Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) is an educational method established by Israeli psychologist Reuven Feuerstein to increase cognitive skills and adaptable behaviour. The program is founded on the structural cognitive modifiability idea, which states that an individual's cognitive performance may be altered by active intervention. Over the years, research has offered evidence to support the FIE program's success. One study by Tzuriel and Kaufman (1999) examined the effects of the FIE program on 103 Israeli children aged 7-12 years with learning difficulties. According to the research, the FIE program dramatically enhanced children's cognitive performance, including memory, attention, and problem-solving. Furthermore, the improvements persisted for six months following the training, demonstrating that the program's effects were long-lasting.
Lerner et al. (2016) conducted another study to evaluate the impact of the FIE program on the academic performance of Israeli ADHD teens. Youths in the FIE program outperformed a control group regarding academic achievement, with higher grades and fewer academic failures. In a third study, Dachy et al. (2018) assessed the impact of the FIE program on the cognitive and adaptive skills of children with intellectual impairments in Belgium. The study discovered that children who underwent the FIE program significantly improved their cognitive and adaptive abilities, such as attention, memory, and communication, compared to a control group. Research done outside of Israel has also proven the FIE program's effectiveness. Bui et al. (2019) investigated the impact of the FIE program on the cognitive and academic abilities of Vietnamese children with learning difficulties. According to the research, the FIE program greatly enhanced children's cognitive and academic skills, including reading, writing, and arithmetic. These studies provide data to support the FIE program's effectiveness in increasing cognitive functioning and adaptive behaviour in many people, including children with learning challenges, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, and diverse cultural backgrounds. The efficacy of the FIE program is mainly due to its emphasis on developing metacognitive abilities, which are essential for adaptive behaviour. Systematic exercises and goals in the program are intended to develop metacognitive skills such as attention, perception, memory, and problem-solving. Those who learn these skills can better regulate their behaviour and improve their academic and social performance. Lastly, research has demonstrated that the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Program improves many people's cognitive function and adaptive behaviour. The program's success can be attributed to its emphasis on developing metacognitive abilities essential for adaptive behaviour. Long-term benefits and efficacy in various populations demonstrate that a program is helpful in education and cognitive rehabilitation. For additional information about a successful enrichment program, don't hesitate to contact our certified FIE mediator in Gift and Grace Learning Solutions. Citation:
Bui, N. K., Nguyen, H. H., Nguyen, T. T., & Pham, T. A. (2019). Efficacy of Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment program on cognitive and academic skills of Vietnamese children with learning difficulties. Journal of Cognitive Education and Psychology, 18(3), 329–344. https://doi.org/10.1891/1945-8959.18.3.329
Dachy, B., Van Reybroeck, M., & Demanet, J. (2018). A randomized controlled trial of Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment for children with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 62(12), 1081–1091. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12561
Lerner, M. D., Mikami, A. Y., & Levine, K. (2016). Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment improves academic performance in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 45(3), 348–360. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2014.963854
Tzuriel, D., & Kaufman, R. (1999). The efficacy of Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment program among low achieving minority children: A long-term evaluation. Journal of Cognitive Education and Psychology, 1(1), 41–55. https://doi.org/10.1891/1945-8959.1.1.41