I recently spoke with the parent of a special needs child who has made significant gains using Fast ForWord. Some of this progress is in areas that she’d always been told would never improve. When I asked if she had any advice for other parents, she said, “I didn’t know that this was something that my child with Down Syndrome would be able to do, and he has.” As a result, she wanted othe…

School is hard. Day to day interactions and experiences can inspire and compound a learner’s anxiety. Students have to ascertain how to navigate the different personalities they encounter among teachers and students on a daily basis. They need to adapt to different behaviors, abilities, and communication styles in order to best receive and respond to the constant onslaught of information. They…

When students excel in a particular area, we tend to notice. We recognize the need to foster their skills and strive to offer the appropriate resources and instruction. Expectations are set higher and the necessary support provided. When learning challenges persist, despite consistent targeted instruction, we tend to notice. We work with the child, educators, and other professionals to determine…

When I was younger, an experience helped me realize fact or fiction isn’t always as obvious as it may seem.

I had spent a summer living and working in Rwanda. People travel there from all over the world for a chance to observe its mountain gorillas. The movie Gorillas in the Mist had come out a few years earlier, leaving a lasting impression on many, myself included. I talked to friends and f…

Imagine how much more stressful a lengthy car ride or traffic jam would be without our trusted stereo system. Music can help reduce anxiety, promote focus and calm, and even energize us. Many doctors play selected songs or genres of music while performing medical procedures. A number of athletes use headphones to play chosen songs before a game or competition to help tune out distractions, so th…

The abundance of challenges facing learners of all ages can be overwhelming. We know so much today about learning styles, medical, physical, and emotional concerns that can impact success. Family history, birth weight or trauma, repeated ear infections, injury, diet, vision or hearing impairment, and focus are just a small sampling of these factors. Consequently, we recognize that showing up, pa…