Fast ForWord: Does It Work?
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One of the many questions I get asked is whether brain-training, intervention programs really work. It’s usually not asked out of skeptism or criticism; it’s simply a matter of parents wanting the best for their child. After all, there are so many solutions out there, each one touted as the best, and it can be challenging to wade through the crowd.
After all, each child is different. Sometimes, your child might require a combination of intervention programs, or they may need to spend a longer amount of time or go through a more intensive program until you see long-lasting changes. On the other hand, some kids react immediately with positive results, and they are done within a few months. Our kids have varying strengths and weaknesses, and we as parents know that’s what makes them special.
Going back to my first statement, I always tell parents that I choose programs that are backed by scientific evidence. Otherwise, it’s a waste of my time and their time as well! I do my research, and encourage parents to do the same.
Take this research paper by Ylinen and Kujala. If you read through it, you’ll find that this paper proves that children with dyslexia or any other language-learning impairments can gain long-lasting, positive changes through training programs like Fast ForWord, which involve phonological and auditory tasks.
Thanks to neuroimaging technology, researchers found obvious changes in both the children’s brain function and brain anatomy. Some of these changes included:
1. Plastic changes in deficient neural networks.
2. Increased or normalized activation of previously hypoactive inferior frontal and occipito-temporal areas.
3. Strengthening of previously weak auditory brain responses
4. Long-lasting remedial effects and improved behavioral performance.
You can read the paper here:
If you’re interested in learning more about Fast ForWord, contact me at susi@learn2focus.com. I’d be happy to chat!
