain assessment of cognitive skills and mindset, which aims to provide insights into an individual’s learning capabilities, motivation, school/work performance, and behaviours.
Help boost your child’s academic performance and let us tailor-fit a learning programme just for them with this assessment.
William M. Jenkins
Dr. William Jenkins earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology, along with a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Psychobiology, from Florida State University. Jenkins has authored or co-authored numerous commercial software products.
Jenkins is an expert in learning-based brain plasticity, behavioural algorithms, and psychophysical methods, as well as an expert in multimedia and Internet technology.
He is an author or co-author of more than 100 publications and holds 40 US patents and 12 foreign patents.
He was recognized by Discovery Magazine in its annual Awards for Technology Innovations and received the Year 2000 Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award.
Christien
“It was very disheartening, indeed,” recalled Mrs. Koh, mother of 11-year-old Christien. “We all knew that Christien is an intelligent child. However, he didn’t do well in school, despite all the tuition and remedial lessons he had gone through. We were at our wits’ end actually.”
Fortunately, things changed for the better when Mrs. Koh enrolled Christien at BrainFit® Studio. In September, Christien started on the BrainFit® Scholar programme, after a cognitive assessment at BrainFit®. “It has really helped him,” shared Mrs. Koh. “He is more alert and aware of his surroundings. For example, he’d be able to remember where we parked the car – little details like the level and the lot section. Previously, he couldn’t do this. He also started doing better with schoolwork, and showed more independence in completing homework.” Christien’s teachers also noticed that he was becoming more confident and responsive in class – a wonderful change, indeed.
“The greatest change he experienced is the huge boost in his exam performance,” said Mrs. Koh. “Not only did Christien improve significantly, he was also given the ‘Best Effort’ award after achieving more than 50% improvement in his overall results. That was really great! He also passed Chinese for the first time, achieving a fairly good grade.”
Christien is carrying on with the BrainFit® Scholar programme. He finds the programme interesting and fun, especially the game and movement elements. Mrs. Koh added, “Christien has improved so much in his listening, visual, and attention skills, which makes learning much easier for him. I am really glad that BrainFit® Scholar is helping him so well, when nothing else was effective.”
Steven L. Miller
Dr. Steven Miller earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Bloomsburg University, a master’s degree in Neuroscience from the University of Hartford, and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. He received additional training in the Neuropsychology of Reading at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University.
Miller is a neuroscientist and education technology innovator. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses and has extensive experience in research programmes in neuroscience and cognitive neuropsychology, including large, multi-site research initiatives on the neural basis of brain plasticity and learning.
He has authored or co-authored more than 100 publications including numerous research studies, commercial software programmes, and US patents.
Fidelia
“Previously, 9-year-old Fidelia had poor visual perception. She often made careless mistakes. She also had difficulty understanding concepts. As a result, she wasn’t doing well academically. That was why I signed her up at BrainFit®,” shared Fidelia’s mother.
After going through the BrainFit® Scholar programme, Fidelia has improved tremendously. She finds it so much easier to understand concepts, and her academic results have also improved. “I would say she processes information very well and has good comprehension skills now.”
In her class, she is now usually the first one to put up her hand to answer questions when other children are still thinking about the answer. This makes her happy. Previously, she also had problems with letter reversals but now she can read them correctly.
“Fidelia is also more confident and I think it has to do with better perceptual abilities. I also find that some of the activities are extremely helpful and enjoyable for her, as she would always be in a good mood after her lessons,” she adds.
Fidelia is also more focused on her work and her listening skills have also improved tremendously. In the past, she would often ask to have the instructions repeated. Now, she can grasp the instructions after listening to them once. “It’s great that her concentration level is so much better now! Overall, I am really pleased to see the improvement my child has made with BrainFit®.”
Our Team
Meet the brain training experts behind BrainFit
Ms. Cheryl Chia
Cheryl is an accomplished paediatric physiotherapist with over two decades of experience in brain fitness training. As the founder of BrainFit®, her mission is to empower individuals from diverse backgrounds to enhance their cognitive…
Ms. Eileen Chan
Eileen, School Principal and Centre Manager at BrainFit®️ Singapore, is a passionate educator who has dedicated her entire career of more than 30 years to helping children succeed. Having worked in the United States and the Asia-Pacific region…
Mr. Julian Wan
As an Education Consultant at BrainFit®, Julian brings a wealth of expertise and insight to his role. His innate passion for organisation and tackling complex challenges makes him an invaluable asset to the team. Having previously served as a teacher in English within the Ministry of Education (Singapore), Julian possesses an intimate understanding of the intricacies of the Singaporean education system. This background equips him with a unique perspective when advising clients and personalising their learning schedules.
Ms. Nicole Chooi
In her capacity as a Senior Brain Fitness Coach, Nicole draws upon over 15 years of expertise in assisting children with developmental challenges, empowering them by nurturing confidence and enhancing communication skills. As an alumna of the National Institute of Education (NIE), Nicole holds a Master of Education in Special Education. She also holds a Diploma in Learning Disorders Management and Child Psychology, and a Specialist Diploma in Early Childhood Intervention (Special Needs). Furthermore, Nicole has also obtained a Master in Business Administration from James Cook University (Australia).
Are you passionate about how the brain learns to learn? Do you thrive in a collaborative environment where you can support students of all abilities, from those who need additional support to those who are highly gifted?
Join our dedicated team of BrainFit Coaches implementing innovative, evidence-based brain-based learning strategies.
Resources
Learn more about how you can support your child’s cognitive development
through effective brain-training tips and programmes
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