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Our Proven Results

Our confidence in the Fast ForWord program comes from independent research, feedback from our families, and our own pre- and post-testing.

Results: #1. Ranking by the US Govt. & Others

Fast ForWord results have been validated in 300+ studies and certifications by various organizations.

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Standard

The WWC provides strict, evidence-based reviews of educational programs for the US government. For an intervention to meet their rigorous standards, it must demonstrate efficacy in well-designed, randomized controlled trials.

  • Fast ForWord has 21 studies that meet WWC Evidence Standards—the most of any reading intervention evaluated.
  • It is the only program rated by the WWC to show positive effectiveness across all measured categories: Alphabetics & Decoding, Reading Fluency,  Reading Comprehension, and English Language Development (Grades K-10).

Independent State & District Reviews

  • The Nevada DOE Study: In an independent, two-year state review of 22 competing reading programs, Fast ForWord was named the most effective and officially designated a “High-Gain Program.”
  • Longitudinal Evidence: Independent reviews by states such as Iowa and Texas confirm that accelerated reading gains continue after program completion. More state info here.

30+ Years of Scrutiny

Because the founders of Fast ForWord have such a high profile in scientific circles, Fast ForWord has attracted an unusual amount of scrutiny, all of which has validated its scientific underpinnings.

  • fMRIs Pre- and Post-Fast ForWord: Brain imaging studies at Stanford and Harvard show new neural activity in areas responsible for language and processing.
  • Nobel-Laureate-Level Neuroscientists (Kavii Prize in Neuroscience): Four world-leading researchers spent 30 years designing and testing this software. It is based on robust science.

More details on Fast ForWord research evidence here.

fast forword results

Here is a quick video on the two-year Nevada reading program study.  Fast ForWord was the most effective of 22 reading programs tested. For more information: Nevada DOE: Fast ForWord is a “High-Gain Program.”

fast forword at home
what works clearninghouse research

“We enrolled our three boys, aged 14, 12, and 6, in this program. It has worked wonders for our boys. Our kids used to dislike reading and love math. They are three grades ahead in math but barely at grade level for reading. After completing this program, the 14- and 12-year-olds are now above grade level and, completing their homework and studying very efficiently. We couldn’t be happier. The support staff were amazing. Thank you so much! You’ve supported us in a tremendous way.”

Jasmine

Mother of 3

“Perhaps the strongest argument for trying Fast ForWord is the behavior of Gemm Learning staff over the years.  Based on the amazing stories they hear from clients, they can’t wait for their own children to turn 5 so they can go on the program!”

Geoff N.

Founder of Gemm Learning, 7 year old with APD

Results #2. Our Internal Tracking – Consistent Gains

We measure success in two distinct phases: gains during the program, and momentum afterward.

Our Average Internal Results

  • 2+ grade levels of reading gain in 6-7 months (average treatment term)

Parent Report Widespread Gains

While the main target is reading, because the program boosts reading by first building learning fundamentals, parents report a wide range of improvements:

  • Reading – more willing to read, reads for longer periods
  • Focus & attention, both at school and at home
  • Homework efficiency (takes less time with less stress)
  • More organized and manages assignment deadlines better
  • Confidence, self-esteem and more positive attitude to learning

These gains typically begin in the first 2-3 months of the program and continue beyond program completion. Years later, clients have a hard time remembering how much trouble their child was having prior to Gemm Learning.

fast forword results

Results #3. Client Feedback

Gemm Learning has collected hundreds of testimonials over the years from children, teens, and adults with a wide range of difficulties or formal diagnoses.

For some clients, we have conducted interviews, resulting in these case studies. Shorter feedback on our testimonials page.

Will It Work for My Child?

Every child’s cognitive profile is unique. While Fast ForWord is an incredibly powerful tool, its success depends on identifying the specific cognitive gaps your child faces.

Wondering if Fast ForWord is the right fit for your child’s specific needs? Let’s find out together.

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“Prior to the program, we were at our wits end trying to figure the best way to help her. Since the program, for the first time in 13 years it’s as if a switch in her brain went on. She is finally making connections between letters, sounds and words. She has spent the last several months writing books and letters to family and friends (which she was never able to do on her own before). She also was for the first time able to participate and play on an organized soccer team. She was able to maintain the rules and actually helped assist in scoring a goal. She has way more confidence in herself. Her speech therapist has seen a huge improvement in her working memory. Thank you for giving us hope when we had none and helping our daughter finally start to find her way!”

Bev D.

Parent of 5th grader, APD

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“He was just re-tested, and there are no longer any signs of ADD or dyslexia. He is doing really well in his new school. I believe in life there are things where you get more than you pay for and things where you get less and Gemm Learning is definitely one of those things where you get more.”

Jack M.

Parent of 10th grader, ADHD & dyslexia

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“He has made a remarkable transformation in just a few months. First, he noticed he was following instructions at a summer sports camp far more easily. He said that he wished he had done the program years ago. Now at school he is much happier and has more confidence. His school day is so much more productive as now he catches everything the teacher says.” (Parent of 9th grader)

Claire D.

Parent of 9th grader, APD

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“I am seeing changes already (6 weeks in). I was in tears just like the parent I saw in your video about the kids with dyslexia. We have been looking for a dyslexia program for a long time and are so relieved. When we used to send him upstairs to read it was a struggle. Now he goes up and reads on his own. He is also focusing better, his attitude is better and his confidence is growing. It’s exciting.”

Maggie H.

Parent of 5th grader, dyslexia

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“It is just amazing how much easier he seems to find following directions now. His vocabulary has grown in leaps and bounds in 1st grade and we are seeing much less resistance to reading. This program has helped our son turn the corner and I am far less worried about his future than I was before coming in.”

Janice B.

Parent of 1st grader, language delays

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"My son was really struggling to read. He made great gains on the program. He is now more confident and enjoys reading! The staff was helpful and caring and genuinely seemed to care about helping my son become successful. So thankful and highly recommend!!

Kelly L.

Parent of 3rd grader, dyslexia

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"The biggest improvement on the CAP retest was in his working memory. On the first number repeat test Connor rarely could give 3 of 6 of any sequence given. In the second testing situation he did significantly better in recall and in the order of the numbers given. Since the testing was done and since his last month with Gemm Learning, we have seen improvement with Connor’s spelling, reading fluency and everyday hearing. He says it has been easier to be with a group of kids and ” know what’s going on.””

Aretha M.

Parent of 10th grader

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“I couldn’t be more excited to see the how my son is learning and improving, not only in school but also at home as well. I’m glad to have you guys on his life. He is getting more responsible and yet having fun. Thank you for making our lives much easier with your teaching program.”

Larry G.

Parent of 9th grader

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“I really feel it has helped K. I know K. was not always happy to do the programs daily, but I feel she has made great progress with her reading and reading comprehension. She is more focused. She is now reading The Land of Stories volume 2 and loves it!!!!!! She takes her book with her to swim meets and discusses the book and others with her friends. .... I like being able to call and discuss the various programs with the Gemm Learning team. Your team is great!!!!”

Mei L.

Parent of 5th grader

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"M. has been THRIVING!! He loves the school and is happy there. Can read, spell, rhyme. . .he can even do his homework independently now!!! His second quarter report card was excellent with improvement in almost all measures. I do believe Gemm learning opened a window for him and I am forever grateful."

Kristi T.

Parent of 4th grader with ADHD

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“Rachel received her first trimester 1st grade report yesterday. Her subject grades were as follows: Language Arts 97%, Reading 96%, Math 99%, Science 100%, Social Studies 100%. Plus her DIBELS reading scores were OFF THE CHARTS! Based on this report card Rachel no longer needs any special intervention for her auditory processing issues as she continues to advance at a higher level than her peer group… Thanks for all your help.”

Emma C.

Parent of 2nd grader

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“He is fitting in so much more comfortable now and he is off his ADD medicine. He can follow the teachers, knows his homework assignments and is just a much happier kid.”

Andi R.

Parent of 9th grader, ADHD

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“She has just continued to do an amazing job. We’re so thankful for the program. It has truly changed our lives. She had all A’s and I believe one B for this last year in 5th grade. I can’t begin to thank you enough for giving us hope and a solution! I continue to tell everyone I can about the Gemm program!”

Sarah G.

Parent of 4th grader (suspected dyslexia)

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“I have spent many thousands of dollars trying to help before finding Gemm. Gemm Learning is the first to succeed, and it is making a world of difference. My son’s confidence has grown so much, he’s making more friends and having a better social life. He’s willing to tackle things that are challenging and is better behaved at home and at school, so much so that my husband asks if someone switched him with a look alike! His teacher asked what extra stuff he is doing because she as she said, there are some huge changes taking place.”

Wendy Q.

Parent of 2nd grader

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“I am now really seeing the positive effects the program has had with his language. He is using language that I have never heard him use before, much more natural language, like instead of saying to me “I want the shrek toy”, he is saying “mum where is the shrek toy, I can’t find it, I think it was in here” etc. So a vast improvement for him.”

James B.

Parent of 1st grader, expressive language

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“Gemm Learning was amazing with their customer service. They called us every couple of days the first week we started the program. Then we got weekly reports and phone call reports about every two or three weeks. My daughter used the program for nine months. It really did work for her. She had trouble reading because she wasn’t processing the sounds correctly and could not sound out words or rhyme. It helped her tremendously, and now she isn’t having any troubles. I highly recommend using Gemm Learning if you do plan to use Fast ForWord. It is somewhat pricey, but it was worth every penny!”

Ashley W.

Parent of 3rd Grader

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“He is now attentive in [class]. He usually needed a personal invitation to listen. 🙂 I had to stop his reading curriculum because he could no longer comprehend anything he read. It was like he hit a wall. I can now give him anything on the fifth grade reading level and his comprehension is amazing!!! … He is thoroughly enjoying novels now and he can always answer the comprehension questions. The fact that he has the stamina for sitting and reading for hours is amazing! This is such a dramatic change!”

Mellssa N.

Parent of inattentive 4th grader

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“On the final report card for last year, she was up in every class and all her teachers noted enormous improvements in her academic abilities! There’s still room for growth, but it seems natural age and behavior type growth like focusing on the quality of our work not the speed.”

Alice H.

Parent of 4th grader, struggling reader

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“I have seen a big improvement in all aspects of learning. Most of all her reading and understanding has been awesome. This program has been such a blessing for us that I have recommended it to a few people. My daughter has had a great time with all the games. So, a big THANK YOU!!!!! You have given “hope” to my child.”

Lucy H.

Parent of 1st grader

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“This has been the best 9 weeks of Maleek’s academic life! He’s turning in assignments, he’s more confident on the basketball court and all his teachers are saying how they see maturity and growth they have never seen before. He had an A, four B’s and 2 C+’s on his most recent report card and is passing geometry for the first time ever!!! This is the best academic report he has ever gotten.” (11th grader, APD, this quote was over the phone)

Eva L

Parent of 6th grader

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“Thank you for your continued support, you have been a blessing to me as Alyson strives to be the best reader she can be. I know this skill will help her in every area of her life. That’s why I am so passionate about giving her all the help I can. Thank you again!”

Pamela A.

Parent of 10th grader

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“In just 2 months with Gemm Learning, his reading confidence has soared, so much, that he is no longer resistant to reading and looks forward to his reading time. Prior to starting with Gemm Learning, he failed all of his spelling tests and had almost no retention of how to spell a word correctly. Now he gets 100% on all of his spelling tests. A light bulb has been turned on for him.”

Aaron H.

Parent of 3rd Grader, reading

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“My daughter is going into 7th grade this year and Gemm learning has improved her reading comprehension tremendously . It will give her the confidence she needs to tackle homework and taking tests. Thank you to your team for helping us through the process”

Margaret

Parent of 7th grader

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"Now, in 8th grade she is reading at a 10 grade level and her dyslexia continues to get better! GEMM LEARNING changed her life!”

Wendy G.

Parent of 8th grader

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“He was on the Honor Roll for every quarter last year in the sixth grade at Middle School (without paid tutors!!). I could have never imagined, during elementary school, that he would have done this well. I probably would still be paying for tutors if it weren’t for Gemm. Thanks again.”

Chris H.

Parent of 6th grader

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“He is doing really well now. Loves middle school! Doing great in his school work & his attitude has been good. We are pleased but watching him closely. He is reading a lot independently, definitely reading above grade level now. It is hard to believe he was diagnosed with dyslexia two years ago.”

Janet C.

Parent of 6th grader, dyslexia

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“Our son has made great gains this past year. We had him tested again a year later just recently to see if he improved. The doctor thought he was working with a different child. The improvement was off the charts. God Bless you guys. Thanks again.”

Kay N.

Parent of 6th Grader

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“I have seen a big improvement in all aspects of learning. Most of all, her reading and comprehension gains have been awesome. It’s like an awakening!”

Marianne J.

Parent of 1st Grader

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“I love that he spends so much time reading now. He was reluctant to even go near a book last year. I was hoping that your program would help him get over his fear of reading, but it has far exceeded our expectations. He is not only an enthusiastic reader he is also ambitious, reading all kinds of books well above his grade. It’s a delight and a huge weight off my mind that I no longer have to worry about him and his reading struggles.”

Jean R.

Parent of 3rd Grader

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“In her first trimester report yesterday,her grades were: Language Arts 97%, Reading 96%, Math 99%, Science 100%, Social Studies 100%. Plus her Diebels reading scores were OFF THE CHARTS! Based on this report card Rachel no longer needs any special intervention for her auditory processing issues as she continues to advance at a higher level than her peer group… So it was wonderful to use your service but I do not anticipate we will need Gemm Learning in the future. Thanks for all your help.”

Nancy C.

Parent of 1st grader, APD

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“First, we noticed that he was participating in family conversations when he used to tune out because it was too hard to follow and he was picking up on subtleties in a way he never did before. But now, after doing your Summer Intensive (for two months), he has made stronger gains than he made in three years of (special ed classes). I am not saying that the special ed class was inferior, it was just not equipped to address an auditory processing disorder and Fast ForWord has done this. Thank you again for being accessible whenever we have questions. This is a dream come true for us.”

Meg J.

Parent of 5th grader, APD

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“His reading score went up almost two full grades over summer due to Gemm Learning! …his confidence when reading and his reading fluency is so much better that he will be out of special ed soon. He picked up a big chapter book to read! This is from a boy who before Gemm would not even look at a book.”

Kate C.

Parent of 5th grader

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“My daughter started doing things on her own. I couldn’t believe it. Instead of having to remind her step by step on everything, she started managing her own day. We were thrilled.”

Julie D.

Parent of 4th grader

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“When I received a totally different report card and heard the teachers telling us how well she is doing in class, I kept thinking: Are they talking about my kid? She seems so happy and more secure in school.”

Karen P.

Parent of 2nd grader

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“We were thrilled that his reading went up almost 5 grade levels in the four months he did Gemm. We can see his reading comprehension in particular is much stronger. Even he is noticing the difference. We recommend you to everyone we know.”

Joshua H.

Parent of 11th grader

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“The company was amazing with their customer service. They called us every couple of days the first week, then every two or three weeks. It helped my daughter tremendously,.”

Mandy O.

2nd grader’s mother

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“First we noticed that she seemed to have more confidence, and was able to follow our directions more easily. Since then her confidence has grown substantially and she has re-engaged with the family, and her social life has blossomed. She is now reading at a far higher level than before the program.”

Peter B.

Parent of 6th grader

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“Gemm’s involvement with my child has been truly wondrous and it has reaped impressive results. They have not only helped my child improve academically, but they’ve also helped her find the self confidence she needs to perform better on all levels. Because of Gemm’s dedication to excellence, their unwavering support and willingness to help students achieve, and their patience and understanding of each child’s condition, they have made a drastic difference in my child’s attitude towards learning and helped her find pride in her accomplishments.”

Noori K.

Parent of 4th grader

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“He is in 1st grade. Much more talkative now, using much better words and also now starting to read much better. We are thrilled.”

Era B

Parent of 1st grader

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“We enrolled our three boys, aged 14, 12, and 6, in this program. It has worked wonders for our boys. Our kids used to dislike reading and love math. They are three grades ahead in math but barely at grade level for reading. After completing this program, the 14- and 12-year-olds are now above grade level and, completing their homework and studying very efficiently. We couldn’t be happier. The support staff were amazing. Thank you so much! You’ve supported us in a tremendous way.”

Jasmine L.

Mother of 3

Gemm Learning Case Studies

Real stories, compelling results. Read more case studies here

ADHDDyslexia

Sam had ADHD and Dyslexia

Sam

Age: 11
Location: Alberta
Diagnoses: ADHD, Dyslexia

Results

Samuel struggled with dyslexia and ADHD. He felt embarrassed reading to the class, and so he avoided participating. Today, Samuel is reading with confidence and enjoyment, and his social life is much fuller.

Sam’s case study here

ADHDDyslexia

antonio dyslexia case

Antonio

Age: 7
Location: Maryland
Diagnosis: ADHD, Dyslexia

Results

Antonio made enough progress to avoid summer school. His reading has improved significantly, and his test results meet the school’s expectations.

Antonio’s case study here

Appendix: How We Track Results

We have two goals for every student:

  1. A measurable boost on the program and
  2. Acceleration in the years following the program

Parent Pre- and Post- Behavioral Surveys

Parents complete a behavioral survey to start. This survey and our starting consults provide a reference point for future conversations.

While it’s not that scientific, the changes parents report are often vivid – “used to resist reading every night, now reads willingly,” “takes far less time over homework.”  There are no metrics here, but the changes are consistent with expectations from the science. Read more here.

Our RPI – Internal Reading Tests

Gemm Learning uses the RPI (Reading Progress Indicator), an assessment that aligns with the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Test. It’s about a 30-minute test. measuring phonemic awareness, vocabulary, decoding fluency, and comprehension.

Students taking post-tests will see different versions, aligned in the same way.

Why Learning Momentum Continues After Gemm

The longitudinal research on Fast ForWord that shows continuing gains is not surprising. The development of previously held-back higher-level skills, such as executive function, is the main driver of learning acceleration after program completion.

Another source of post-program growth is the lasting impact of the confidence boost that comes from learning gains after Gemm Learning. Leaning into learning with more confidence and less fear of failure creates a virtuous cycle of improvement.

“When I received a totally different report card and heard the teachers telling us how well she is doing in class, I kept thinking: Are they talking about my kid?  She seems so happy and more secure in school.”

Karen P.

Parent of 2nd grader

“My son is excelling in reading. He still climbing the reading levels. He has moved up 3 levels since completing Gemm Learning. I highly recommend your program to family and friends. I appreciate your hard work and helping him progress so quickly.”
Kay H.

Parent of 2nd grader, reading

“She has just continued to do an amazing job. We’re so thankful for the program. It has truly changed our lives. She had all A’s and I believe one B for this last year in 5th grade. I can’t begin to thank you enough for giving us hope and a solution! I continue to tell everyone I can about the Gemm program!”

Sarah

Parent of 4th grader (suspected dyslexia)

“He was just re-tested, and there are no longer any signs of ADD or dyslexia. He is doing really well in his new school. I believe in life there are things where you get more than you pay for and things where you get less and Gemm Learning is definitely one of those things where you get more.”
Jack M.

Parent of 10th grader, ADHD & dyslexia