Fast ForWord Empirical Evidence:

No other learning software has been as tested and scrutinized as Fast ForWord -- 40,000 students in formal trials, 700 white papers, countless articles and reports.

This unusually large body of evidence has come about because Fast ForWord was founded by neuroscientists who love to test and re-test. Another large body of Fast ForWord trial results come from school districts as part of their evaluation process -- part of the agreement always is that Fast ForWord is able to share these internal findings with others. A selection of downloadable studies and reports are available to the right.

Near Term Gains

Providers worldwide report consistent average gains from this program in line with or better than the targeted gains of 1-2 grades of gain in reading and comprehension in 6-8 weeks. Gemm Learning students average four months or more in the program and so their gains tend to out-perform this average.

The documented, scientific evidence is overwhelmingly positive that Fast ForWord software works.   For a catalog of all trials, articles and white papers, and a separate summary of the major studies click this link:
Fast ForWord Empirical Evidence.

Longer Term Gains

Longer term results from Fast ForWord are even more compelling.

Some trial results are stunning such as this longitudinal IQ chart from a school district in the Southeast. The momentum of the first year boost continues as other learning skills, previously held back, are able to develop now that Fast ForWord has resolved the learning glitch that was previously impeding progress.

Fast ForWord does not change IQ, but it does boost confidence and improve language and reading skills resulting in better test taking.

These long term gains are the main reason to consider our service.

Twelve Years of Scrutiny

The fact Fast ForWord reading program has not only survived twelve years of scrutiny, but that it is now growing faster than ever is testament to its efficacy. Of the one million children that have completed Fast ForWord, more than 40,000 children have been formally tracked. Average documented gains are one-to-two grades in 2-3 months, an outcome confirmed by the Education Commission of the States.

One of the most respected school superintendents in the US, Paul Vallas, who is credited with turning around Philadelphia's troubled schools (now in New Orleans) considers Fast ForWord one of his secret weapons. Within three weeks of taking over in Philadelphia he decreed each school would use the Fast ForWord program.

Fast ForWord research is has been heavily scrutinized. Skeptics worry that the Fast ForWord empirical evidence may be biased since most of it is on the Scientific Learning web site.  But these studies are put together by school administrators and often scrutinized by district boards -- these people allow their names to used and so must stand by the data produced.  They have no motivation to report inaccurate results.

The Detractors

Two studies show up in Google that say "Fast ForWord: ineffective." Both studies are flawed.

1. Study #1. A Princeton Economics professor wanted to prove her thesis that computers in schools have not changed educational outcomes. Her Fast ForWord trial included students who did not complete the program and others who had erratic compliance. This is like signing people up for a gym membership then concluding that because they didn't go and get fit, gyms serve no useful purpose!
   
   
2. Study #2. The other study done byROn Gillam, a University of Texas professor is similarly flawed, as Fast ForWord is an obstacle to his theories about auditory processing. His study ends up concluding that Fast ForWord works, but only as well as (prohibitively expensive) one-on-one speech therapy.

Fast ForWord science is compelling. Unlike most learning methods that are based on observations on what seems to work -- trial and error -- Fast ForWord research combines the cognitive research on how children learn (Paula Tallal) with neuroscience knowledge on how the brain adapts and learns (Dr. Merzenich) in a bottom up approach, that is based on sound science. This is the key to its integrity and longevity as a learning and reading intervention.

Gifted and Talented

Most children have learning boosts available to them, some aspect of brain function that can be made more fluent and automated, freeing up brain capacity for higher level comprehension and problem solving.

Scientific Learning is continuing to explore this impact on above grade level children. They are finding that these children are capable of material gains in shorter periods than is required for so-called special needs children.