Fundamental Cognitive Skills

How Gemm Builds a Secure Cognitive Foundation for Reading

Even though studies show that most reading issues stem from an underlying cognitive issue(s), schools have very little time to devote to these underlying problems due to an over-loaded cirricula. Gemm Learning was founded on the idea that learning ability is not fixed -- cognitive issues can be resolved.

About a quarter of kindergarten age children go to school and just read.  They can do this because they were born with a secure cognitive foundation.  They learn the language by listening and then transition to reading with ease.

Our first goal for every new student is to build a secure cognitive foundation.

Cognitive Foundation for Reading

The skill most often lacking in struggling readers is auditory processing.  It may not be evident in spoken language where the requirement is only that words be understood as whole sounds.  But reading requires another big step up in auditory processing accuracy.

Stored spoken language (word memory) is how we learn, think and it is what we match up with when reading to get meaning.  For reading, the brain needs to be able to pull apart and store in word memory every sound in every word.  It needs to hear that "cat" has three sounds "c-a-t" and to store it that way.   If the word "sneaker" was heard as "s-n-ee-ga" that word can not be read fluently, without requiring some concentration.

Early on, this weak processing foundation causes word memory muddiness that makes sounding out difficult.  In later grades, if decoding is not automatic, it siphons off thinking power needed for reading comprehension.  Plus it makes reading exhausting and not enjoyable.

Gemm's Approach

Gemm Learning uses the Fast ForWord program, cognitive software, to help students learn to process at natural language speed -- this will clean up muddy word memories and enable reading fluency. Processing at natural language speed is not easy.  Natural language is lightning fast -- "one, one thousand" takes one second but has many unique sounds.  Fast ForWord can take a student's processing speed all the way to 40 sounds a second!   At that speed every word, can be pulled apart accurately.

Fast ForWord finds each student's starting level.   It then adds speed and complexity in tiny increments.  Every student will respond to this kind of exercise -- as with any physical exercise that uses repetition in this way -- and most are capable of processing at 40 sounds a second if they are given a pathway to that goal!

Fast ForWord software also works on related cognitive skill gaps as needed, including memory, attention and sequencing.
More on fast ForWord targeted skills

In some cases, particularly where there is evidence of cognitive impediments to reading not related to language processing -- such as visual processing, attention issues related to sensory integration issues, longer term retention issues -- Gemm Learning will add BrainWare Safari into a student's protocol.
More about BrainWare Safari

Next Stage:  Reading Fluency

Once a cognitive foundation is in place, reading fluency is a realistic goal using the Fast ForWord reading series.
Gemm's reading fluency program