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Fast forward with a Fast ForWord school grant
Brad Hutchinson ñ Speech Pathologist/Audiologist
Claire Hutchinson ñ Occupational Therapist 

ìClass, before you turn to page 35 of your maths book and complete the first nine questions, get out your social studies homework and put it in at the top of your desk for me to come and collect.î

Steven stares blankly at Mrs Turner, then looks over at Jane who is taking out her maths book. Steven copies, then gazes out the window for the next ten minutes at the Year Threes, who are playing soccer.

On the other side of the room, Ben didnít hear the instructions at all because he was busy showing Peter his best rendition of Shrek. Ben talks and fidgets, then Mrs Turner tells him off for being silly and not listening.  

Steven and Ben have very different personalities. Steven is relatively quiet and eager to please, while Ben tends to be a bit of a ìclass clownî and is often in trouble for being disruptive. The only apparent similarity between Steven and Ben is that theyíre both smart enough kids who arenít performing to their potential at school. To any onlooker it may seem as though theyíre lazy, or selective listeners, or just disinterested in learning, yet the reason Steven and Ben experience learning difficulties is because they both suffer from a Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD).

CAPD occurs when the brain has difficulty understanding what the ears hear. Some children with CAPD confuse sounds when learning to speak, while others have difficulty following more than one instruction at a time. Some children with CAPD experience difficulty learning to read and spell, others have imaginative ideas but have trouble getting them down on paper. Some children with CAPD do not present with difficulties until they have to complete tricky comprehension or problem-solving tasks.

Parents of children with CAPD often ask me how much of their childís academic difficulties, inattention or behavioural problems can be attributed to personality and how much to the disorder. The simple answer is that itís impossible to tell. It is my belief, however, that all children want to succeed. This is, of course, particularly difficult for individuals with CAPD, as their brains have to expend a great deal more mental energy to understand information and instructions.  

Childrenís initial experiences with schooling significantly impact on their long-term perceptions of their learning capacity and self-worth. It is therefore of utmost importance that a childís learning weaknesses are identified and addressed as early as possible, so that behaviours often associated with CAPD, including low self-esteem, frustration, or reluctance to try, do not become ingrained or conditioned responses.  

If left untreated, the learning problems associated with CAPD are likely to persist into adulthood. Fortunately there are ways to prevent unfulfilled potential due to CAPD. These include simple environmental modifications, strategies to compensate for the deficit, and, most importantly, brain training activities that enable the brain to understand information better and more quickly. The most successful treatment for CAPD is a computer and Internet-based training programme called Fast ForWord. This programme was designed by American neuroscientists and is based on over 30 years of research into how the brain learns. 

Fast ForWord has been implemented in over 5000 schools throughout the USA as part of the core school curriculum. Fast ForWord is implemented for all children, from those at risk of academic failure to those who do very well academically, extending their learning capacity. On average, participants achieve one-and-a-half to two-year gains on standardised tests in auditory memory, paying attention, auditory processing, sequencing, reading, spelling, and comprehension. This is achieved in only four to 12 weeks and studies have shown that these results are lasting.  

Fast ForWord is unlike anything I have ever seen and I am certainly not alone in this sentiment. If you were to view the endless list of independent Fast ForWord school studies on the founderís website, you would see countless delighted testimonials, such as that by Gene Ward, Principal of Dallas Independent School District in Texas, who stated, ìI was truly amazed at how quickly these students made gains. Iíve never seen anything to equal it.î  

Why is Fast ForWord so effective? It is basically mental aerobics, intensively exercising the part of the brain that underlies all learning: the language centre. The adaptivity of Fast ForWord means that this programme is perfectly tailored to the learning weaknesses of the individual participant, constantly challenging yet enabling them to succeed. Fast ForWord is the only computerised programme that simultaneously develops the underlying cognitive skills whilst improving reading and comprehension skills. Most importantly, Fast ForWordís interactive computer games are extremely emotionally engaging; something researchers have proven is essential for real learning, or a change in the brain, to occur.
Sonic Hearingís Fast ForWord students have achieved the highest compliance outcomes outside the USA. We are now ìputting our money where our mouth isî by offering Fast ForWord grants to three lucky Perth schools in 2006. If your childís school is interested in receiving information on how to apply, please send us your details by filling out the form on page 14.