Asperger's Programs

Home Based Help For Children and Adults

Asperger syndrome defines a spectrum of behaviors with the unifying symptom of impaired social interaction. While our cognitive software, Fast ForWord, does not treat social skills directly, it helps the processing skills required to improve communication -- both listening comprehension and expressive language -- that are so important in social interaction.

Our Fast ForWord program makes processing more efficient, thereby slowing the world down for Asperger's children -- in a slower world, listening, thinking and reading is more manageable.

Improved Language Skills
Our program works not only on how the language is heard, but also on the vocabulary, grammar and syntax that can cause confusion. For children with Asperger syndrome, the first impact is in improved receptive and expressive language skills, the communication skills at the heart of the Asperger syndrome diagnosis.

The more language difficulty your child has -- listening comprehension, reading difficulties, unusual expressive language -- the more likely we are going to be able to help. Typical language gains include more willingness to make conversation one on one and in groups. Our program improves listening efficiency, which helps Asperger's children to be:

• a better listener in class and at home,
• less literal in their understanding,
• pick up on the inferences and subtleties in language
• read between the lines and predict better

The efficiency of processing given them more time and mental capacity to focus on these higher level aspects of language.

Improved Social Interaction
Our program helps social skills in Asperger's children by improving receptive language, the ability to keep up with conversation, and to feel comfortable and participate in a group or one on one.

Most notably, by slowing the world down for the Asperger's child, our program builds confidence and self-esteem, which in itself leads to more learning risk taking and social interaction.

Improved Reading
Reading is a language skill. For children with Asperger syndrome who have language difficulties, our program can help reading on many levels. may often have challenges in oral and written comprehension. All of these issues affect reading comprehension.

Our Fast ForWord program methodically develops the cognitive skills and knowledge of language structure required for reading fluency, using a protocol most Asperger's students can follow and benefit from. The second phase of our software works on reading comprehension. While this is a more challenging task -- it requires the ability to think while reading, to get beyond literal meaning to understand the main points of the text -- as with listening comprehension, improved processing efficiency can help develop these more difficult reading skills.

Summary Outcomes
At the end of the course the student should be significantly better in his reading and language skills. His self-confidence will grow as he becomes more proficient in his comprehension and more fluent in his reading. He should be sharper and more alert in conversations. The improvement of receptive skills will also lead to the improvement of his or her expressive language. He will be more able to get to the point and express himself in a precise and concise way.

Understanding Asperger Syndrome

Asperger's is associated with cognitive weaknesses such as a poor working memory, lack of attention and auditory processing skills that can prevent the mastery of language and reading.
Asperger's Syndrome symptoms

These weaknesses may hide true strengths. Instead of being challenged at school he may have a frustrating experience and perhaps develop a sense of alienation from academic work. Equally, when his receptive language is weak he can have problems in the classroom and socially. Somehow he doesn't get the flow of the conversations and can feel excluded. This may lead to low self-esteem, social exclusion and a lack of motivation.

However there are Asperger's programs that provide added stimulation to build language skills. Similarly, listening and reading comprehension skills can also be developed. You may need to supplement the existing academic curriculum to ensure that your child meets his/her potential.

Fast ForWord for Asperger Syndrome

By making language processing more automatic, freeing up mental capacity for observation and thinking, Fast ForWord helps Asperger syndrome in often dramatic ways. Its use as an Asperger's program is one of the fastest growing applications of this powerful program.
Fast ForWord program

We are the leading at home provider of Fast ForWord in North America. Children work on our engaging software at home with remote coaching support and guidance from certified educators. After an assessment and parent behavioral questionnaire, Gemm Learning develops a customized protocol for each child. Students typically work 30 minutes a day, five days a week, for 3-6 months depending on their needs and goals.
Learn more about our individualized service

Fast ForWord software is emerging as one of the most effective programs for Asperger's available for at home use. This article outlines one study and its results:
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