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Showing posts with tag increased test scores Show all posts >
In Independent Study of Fast ForWord, Sixth-Grade Students Exceed Expected Gains
- February 2, 2012 by Melissa Agocs
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Hello. This presentation will review achievement gains made at the Bulloch County Schools in Georgia after students used the Fast ForWord® products. This was an independent study conducted by Dr. Jody Woodrum, an Assistant Superintendent at the district.
The Bulloch County Schools started using the Fast ForWord products at selected schools during the 2007-2008 school year. The district’s focus was on students close to proficiency in reading or language arts. In the fall of 2009, the Langston Chapel Middle School expanded its implementation to all sixth graders, regardless of ability level. This summary is about these sixth graders.
The students in this study used various Fast ForWord products, including the Fast ForWord Literacy, Fast ForWord Literacy Advanced, Fast ForWord Reading Prep, and Fast ForWord Reading Level 1 – 5 products. The participating school’s Fast ForWord Participation and Attendance were routinely considered “Gold Cap,” which is a high standard to strive for and shows that the school was adhering to the protocol.
Study participants were evaluated using the Measures of Academic Progress, abbreviated as MAP. Developed by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), the MAP are state-aligned, computerized adaptive tests that accurately reflect the instructional level of each student and measure growth over time. The MAP are appropriate for students in grades 2 through 10 and are available to evaluate student achievement in a variety of subject areas including reading, language arts, math, and science.
The MAP uses a measure of improvement called the Growth National Percentile Rank, which is a percentile rank of growth relative to “academic peers” – students in similar grades and at similar achievement levels. On average, Fast ForWord participants made gains on the MAP, and for students who made gains, the gains were very large, corresponding to high Growth National Percentile Ranks. The next two graphs look at the Reading and English Language Arts results more closely.
Overall, 64% of participants from both groups of students – on and above grade level, and below grade level – increased their percentile rank on the Reading portion of the MAP. For the students who made gains, the gains corresponded to the 98th percentile, which is considered very large and exceeded the expected improvement on the Reading component.
On the English Language Arts component of the MAP, 77% of participants made gains. Once again, the improvement of both groups of Fast ForWord participants exceeded the expected improvement and the gains that were achieved were substantial – at the 99th percentile.
Analyses by the staff at Bulloch County indicated that high gains were seen regardless of the students’ prior achievement levels, and regardless of the highest Fast ForWord product completed.
Thank you for your time. This video was a brief summary of the rigorous study from Bulloch County. For further detail, please reference Dr. Woodrum’s full report on the Scientific Learning website at www.scientificlearning.com/woodrum.
Related Reading:
60% of Middle and High School Learners Exceed FCAT Annual Learning Gain Expectations
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Categories: Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning
Fifth Graders Make Significantly Greater Gains than a Comparison Group Across Multiple Subjects After Fast ForWord
- December 27, 2011 by Melissa Agocs
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The Grand Forks Public Schools in Grand Forks, ND, wanted to evaluate the effects of the Fast ForWord® products on the academic achievement of their students. A study was designed such that students at one elementary school used the Fast ForWord products and comparable students at a different elementary school served as the comparison group. Both elementary schools fed into the same middle school and the study participants were in the fifth grade at the time of Fast ForWord use.
Students used the 30-minute protocols, which call for students to use the Fast ForWord products for 30 minutes a day, five days per week for 12 to 16 weeks. Students used the products for an average of 132 days across 11 months.
The Measures of Academic Progress, abbreviated as MAP, are state-aligned computerized adaptive tests, administered by the district each spring. They accurately reflect the instructional level of each student and measure growth over time. The Grand Forks Public School District uses the MAP to assess students in third through eighth grades.
A comparison of the fifth graders at the two elementary schools showed that students at the school using FastForWord products made significantly greater improvements in all areas tested compared to the students at the school that did not use the products. The areas tested were reading, language, and math, with the study results demonstrating that the products can positively impact achievement across multiple subject areas.
Related Reading:
Longitudinal Study Shows Significant Fast ForWord® Gains Endure Over Time
Students Exceed State Average on TAKS after Fast ForWord, Maintain Gains
Attend one of our popular webinars with thought leaders in learning. Live and pre-recorded webinars are available. Register today!
Categories: Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Scientific Learning Research
BrainFit Studio Accelerates English Learning with Brain Fitness
- November 22, 2011 by Cheryl Chia
BrainFit Studio is a Singapore-based network of learning centers designed to build brilliant brains and keep them fit. More than 8,000 children have passed through its classes over the past 10 years accelerating their learning, building fitter brains, and achieving continued academic success.
Five Brain Pillars
BrainFit Studio has designed a total brain fitness training program that builds five brain “pillars”:
- SMART Moves enhances the Sensory Motor Pillar
- SMART Vision strengthens the Visual Pillar
- SMART Focus develops the Attention Pillar
- SMART Emotions builds the Socio-Emotional Pillar
- SMART Listening (the Fast ForWord® program from Scientific Learning) optimizes the Auditory Pillar
SMART Listening, SMART Vision
In May 2011, BrainFit Studio launched the first of its four BrainFit Classrooms in Singapore. BrainFit Classrooms provide brain fitness training in fee-based learning centers to students from 4 to 12 years old who seek to improve their English language learning.
The threefold English learning course curriculum is aligned with the Singapore Ministry of Education’s English Language Syllabus, brain fitness training activities, and the Fast ForWord and Reading Assistant™ products. Students learn via a blended approach including both instructional contact time and online learning. Just six months in, students are already showing improvements, including an increase in school examination grades.
BrainFit Studio’s latest offering, the Brainy Programme for preschoolers, was launched in September 2011. BRAINY SAM and BRAINY TAD are two modules which, using an early childhood education approach, bring little ones through BrainFit Studio’s hallmark SMART programs.
BrainFit Studio has eight BrainFit Studios and ten school collaborations across Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. The work of training fitter brains continues each day through these centers, with parents and teachers reporting significant changes and improvements in their children.
BRAINY SAM and BRAINY TAD are trademarks of BrainFit Studios.
Related Reading:
Scientific Learning Around the World
Unlocking the Potential of English Language Learners
Attend one of our popular webinars with thought leaders in learning. Live and pre-recorded webinars are available. Register today!
Categories: Brain Fitness, English Language Learners, Fast ForWord
Sara’s Story: From 6 Months Behind In Reading to the Accelerated Reading Class
- November 17, 2011 by Norene Wiesen
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This post is the sixth in a series aimed at sharing the success stories, both personal and professional, that Scientific Learning employees witness every day.
Sara’s story:
"I was a Fast ForWord coach before I came to work for Scientific Learning and I absolutely loved the program, which is one of the reasons that I came to work here.
I have one story about a young man who was in first grade and was struggling a little bit with reading. He was about sixth months behind by the time he got through first grade and his mom recognized that immediately. She had always read to him, but there was just something he was missing and she couldn’t figure it out.
She came and talked to me one day and asked about the Fast ForWord program. We had just started working with the kids at school and I said, 'Put him in. We’ll see how he does.' He finished Fast ForWord Language and when back to the regular classroom, within two months he tested again with a reading test in his classroom and he was up to grade level, which was excellent. We were so excited and he was excited because school was easier.
The next year when he came back, he was a second grader. His mom said, 'I want him to do Fast ForWord again because I want him to stay with the rest of the class or even go a little bit above it.' He worked really hard, got through another two programs, finished for that year and the next year when he came back in for third grade, he tested into the gifted class.
Now this young man is a fifth grader and he’s been in the accelerated reading class ever since."
Related Reading:
Joel’s Story: My Nephew’s Reading Skills Improved 1½ Years in 3 Months with Fast ForWord
My Son Announced He Was Dropping Out of High School: Mary’s Story
Attend one of our popular webinars with thought leaders in learning. Live and pre-recorded webinars are available. Register today!
Categories: Brain Fitness, Family Focus, Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning
2011 Virtual Circle of Learning Wrap-Up
- November 8, 2011 by Pam Combs
This year’s annual customer conference, Virtual Circle of Learning 2011, took place online last Friday with over 800 registrants. The keynote speakers—Eric Jensen, Dr. Martha Burns, and Andrew Ostarello—addressed opportunities for customers to maximize the impact of their implementations of Scientific Learning products.
Much of the content from these keynotes can be seen in our Twitter stream with the hashtag #VCOL11, as we live-tweeted the keynote sessions and linked to articles relevant to each speaker’s presentation.
The articles provide further reading on increasing student motivation and engagement, maximizing the results of using Fast ForWord and Reading Assistant products, and more:
- AMPing up our teaching to increase intrinsic student motivation
- Dr. Martha Burns on Brain Plasticity
- Implementation Fidelity: Maximizing Your Fast ForWord or Reading Assistant Investment
- Nevada Department of Education: Fast ForWord is a “High-Gain Program”
- Dr. Donald Aguillard: Improving Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) Scores in St. Mary Parish Schools
- How to improve student motivation
- What are some ways elementary teachers might use Twitter in their classrooms?
- Finding a voice through Twitter
- Retweeting History Brings Those Stories to Life
Customers who missed a keynote or breakout session can watch it on Customer Connect (customer login required). Feel free to share the link with others at your school who were not able to attend.
Also, be sure to complete your survey to let us know what you enjoyed and what we can improve for next year. And, if you have an iPad, be sure to include your iTunes email address so we can give you our new iPad app, Eddy’s Number Party!
And now, off to start planning for Virtual Circle of Learning 2012!
Related Reading:
Building Fluent Readers: How Oral Reading Practice Helps Reading Comprehension
How Learning to Read Improves Brain Function
Attend one of our popular webinars with thought leaders in learning. Live and pre-recorded webinars are available. Register today!
Categories: Education Trends, Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Reading Assistant
60% of Middle and High School Learners Exceed FCAT Annual Learning Gain Expectations
- October 18, 2011 by Melissa Agocs
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Marion County Public Schools in Ocala, FL, wanted to evaluate the effects of the Fast ForWord® and Reading Assistant™ products on the academic achievement of their students. Students in Florida are assessed with the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test, abbreviated as the FCAT. The students in this study were initially at FCAT Level 1 or 2, where Level 3 means performing on grade level and Level 5 means the student is successful with the most challenging grade-level content. These study participants attended middle and high schools in the Marion County Public Schools and most of them were eligible for Exceptional Student Education services.
Each spring, all Marion County students in Grades 3-10 take the FCAT. This is a criterion-referenced test. The Reading portion of the FCAT is designed to assess student achievement of the high-order cognitive skills represented in the Sunshine State Standards.
One way for students at FCAT Levels 1 and 2 to meet their Annual Learning Gains (ALG), a component in determining a school’s grade, is for them to improve their scores by more than a state-mandated level that varies depending on grade level. Across the students in this study, in order to meet Annual Learning Gains, the students had to improve at least 115 points.
After using Fast ForWord and Reading Assistant products, 60% of the participants made ALG with the actual improvement of 173 points, on average, exceeding the expected gain of 115 points by a statistically significant amount.
Related Reading:
Longitudinal Study Shows Significant Fast ForWord® Gains Endure Over Time
Fast ForWord® Language Series Has Greatest Impact of Any Intervention Listed by NCRTI
Attend one of our popular webinars with thought leaders in learning. Live and pre-recorded webinars are available. Register today!
Categories: Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Reading Assistant, Scientific Learning Research
Longitudinal Study Shows Significant Fast ForWord® Gains Endure Over Time
- October 6, 2011 by Melissa Agocs
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Every spring, the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests, abbreviated CRCT, are administered to students in Georgia. The CRCT is designed to measure how well students acquire the skills and knowledge described in the Georgia Performance Standards.
Students are tested in reading, English/language arts and mathematics. This summary will concentrate on the reading results from the Clarke County School District in Georgia. The CRCT is given every spring to all students in grades 1-8, and the students included in this study were first through eighth graders during the time of the study.
A longitudinal study is a type of study that follows the same subjects over time. Clarke County students who used the Fast ForWord products generally started with the Fast ForWord® Language or Fast ForWord® Literacy series, with students then progressing through the Fast ForWord® Reading series. Students started on the products during different years, with some starting as early as the 2006-2007 school year, and others starting aslate as the 2010-2011 school year.
The first wave of Fast ForWord participants at Clarke County started using the products in the fall of 2006 and made statistically significant improvements on the spring 2007 CRCT with continued improvements in 2008 and the following years. Students in the second wave started using the products in the fall of 2007 and made statistically significant improvements on the spring 2008 CRCT.
After a third group started in 2008 school year, the group’s CRCT scores significantly increased and then continued to go up. Similarly, students who began using the products in 2009 and 2010 also started to show increases in their reading scores after Fast ForWord participation.
Each cohort exhibits a similar pattern in that after Fast ForWord participation started, on average, the group showed a steady increase in their CRCT reading scores with each passing year.
Looking at the students who started using Fast ForWord products in 2010, there was an increase in the percentage of students reaching reading proficiency, with 55% of students who were not proficient in 2010 crossing the proficiency threshold in 2011.
In addition to longitudinal results, data were also analyzed for certain demographic groups, including students who were receiving Special Education services and students with Limited English Proficiency. Both groups achieved statistically significant improvements on the CRCT Reading Test after Fast ForWord participation.
If you have questions on this study or any other Fast ForWord study, please feel free to contact our Customer Service Team.
Related Reading:
Fast ForWord® Language Series Has Greatest Impact of Any Intervention Listed by NCRTI
My Nephew Was a Struggling Learner (Not Anymore!): Carrie’s Story
Attend one of our popular webinars with thought leaders in learning. Live and pre-recorded webinars are available. Register today!
Categories: English Language Learners, Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Scientific Learning Research, Special Education
My Son Announced He Was Dropping Out of High School: Mary’s Story
- September 15, 2011 by Norene Wiesen
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This post is the fourth in a series aimed at sharing the success stories, both personal and professional, that Scientific Learning employees witness every day.
Mary’s Story:
I was hired at Scientific Learning in 2007 to educate people about the products as an Account Manager in the Midwest. At the same time that I got the phone call to find out if I had interest in talking to Scientific Learning, our ninth grade son announced to us that he was not going to high school and he was going to drop out. It took my breath away. Both his father and I have been educators for many years and we both hold advanced degrees.
I said, “Todd, you have to go to high school,” and he said, “But I don’t want to go.” I said, “But you have to,” and he asked, “Well, what would happen if I didn’t go?” I said, “It’s the law, Todd.” Then he said, “I can’t read. I can’t keep up with it. You guys have done everything for me that is possible but I can’t read. I can’t read at grade level.”
I called my son’s teacher (we convinced him to go to school) and I said, “Here’s the carrot. My son doesn’t have to do any homework until he finishes this product. This is his homework at night.” And every night he came home and did Fast ForWord.
And what he did is committed to doing 90 minutes a day and he was done is less than 4 weeks, and he did the post test and when I looked up the score my son had gone from seventh grade, one month reading level to tenth grade, two months reading level. He was a year above grade level and for the very first time in his life he said, “I love to read.”
All I can say is thank you to all the scientists that did all the work to bring this product to not only my son but to the parents and kids out there in America who need it so desperately.
Related Reading:
Language Skills Increase 1.8 Years After 30 Days Using Fast ForWord
Implementation Fidelity: Maximizing Your Fast ForWord® or Reading Assistant™ Investment
Attend one of our popular webinars with thought leaders in learning. Live and pre-recorded webinars are available. Register today!
Categories: Brain Fitness, Family Focus, Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning
Language Skills Increase 1.8 Years After 30 Days Using Fast ForWord
- August 25, 2011 by Andrew Ostarello
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This study is a randomized controlled trial that investigated the impact of Fast ForWord Language software in 9 elementary schools. The analyses that follow include data from 452 students in grades K through 5.
Students were randomly assigned to be in either the Fast ForWord group or the control group. The randomization was stratified within age and gender.
Students using Fast ForWord trained for 100 minutes per day for an average of 30 school days. Both groups were evaluated using three assessments:
- Test of Auditory Comprehension of Language
- Phonological Awareness Test
- Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Education Battery
The average gains from pre-test to post-test were larger for Fast ForWord participants than for the control group for both Language Comprehension and Phonological Isolation. Both of these results were statistically significant.
In addition, a large subset of students in this study were English Language Learners. A total of 85 students did not speak English as their primary language – 53 of whom used Fast ForWord, while 32 served as controls. The results for English Language Learners were consistent with those for native English speakers. Both of these results were statistically significant.
In conclusion, Fast ForWord participation led to significantly larger improvements than the control group in a variety of early language skills.
The vast majority of students made learning gains; these students averaged 1.8 years of language improvement in only 30 school days.
These results are consistent for both ELL students and for native English speakers.
Finally, note that this study was conducted on the original version of Fast ForWord Language. Since publication of this study in 2004, a new and enhanced version of Fast ForWord Language has been released (Fast ForWord Language version 2).
Related Reading:
Forecasting ROI from Fast ForWord® and Reading Assistant™ Products
Attend one of our popular webinars with thought leaders in learning. Live and pre-recorded webinars are available. Register today!
Categories: English Language Learners, Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Scientific Learning Research
Student Reading Improvement Nearly Doubles In Just 24 Days
- June 28, 2011 by Andrew Ostarello
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This video summarizes a study of Fast ForWord Reading 1—the first product in Scientific Learning’s Fast ForWord Reading Series.
The study is a randomized controlled trial that investigated the impact of Fast ForWord Reading 1 in three elementary schools. The analyses that follow include data from 208 students in 1st and 2nd grade.
Students were randomly assigned to be in either the Fast ForWord group or the control group. The randomization was stratified within grade.
Students using Fast ForWord trained for 48 minutes per day for an average of 24 school days. Both groups were evaluated using the Test of Phonological Awareness, or the “TOPA” for short.
There were two subtests: one for Phonological Awareness, and one for Letter-Sounds.
For each subtest, the Fast ForWord participants showed greater gains between pre-test and post-test than the control group. These differences were both statistically significant.
In conclusion, Fast ForWord participation led to significantly larger improvements than the control group in both the Phonological Awareness and Letter Sounds subtests.
In both cases, the magnitude of the gains was about double for Fast ForWord participants: 12.8 points versus 6.9 for Phonological Awareness, and 5.5 versus 1.9 points for Letter Sounds.
Related Reading:
Fast ForWord Featured on ABC 7 News
After Just 24 Days, Summer School Students Significantly Improve Reading Scores
Attend one of our popular webinars with thought leaders in learning. Live and pre-recorded webinars are available. Register today!
Categories: Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Scientific Learning Research
