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Showing posts with tag increased test scores Show all posts >
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
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Categories: Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Scientific Learning Research
Forecasting ROI from Fast ForWord® and Reading Assistant™ Products
- June 21, 2011 by Andrew Ostarello
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Return on Investment, or “ROI” is a straightforward concept. With educational interventions, we invest something (typically time, money, or energy) and receive some benefit.
The primary benefit of investing time, money, and energy in Fast ForWord® and Reading Assistant™ products is increased student achievement. This benefit has always been a focus for Scientific Learning. However, in our discussions with customers, we realized that many district stakeholders had a parallel benefit that they are concerned with: the financial impact on their district as a whole. We decided to see if we could address and quantify this parallel (and perhaps complementary) view of ROI.
We identified four areas where data suggest that implementation of Scientific Learning products can impact a district’s financial costs:
- Reduction of the high school dropout rate
- Reduction of referrals to special education
- Reduction of the number of students who require ELL services
- Reduction of the number of students classified as “struggling readers”
Here’s an example of how we tried to quantify one of these benefits. A district in Swartz Creek, Michigan observed a 30% drop year-over-year in special education referrals after implementing Fast ForWord products with their students. To be safe, we chose a very statistically conservative estimate for the reduction a new customer might expect to see in their special education referral rates: 21.2%. Technically, we got this by looking at the lower bound of a 95% confidence interval for the effect based on the Swartz Creek data.
These estimates led to the creation of Scientific Learning’s Return on Investment Tool. The tool estimates the ROI—that is, the true financial cost—of using Scientific Learning products over a three year horizon. This includes the initial software purchase and three years of product support. Note that we often see ROIs greater than 100% (i.e. a net financial benefit) for medium to large implementations with lots of students.
If we take a look at a three-year ROI for a large implementation, in year one the costs exceed the financial benefits, but in subsequent years the products more than pay for themselves. Actual estimates will depend greatly on the individual district and the scope of the implementation.
To get an ROI estimate for your school or district, contact us.
Related Reading:
Over 45% Relative Improvement in Students Reaching Proficiency
79% of ELL Students Increase Proficiency by One or More Levels
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Categories: Education Trends, English Language Learners, Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Reading Assistant, Scientific Learning Research, Special Education
Fast ForWord Featured on ABC 7 News
- June 17, 2011 by Norene Wiesen
For those of you who missed the ABC 7 News spot last night, here's another chance to hear the success story of students at Korematsu Discovery Academy in Oakland, CA, who have seen reading test gains of 1.5 years, on average, since beginning the Fast ForWord program earlier this year.
"You don't normally see that kind of gains," said the school's principal, Charles Wilson. "And it's not the kids fault, it's the system's fault for not providing the interventions that they need."
Wilson made the program available to his students for the first time this year with a $30,000 tech grant he received from the district. He is now working on getting another grant to extend the program to all students at his school next year.
Scientific Learning's own Dr. Bill Jenkins is featured as well, discussing the science behind the program.
For parents interested in home use, learn about our BrainPro service which provides Fast ForWord software and an online tutor.
Attend one of our popular webinars with thought leaders in learning. Live and pre-recorded webinars are available. Register today!
Categories: Brain Fitness, Brain Research, Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Scientific Learning Research
Grammar Skill Improvement with Fast ForWord Software
- May 19, 2011 by Barbara Calhoun, Ph.D
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This study was part of Dr. Beth Rogowsky’s doctoral research and was published in her dissertation in 2010. At the time of this study, Dr. Rogowsky was an experienced educator. Returning for her doctorate at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, Dr. Rogowsky was interested in data-driven decisions, and wanted to know whether the Fast ForWord products would improve the grammatical skills of a group of typical middle school students. The middle school in which Dr. Rogowsky taught had four marking periods each year. During each marking period, students took two elective courses.
During the 2009-2010 school year, the sixth graders were randomly assigned to use Fast ForWord during one of their electives; one-fourth of the students during each marking period. The students who used Fast ForWord during the 3rd marking period formed the experimental group in Dr. Rogowsky’s study while the students who were scheduled to use Fast ForWord later formed the comparison group. Students’ grammar skills were evaluated at the beginning and end of the 3rd marking period.
Study participants were 81 sixth graders. Group 1 consisted of 40 students who used Fast ForWord during the third marking period. Group 2 consisted of 41 students who did not use Fast ForWord until after the study was over. Students were assessed at the beginning and end of the study (January and April).
Using the 40-Minute protocols that require students to use the products 40 minutes a day, five days a week, the students first used Fast ForWord Literacy. After they finished Fast ForWord Literacy, students used Fast ForWord Reading Level 2. Students were evaluated at the start of the study, and again at the end, with the Written Expression Scale from the Oral and Written Language Scales, also known as the OWLS. The written section evaluates students’ knowledge of convention and content. Convention covers a variety of areas including spelling, capitalization and punctuation, linguistics, modifiers, phrases, verb form while content includes details, coherence, unity, and the presence of supporting ideas. Students are scored on a scale where 100 is average, and the standard deviation is 15.
At the start of the study, there was not a statistically significant difference between the scores of the students in the two groups. On average, students in both groups were a bit above the 50th percentile which corresponds to a score of 100. However, after the experimental group used the Fast ForWord products, there was a statistically significant difference between the scores of the two groups, and there were statistically significant increases in the scores of the group that had used Fast ForWord products. The results of this study led Dr. Rogowsky to conclude that the Fast ForWord products can improve students’ grammar skills and the improvements are evident in a classwide implementation.
Rogowsky, B. (2010). The Impact of Fast ForWord® on Sixth Grade Students’ Use of Standard Edited American English. Doctor of Education dissertation, Wilkes University.
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Categories: Brain Fitness, Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Scientific Learning Research
68% of Students Improve MEPA Proficiency Significantly after Fast ForWord®
- May 12, 2011 by Andrew Ostarello
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This study looked at 118 English Language Learner students who used Fast ForWord® products in the 2009-2010 school year from Everett Public Schools in Everett, MA. A small minority of the students also used the Fast ForWord products in the previous 2008-2009 school year.
These students were tested in both 2009 and 2010 with the Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessment, or the “MEPA” for short. The impact of Fast ForWord products was dramatic and positive. Following Fast ForWord participation, students averaged about 15 and a half scaled score points of improvement between 2009 and 2010.
In addition, no student scored at proficiency level 1 (the lowest proficiency level) after using Fast ForWord products. On the other end of the spectrum, the number of students in the top two proficiency levels (levels 4 and 5) more than doubled, from 33 to 74 students.
Finally, 68% of participants improved one or more proficiency levels; 26% maintained the same proficiency level they had in 2009; while only 6% dropped a level. This shift is statistically significant.
Related Reading:
Unlocking the Potential of English Language Learners
Scientific Learning Around the World
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Categories: English Language Learners, Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Scientific Learning Research
Students Exceed State Average on TAKS after Fast ForWord, Maintain Gains
- April 20, 2011 by Melissa Agocs
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Since the 2004-2005 school year, the Dallas Independent School District has used the Fast ForWord products in many of their high schools. This multi-year study followed more than 500 high school students from 20 schools over the years of their Fast ForWord participation. This study shows impressive longitudinal results on the TAKS which is The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills which is administered annually throughout Texas and is closely aligned with the state curricular standards. A longitudinal study is a type of study that follows the same subjects over time.
Students started with the Fast ForWord Middle & High School product, now known as the Fast ForWord Literacy product. Many went on to use the Fast ForWord Language to Reading and Fast ForWord to Reading products. On average, students spent 60 days using the products during a 5 ½ month period.
The scores of Fast ForWord participants moved in step with the state average until the students started to use Fast ForWord products. During the year of Fast ForWord product use, the participants experienced accelerated learning that separated their performance from that of their peers. Even up to two years after they finished using the products, the Fast ForWord participants maintained their improvements. The TAKS gains made during the study were statistically larger for the Dallas Fast ForWord participants than the gains made by their statewide peers.
Related Reading:
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: Education Trends, Reading & Learning, Scientific Learning Research
48% More Students Newly Proficient on GA CRCT After Fast ForWord Use
- April 7, 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. It is given every spring to all students in grades 1-8 and the students included in this study were first through eighth graders.
Students who used the Fast ForWord products generally started with the Fast ForWord Language or Fast ForWord Literacy products. During the 2007 – 2008 school year, some students started on the Fast ForWord Reading products, progressing as far as the Fast ForWord Reading Level 3 product. On average, students used the products for 60 – 70 days during a 6 month period.
The first wave of Fast ForWord participants at Clarke County started using the products between the 2006 and 2007 tests and made statistically significant improvements on the spring 2007 CRCT with continued improvements in 2008. Students in the second wave started using the products between the 2007 and 2008 tests and made statistically significant improvements on the spring 2008 CRCT. The third group served as the comparison group and did not use the products until after the 2008 test. The students who used the Fast ForWord products made more improvements in their reading achievement, crossing the proficiency threshold, compared to the students who did not use the products. In fact, 40% of the participants who were not proficient in 2006 reached proficiency in 2007 compared to 27% of the non-proficient students who did not use products.
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. Students who were receiving Special Education services and who used Fast ForWord products made significant gains in their reading scores, but more importantly, these gains were significantly greater than the gains made by the comparison group. Similarly, students with limited English proficiency who used Fast ForWord products also made significant gains in their reading scores that were significantly greater than the gains made by the comparison group.
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Categories: Brain Fitness, English Language Learners, Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Scientific Learning Research
After Just 24 Days, Summer School Students Significantly Improve Reading Scores
- March 24, 2011 by Logan De Ley
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In a 5-week summer program, students at eleven schools from Wayne County Public Schools in North Carolina used the Reading Assistant software from Scientific Learning. To evaluate the impact of this program, the district conducted an observational study using reading scores, collected before and after the intervention, from 117 students.
The outcomes measure used for the study was Reading Progress Indicator - RPI for short. This computer-based assessment is standardized and nationally normed, and it is correlated with other widely used reading measures. RPI assesses student learning in four key skill areas: phonological awareness, decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Study participants used Reading Assistant software, which combines advanced speech verification technology with research-based interventions to function as a personal tutor for guided oral reading practice. On average, the study participants worked with the software for a total of 6.3 hours over a 24 day period.
At the beginning of Wayne County’s summer program, the study participants scored at the 21st percentile in reading skills, on average. Five weeks later, after working with Reading Assistant, the study group moved to the 30th percentile in reading skills – a statistically significant improvement. They also improved their average reading level, moving from “struggling readers” to “emerging readers.”
Related Reading:
How Does Learning Coach Technology Work?
Can Scientific Learning Products Improve School Test Scores?
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Categories: Education Trends, Reading Assistant, Scientific Learning Research
Truth in Numbers: School Achieves Statistically Significant Improvements on TAKS
- March 3, 2011 by Logan De Ley
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In the 2008-2009 school year, selected students at Sam Houston Elementary School in the Grand Prairie Independent School District, TX, worked with the Reading Assistant software. To evaluate the impact of this intervention, the school conducted an observational study using scores from the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, or “TAKS,” the annual state assessment. Administered in the spring of each year, students throughout Texas take the TAKS, which measures progress against the state’s curricular standards.
On average, the study students worked with the Reading Assistant software for a total of two and a half hours over a 27-day period. The outcomes measure used for the study was the reading portion of the TAKS. Assessment results were reported in Lexile scores, which provide a continuous scale for tracking students’ reading achievement over time.
Before and after scores were available for 18 fifth graders who had worked with the software:
- Prior to using Reading Assistant, many of these students were struggling readers. Only 56% of study participants met the state standard for reading proficiency in 2008. The group’s average reading level was more than a year below what it should have been for their grade.
- After using Reading Assistant, the percentage of students who met the Texas state standard for reading proficiency increased from 56% to 78%. The group’s average Lexile score went up from 541 before using the software to 753 after using the software.
The study group showed statistically significant gains in both reading score and passing rate, suggesting that guided oral reading practice with Reading Assistant had a dramatic impact on reading achievement. Reading Assistant software combines advanced speech recognition technology with research-based interventions to function as a personal tutor for guided oral reading practice.
For more information, please see the Educator Briefing on this study as well as any of our 200+ additional reports on results schools and districts have achieved with Fast ForWord and Reading Assistant software. If you have questions about any of our research studies, please contact us.
Related Reading:
One Half Year Increase in One Month with Reading Assistant
Nevada Department of Education: Fast ForWord is a “High-Gain Program”
Attend one of our popular webinars with thought leaders in learning. Live and pre-recorded webinars are available. Register today!
Categories: Reading & Learning, Reading Assistant, Scientific Learning Research
Test Scores Exceed State Average in 4 Subject Areas After Fast ForWord
- February 15, 2011 by Andrew Ostarello
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St. Mary Parish began using Fast ForWord products in the 2006-2007 school year with eight elementary schools. Over the next few years they continually expanded until they had a full district implementation by 2009-2010. Overall, Fast ForWord and Reading Assistant products were used by almost 6,000 St. Mary Parish students by 2010.
This study investigates the changes during that time to the district’s performance on the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program, or LEAP for short. This test is given to 4th and 8th grade students. The following analyses consider four main subtests: English/Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, and Science.
After implementing Fast ForWord products, the St. Mary 4th grade passing rate for ELA converged upon, and then exceeded the state average. After Fast ForWord was introduced, the percentage of the district’s students passing the LEAP Math test increased dramatically. The 4th grade Science test exhibits the same trend as does the 4th grade Social Studies test.
The gap in passing rates between black and white students has also been reduced for both the elementary English and elementary Math LEAP tests. There has also been a longitudinal increase in the percentage of 4th graders meeting the overall promotion standard since Fast ForWord products were introduced - from 65% in 2006 to 85% in 2010.
Following Fast ForWord implementation, district LEAP performance approached and then exceeded the state average in all four subjects. The performance gap between black and white students closed significantly. And finally, the 4th grade promotion rates steadily increased.
For more information, please see the Educator Briefing on this study as well as any of our 200+ additional reports on Fast ForWord software results. If you have questions about any of our research studies, please contact us.
Related Reading:
Can Scientific Learning Products Improve School Test Scores?
Over 45% Relative Improvement in Students Reaching Proficiency
Attend one of our popular webinars with thought leaders in learning. Live and pre-recorded webinars are available. Register today!
Categories: Brain Fitness, Brain Research, Fast ForWord, Reading & Learning, Reading Assistant, Scientific Learning Research
