"...this actually makes a neurological difference that remains, and is a help to the child, forever."
Barbara MacPhee, Principal,
New Orleans Center for Science and Mathematics, New Orleans, LA

What is Fast ForWord™?

The Fast ForWord™ family of programs is a revolutionary proven approach developed from decades of neuroscience research surrounding brain plasticity. It uses interactive, computer-based training programs to rapidly build the skills necessary for successful reading, learning, and language competence. Developed by Scientific Learning Corporation, the Fast ForWord family of software utilizes the FAST Power Learning™ Formula - Frequency and intensity, Adaptivity, Simultaneous development, and Timely motivation, to develop Learning MAPs™: Memory, Attention, Processing and sequencing, the underlying cognitive processes required for reading and learning. Studies have shown that these exercises can quickly move students toward grade level in the skills essential to learning to read, helping them achieve gains in as little as 4 - 12 weeks.

Who can benefit from the Fast ForWord™ Series?

Children using the Fast ForWord Language™ program have shown improvement in auditory processing speed, working memory, serial order processing, phonological awareness, listening comprehension, syntax, and morphology. In addition to the measurable gains in language, anecdotal evidence suggests that children who have completed Fast ForWord Language™ are better able to interact with parents, teachers, and peers. On average students make 1 to 2 years of language gains after completion of the 4 - 8 week program. These new language skills empower children to participate in the world in ways that were not possible before Fast ForWord Language™ training.

Why does the Fast ForWord™ Series work?

Most children naturally acquire language during the first few years of life but research has demonstrated that a significant number of children fail to develop these skills on their own. About 10% of all children have a specific difficulty making reliable distinctions among elements of speech. Every child needs to acquire the ability to reliably distinguish the rapidly changing phonetic elements of speech. Fast ForWord Language™ is the first proven method to teach this skill to children who do not learn it naturally.

Program Breakdown

These programs include Fast ForWord Language Basics™, Fast ForWord Language™, Fast ForWord Middle & High School™, Fast ForWord Language to Reading™, and Fast ForWord to Reading Series™.

Fast ForWord Language Basics™ is designed for young children ages 4-7 years old. It uses fun activities to build the basic skills necessary for language and reading development and prepares them for Fast ForWord Language. It helps develop visual attention, auditory discrimination skills, and sustained auditory attention in order to improve memory, sound sequencing skills, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, pattern recognition, and color/shape identification.

Fast ForWord Language™ focuses on children ages 5-12. It builds fundamental cognitive skills of memory, attention, processing and sequencing in the context of key language and reading skills, including listening accuracy, phonological awareness and language structures.

Fast ForWord Middle & High School™ is similar to Fast ForWord Language™, but uses graphics tailored towards middle or high school students. The age appropriate contexts reinforce and upgrade the cognitive skills critical for fluent reading and successful learning. It works on improving working and long-term memory, improving attention, and strengthening processing skills and helps develop key reading skills such as phonological fluency and language structures.

Fast ForWord Language to Reading™ is a subsequent program used after mastering Fast ForWord Language™ and is available for those up to age 16. This software develops the cognitive skills to help students make the link between spoken words and reading. It continues to improve the key cognitive skills through exercises focused on sound-letter comprehension, phonological awareness, beginning word recognition, and English language conventions. It refines the skills perfected by Fast ForWord Language™ and improves phonological awareness, sound letter correspondence, word recognition, listening comprehension, verbal fluency, and reading fluency. Additionally, the program is used for the enhancement of spelling, reading, and comprehension. Fast ForWord Language to Reading™ also introduces new skills by building on the acquired processed speech skills.

Fast ForWord to Reading Series™ is a suite of products that marries cognitive skill development to reading skill development. It provides for a sequenced learning environment that advances the key cognitive skills in the context of sequentially appropriate reading skills.

Click here to play "The Reading Brain" (Video) - from Scientific Learning