Helping Learners with Dyslexia Become Proficient Readers
Understanding Dyslexia: A Focus on Auditory Processing
Dyslexia, once thought to be primarily a visual processing disorder, is now recognized as an auditory condition. The core challenge for learners with dyslexia lies in weaknesses in phonological processing, the ability to identify and manipulate the sounds of language. This underlying issue affects foundational reading skills, making tasks like decoding, fluency, and comprehension particularly difficult.
Reading begins with sounds. Before a child can read words on a page, they must first learn to recognize, differentiate, and process the sounds that make up language. For parents and educators, these challenges often manifest in observable behaviors that can signal the need for intervention. For example:
‣ Difficulty with Sound Recognition: The child may struggle to identify or distinguish between similar sounds in words, such as confusing “bat” with “pat” or “cat.”
‣ Challenges in Blending Sounds: The child finds it hard to combine individual sounds to form a word, such as hearing “c-a-t” and recognizing it as “cat.”
‣ Slow or Inaccurate Decoding: When reading aloud, the child often guesses words instead of sounding them out, skips letters, or misreads common words like “was” as “saw.”
‣ Avoidance of Reading Activities: Frustration, anxiety, or avoidance of reading tasks such as reading out loud in class or completing reading homework is common.
‣ Struggles with Spelling: Frequent spelling errors, often phonetic or inconsistent, such as “friend” spelled as “frend” or “freind.”
‣ Delayed Response in Language Tasks: The child may take longer to answer questions, especially those requiring verbal recall or word retrieval, such as naming objects or describing events.
‣ Difficulty Following Verbal Instructions: Challenges in processing spoken language can make it hard to follow multi-step instructions accurately or quickly.
Recognizing these signs can help parents and educators take proactive steps to address the underlying issues with targeted interventions, such as Fast ForWord, which focuses on building the foundational skills necessary for reading success.
The Fast ForWord Approach: Rewiring the Brain for Reading
Fast ForWord is a unique, research-based program unlike any other software available. Unlike programs that work around the challenges of dyslexia, Fast ForWord employs neuroscience-based exercises designed to rewire the brain for more effective reading. Research using functional MRI (fMRI) at Stanford University has demonstrated how the program improves language, cognitive, and reading abilities in learners with dyslexia. This evidence-based methodology provides a transformative pathway to long-term success for struggling readers.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Stanford University;
Rutgers University; Dartmouth College; Harvard Medical School
fMRI shows that physiological differences in children with dyslexia can be alleviated through remediation 8 weeks of remediation that focused on improved rapid auditory processing and phonological and linguistic training (Fast ForWord) resulted in the children with dyslexia developing differentiated activation to rapid and slow transitions similar to that of children with typical development. Read Study >
Addressing Foundational Language Skills and Processing Rate
Fast ForWord focuses on strengthening the essential skills that serve as the building blocks of reading proficiency. These include:
- Phonological Processing: Exercises are designed to enhance the brain’s ability to recognize and manipulate sounds, addressing the root cause of phonological difficulties.
- Phonemic Awareness and Phonics: Individualized activities help learners develop the critical ability to hear, identify, and use phonemes (the smallest units of sound) in spoken language. This work lays the groundwork for effective decoding and reading fluency.
- Decoding Skills: Fast ForWord uses targeted exercises to improve learners' ability to decode words accurately and efficiently, a vital skill for reading success.
Examples of Fast ForWord Exercises
Fast ForWord includes specific exercises designed to target the unique challenges of dyslexia. For example:
‣ Sound Discrimination Activities: Learners practice distinguishing between similar sounds through engaging games. For instance, they might hear the sounds “b” and “p” and identify the correct one. This improves phonological processing and helps with sound recognition.
‣ Rapid Sound Sequencing: Exercises like "Sky Gym" challenge learners to process sequences of sounds quickly and accurately. This enhances auditory processing speed, a key factor in decoding and fluency.
Expanding Proficiency Beyond Decoding
Fast ForWord doesn’t stop at foundational skills. It provides comprehensive support to ensure learners thrive across all areas of reading:
✔︎ Sight Word Recognition
Repeated exposure to high-frequency words helps build automaticity, making reading faster and more efficient.
✔︎ Vocabulary and Grammar
Activities are designed to expand word knowledge and improve sentence structure understanding, enabling learners to grasp complex texts.
✔︎ Reading Comprehension
Learners engage in exercises that encourage critical thinking and understanding of context, building the skills needed to extract meaning from texts.
The Results: Confidence and Competence in Reading
Parents and educators alike report significant improvements in learners who use Fast ForWord. These include better reading proficiency, increased confidence, and enhanced academic performance. By addressing both the symptoms and root causes of dyslexia, Fast ForWord empowers learners to achieve lasting success.
Ready to Start?
If you’re looking for a solution that addresses the unique challenges of dyslexia, Fast ForWord offers a proven path forward. With its evidence-based methodology and unparalleled approach, the program doesn’t just help learners cope, it transforms their ability to read, learn, and succeed.
Start the journey toward proficient reading today. Contact us to learn more about Fast ForWord and how it can help your learner unlock their potential.
Contact BrainFit
BTS สถานีเพลินจิต ทางออก 4