Prodigy  helps kids practice and improve the following skills: 

Focus: Getting started and then maintaining attention and effort to tasks. 

 In the Prodigy app, students play a wizard who is moving through various worlds and defeating enemies. In order to continue within the world of the game, students need to complete math problems which will require their focus. If they get the problem wrong, they will miss their “attack” on their enemy and have to wait until their next turn to try again. The math problems are similar to what they will encounter in the classroom but the game incentivizes focus because the student is invested in the story and wants to continue with the game. 

Working Memory:Recalling and retaining information in our minds while working. 

As the student’s character encounters monsters, they will need to complete math puzzles in order for them to do damage and defeat the enemies. This requires them to remember the rules for things like reducing fractions, adding decimals, etc.  For students who struggle with this skill and need extra assistance, there is a pencil function where they can write out equations on the screen, helping them to build their Working Memory skills one math problem at a time.