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'''Fast ForWord''' is a family of reading-intervention software products that build learning capacity by applying neuroscience principles to strengthen cognitive skills. It was developed by Scientific Learning Corporation, which became a public company in 1997. Through the development of improved neuro-cognitive skills, these products create fast, effective, and enduring results that improve users’ reading and learning abilities. '''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 ==
The Fast ForWord products are based on over 30 years of scientific research into the way the brain learns. The products evolved from the work of noted research scientists Drs. Michael Merzenich and Bill Jenkins at the University of California, San Francisco, and Drs. Paula Tallal and Steven Miller at Rutgers University. Their research collaboration resulted in several key findings. First, they established that the core cognitive and linguistic attributes (Memory, Attention, Processing and Sequencing) that define a student’s ability to benefit from classroom instruction can be successfully improved through intensive intervention using advanced technologies. For example, with the help of computers, the complex speech sounds in sentences -- such as phonemes -- could be slowed down and digitally enhanced so that they could be easily differentiated. The scientists discovered that by using this acoustically modified speech technology in an intensive, adaptive product, students could build a wide range of critical language and reading skills such as phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, decoding, syntax, grammar, and other skills that had previously been inaccessible to them.
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>


{{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.}}
Dr. Merzenich, who is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and is also the Chief Scientific Officer for Posit Science, and Dr. Jenkins (currently Senior Vice President of Product Development at Scientific Learning) are internationally known for their research in the science of brain plasticity, which is the concept that the brain changes as we learn new skills.


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>
Drs. Tallal and Miller are experts in research on the neurological basis of language and reading development and their disorders, such as dyslexia. Dr. Tallal is currently co-director of the Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience at Rutgers and an active participant on many scientific advisory boards and government committees for both developmental language disorders and learning disabilities. She has published over 150 papers on the topic of language and learning and is the recipient of national and international honors. Dr. Miller, currently Senior Vice President of Research at Scientific Learning, has extensive experience in organizing clinical research studies and conducting longitudinal studies of children who have language and reading problems.


== History ==
Some specific foundational research including data from randomized clinical trials:
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==
1. Temple E., Deutsch GK, Poldrack RA, Miller SL, Tallal P, Merzenich MM, Gabrieli JDE (2003). Neural deficits in children with dyslexia ameliorated by behavioral remediation: evidence from functional MRI. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 100 (5):2860-2865.
{{reflist}}


==External links ==
2. Tallal P (2000). The Science of Literacy: From the Laboratory to the Classroom. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 97 (6): 2402-2404.
* {{Official website}}


{{Brain training programs}}
3. Miller SL, Linn N, Tallal P, Merzenich MM, Jenkins WM (1999). Acoustically modified speech and language training: A relationship between auditory word discrimination training and measures of language outcomes, Reeducation Orthophonique, 197: 159-182.


{{DEFAULTSORT:Fast Forword}}
4. Miller SL, Delaney TV, Tallal P, (1998). Speech and other central auditory processes: insights from cognitive neuroscience, in LR Squire & SM Kosslyn (eds.) Findings and Current Opinion in Cognitive Neuroscience. MIT Press, Boston, MA.
]

]
5. Temple E., Poldrack RA, Protopapas A, Nagarajan S, Salz T, Tallal P, Merzenich M.M, Gabrieli JDE. (2000). Disruption of the neural response to rapid acoustic stimuli in dyslexia: evidence from functional MRI. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 97 (25):13907-13912.
]

6. Merzenich MM, Jenkins WM, Johnston P, Schreiner CE, Miller SL, & Tallal P (1996). Temporal processing deficits of language-learning impaired children ameliorated by training. Science, 271:77-80.

7. Tallal P, Miller SL, Bedi G, Byma G, Wang X, Nagarajan SS, Schreiner C, Jenkins WM, Merzenich MM (1996). Language comprehension in language-learning impaired children improved with acoustically modified speech. Science 271:81-84.

FOr more information click on the following link www.scientificlearning.com http://www.scientificlearning.com]

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

  1. 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report Beginning Reading Fast ForWord" (PDF). March 2013.
  4. "What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report Adolescent Literacy Fast ForWord" (PDF). August 2010.
  5. "What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report English Language Learners Fast ForWord Language" (PDF). September 28, 2006.
  6. 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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