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| '''Fast ForWord''' is a computer-based reading program with limited evidence of effectiveness, created by Scientific Learning Corporation. It is based on a theory about the cognitive abilities of children with language and literacy learning difficulties. | |||
| '''Fast ForWord''' is a set of instructional ]. It was developed by ], and is intended to improve students' language and reading skills through games. The inventors claim that the games are effective because they enhance the brain's ability to discriminate small temporal intervals and detect fine temporal relationships. Scientific Learning presents on its website many studies comparing students before and after the use of the product, and many of these studies suggest that substantial gains may occur. For example, in a study on Australian speech therapy students, the average improvement was from the 14th to the 32nd percentile. | |||
| However, this study (along with others cited on the Scientific Learning website) compared students before and after treatment, and lacked randomization. | |||
| == Research == | |||
| Thus, they cannot indicate whether the gains are genuine effects of treatment with Fast ForWord, or merely gains resulting from maturation or by other instruction the students may be undergoing, or possibly practice effects on the assessment tests themselves. The Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy recently reviewed Fast ForWord, focusing only on "gold-standard" randomized controlled trials, and based on these studies they concluded that Fast ForWord is "ineffective" as a treatment of reading disorders. | |||
| A systematic review which focused on high quality randomised controlled trials did not find any positive benefit of the intervention.<ref name="Strong2011rev">{{cite journal|vauthors=Strong GK, Torgerson CJ, Torgerson D, Hulme C|date=March 2011|title=A systematic meta-analytic review of evidence for the effectiveness of the 'Fast ForWord' language intervention program|journal=J Child Psychol Psychiatry|volume=52|issue=3|pages=224–35|doi=10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02329.x|pmc=3061204|pmid=20950285}}</ref> A more general review of "Brain Training" programs noted:<ref name="Simons2016rev">{{cite journal|last1=Simons|first1=DJ|last2=Boot|first2=WR|last3=Charness|first3=N|last4=Gathercole|first4=SE|last5=Chabris|first5=CF|last6=Hambrick|first6=DZ|last7=Stine-Morrow|first7=EA|title=Do "Brain-Training" Programs Work?|journal=Psychological Science in the Public Interest |date=October 2016|volume=17|issue=3|pages=103–86|pmid=27697851|doi=10.1177/1529100616661983}}</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | ==External |
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| {{blockquote|In summary, the evidence cited by Scientific Learning Corporation provides little compelling evidence for the effectiveness of Fast ForWord as a tool to improve language processing or other aspects of cognition. Studies showing benefits typically included interventions that lacked any control group, and those with a control comparison group generally showed little evidence for differential improvements. The only randomized controlled trial provided no evidence for differential improvements, even on measures tapping similar aspects of auditory language processing.}} | |||
| * | |||
| {{software-stub}} | |||
| The research literature on Fast ForWord was reviewed by ], an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education’s ]. Positive effectiveness ratings and improvement indices were found for alphabetics, reading fluency, comprehension, and English language development.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=August 2010|title=What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report Adolescent Literacy Fast ForWord|url=https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/InterventionReports/wwc_fastfw_083110.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=September 28, 2006|title=What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report English Language Learners Fast ForWord Language|url=https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/InterventionReports/WWC_Fast_ForWord_092806.pdf}}</ref> However, the quality of evidence included in these reviews has come under criticism, as it included reports that had not undergone peer review and that were produced by the company marketing the intervention.<ref name="McArthur2008">{{cite journal|last1=McArthur|first1=GM|date=2018|title=Does What Works Clearinghouse Work? A Brief Review of Fast ForWord®|journal=Australasian Journal of Special Education|volume=32|issue=1|pages=101–107|doi=10.1080/10300110701845953}}</ref> | |||
| == History == | |||
| The Fast ForWord products evolved from the theory of a number of scientists, including ], Bill Jenkins, ], and Steven L Miller. This team started the Scientific Learning Corporation in 1996. The company created Fast ForWord.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/InterventionReports/wwc_ffw_031913.pdf|title=What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report Beginning Reading Fast ForWord|date=March 2013}}</ref> The theory was that some children who have language and literacy learning difficulties may have problems rapidly processing sounds, a following theory that cognitive training can improve auditory processing, and a final theory that this training will generalize to improve learning skills beyond those in the training tasks. Despite this, the program has not demonstrated an ability to improve learning skills.<ref name="Simons2016rev"/> | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| ⚫ | ==External links == | ||
| * {{Official website}} | |||
| {{Brain training programs}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Fast Forword}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 19:43, 7 August 2024
Fast ForWord is a computer-based reading program with limited evidence of effectiveness, created by Scientific Learning Corporation. It is based on a theory about the cognitive abilities of children with language and literacy learning difficulties.
Research
A systematic review which focused on high quality randomised controlled trials did not find any positive benefit of the intervention. A more general review of "Brain Training" programs noted:
In summary, the evidence cited by Scientific Learning Corporation provides little compelling evidence for the effectiveness of Fast ForWord as a tool to improve language processing or other aspects of cognition. Studies showing benefits typically included interventions that lacked any control group, and those with a control comparison group generally showed little evidence for differential improvements. The only randomized controlled trial provided no evidence for differential improvements, even on measures tapping similar aspects of auditory language processing.
The research literature on Fast ForWord was reviewed by What Works Clearinghouse, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. Positive effectiveness ratings and improvement indices were found for alphabetics, reading fluency, comprehension, and English language development. However, the quality of evidence included in these reviews has come under criticism, as it included reports that had not undergone peer review and that were produced by the company marketing the intervention.
History
The Fast ForWord products evolved from the theory of a number of scientists, including Michael Merzenich, Bill Jenkins, Paula Tallal, and Steven L Miller. This team started the Scientific Learning Corporation in 1996. The company created Fast ForWord. The theory was that some children who have language and literacy learning difficulties may have problems rapidly processing sounds, a following theory that cognitive training can improve auditory processing, and a final theory that this training will generalize to improve learning skills beyond those in the training tasks. Despite this, the program has not demonstrated an ability to improve learning skills.
References
- Strong GK, Torgerson CJ, Torgerson D, Hulme C (March 2011). "A systematic meta-analytic review of evidence for the effectiveness of the 'Fast ForWord' language intervention program". J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 52 (3): 224–35. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02329.x. PMC 3061204. PMID 20950285.
- ^ Simons, DJ; Boot, WR; Charness, N; Gathercole, SE; Chabris, CF; Hambrick, DZ; Stine-Morrow, EA (October 2016). "Do "Brain-Training" Programs Work?". Psychological Science in the Public Interest. 17 (3): 103–86. doi:10.1177/1529100616661983. PMID 27697851.
- ^ "What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report Beginning Reading Fast ForWord" (PDF). March 2013.
- "What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report Adolescent Literacy Fast ForWord" (PDF). August 2010.
- "What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report English Language Learners Fast ForWord Language" (PDF). September 28, 2006.
- McArthur, GM (2018). "Does What Works Clearinghouse Work? A Brief Review of Fast ForWord®". Australasian Journal of Special Education. 32 (1): 101–107. doi:10.1080/10300110701845953.
External links
| Brain training programs | |
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