The following information is from the Scientific Learning Corporation, C2001:
The information below defines the skills the Fast ForWord program trains and their relevence to the development of reading.
Skills
Listening Accuracy
LIstening accuracy refers to the ability to distinguish a difference in sounds and to identify a sequence of sounds accurately.
Listening accuracy is one of the foundations of language and reading skills. Good listening accuracy enables a student to recognize and discriminate the rapidly changing phonemes that make up spoken language. ( A phoneme is the smallest unit of speech sound that distinguishes one word from another.) A student with good listening accuracy will more easily attend to and respond to directions and class discussions; will more easily remember questions, directions, and information; and will more easily learn to read and become a better reader.
Students must develop goood listenting accuracy before they can hear the rapid sound changes that make up spoken language and develop more sophisticated language skills.
A student who possesses strong listening accuracy will show:
- Ability to read and write quickly
- Focus during oral presentations
- Ability to follow converstations in noisy situations
- Good coping mechnismas when under time pressure
- Ability to rapidly complete a series of problems
Phonological Awareness
Phonological awareness is the understanding that words are composed of sound, and it involves the ability to identify and manipulate the sounds of language.
Phonemic awareness, a key element of phonological awareness, is the understanding that words are composed of units of sound (phonemes) as well as the awareness of the differences and similarities between the phonemes themselves. For example, "cat" contains three phonemes: /c/ /a/ /t/. Students must be able to hear the difference between /c/ and /b/ in order to understand the difference between "cat" and 'bat" and to assign different meanings to each word.
A student who has good phonological awareness will have an easier time making letter-sound associations and will more easily learn to read. When confronted with a new word, a student who can accurately sound out the word will be more likely to recognize the word and understand its meaning.
A student who possess strong phonological awareness will show:
- Strong spelling and reading skills
- Ability to follow spoken and written directions
- Attentiveness in class
Working Memory
Working memory is for temporarily storing and manipulating information. A student uses working memory when a task requires the student to hold spoken sentences and instructions in mind, concentrate, and follow directions.
Working memory is involved at many levels in understanding language and in the process of learning to read. Since it is used in remembering a sequence of sound and events, it is critical in a student's ability to associate spoken and written words. Working memory allows for remembering the beginning of a sentence while listening to the middle and end.
Thus good working memory enables the student to understand word meaning and syntax; attend to class discussion, stories, and presentations; follow directions; and develop reasoning skills.
A student who possesses strong working memory wil show:
- Ability to follow verbal directions
- Strong reading skills
- Sustained attention
- Complex reasoning skills
Language Structures
Language structures refer to the relationship between words, grammar, and meaning. Language structures encompass both the how of verbal communication (words and grammar) and the what (meaning)
A student who has good understanding of language structures will more easily understand the different meanings conveyed by different sentence structures as well as how different grammatical markers (such as plurals, possessives, past-tense forms, and personal pronouns) create distinctions in meaning. A student who has a good understanding of language structures will thus more easily master pre-reading, early reading, and early writing skills.
A student who possesses a strong understanding of language structures will show:
- Good grasp of standard English usage
- Interest in and good comprehension of oral presentations as well
as written text
- Appropriate responses to questions and directions
- Fluent self-expression
For more information on the Fast Forword Program, click on the
blue pencil, or visit www.scientificlearning.com.
