The Science of Learning

Finding our way through life’s tangles and snares can be tricky.  It’s easier said than done.  But with determination, skills, support and a sense of direction, it’s possible. In the hit Broadway play Hamilton, playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda tells his story about rising above adversity in a song titled, “I Wrote My Way Out.” “I wrote my way out When the world turned its back on me I was up against the wall I had no foundation No friends or family to catch my fall Running on empty With nothing left in me but doubt I picked up the pen And wrote my way out.” How can a person write their way out, if they aren’t able to read, write and spell fluently?  Identifying a problem is a necessary first step to finding a resolution. Knowing where to begin solving a problem can be more elusive. Writing our way out of adverse circumstances is one thing, but writing our way out of learning to read – that requires specialized instruction and support. Without proficient literacy, how do we expect kids to someday align with opportunities, and write their own future?  To answer these driving questions, let’s look at dyslexia in the context of our educational system. October is dyslexia awareness month. Language-based learning disabilities affect age-appropriate reading, spelling, and sometimes writing, too. Effective, research-based practices have been identified and promoted for years. Everything necessary to provide learners with dyslexia with an appropriate education is available now, and has been for decades. Even so, too many kids are being left behind. Dyslexia screening is a hot topic among advocates, especially in California where the CDE recently published new California Dyslexia Guidelines. The desire for screening tools isn’t new. Schools have had access to screening tools for years. Two examples: the Shaywitz DyslexiaScreen […]

Southern California district will expand the use of the online reading intervention, developed by Scientific Learning Corp., to all schools this fall 8/25/14 Media Contact: Hallie SmithDirector of MarketingScientific Learning Corporation(619) [email protected] Oakland, Calif. — Aug. xx, 2014 — The Westside Union School District in California began using the Fast ForWord® program in four schools in 2013 to help English language learners (ELL), students receiving special education services, and other students who were struggling academically. After using the online language and reading intervention for two-and-a-half months, the students improved their reading skills by an average of eight months. Based on students’ success, the K-8 district will expand the Fast ForWord program district-wide to all 12 schools this fall. “Like most California districts, we’re in the process of transitioning to the Common Core. We wanted to be sure we had additional support in place for students with disabilities and English language learners, so they don’t get lost in the shuffle as we move to even more rigorous standards,” said Marguerite Johnson, assistant superintendent of educational services for Westside Union. “What first drew us to Fast ForWord was its strong research base. Then, once we began using the program, the amount of growth we saw was pretty exciting.” Developed by Scientific Learning Corp. (OTCQB:SCIL), the Fast ForWord program is used in schools across the nation to help students raise their reading skill level up to two years in as little as three months. In Westside Union School District, the program will be targeted to special education and ELL students.  “One of our principals summed up the Fast ForWord program best. She said they expected it would help students with their reading skills. What they didn’t anticipate was that once students used the program and saw they could be successful, their whole attitude and demeanor changed — they dressed […]

Scientific Learning Corp. announces a new three-day protocol to give educators more flexibility in offering the Fast ForWord language and literacy intervention  6/17/14 Media Contact: Hallie SmithDirector of MarketingScientific Learning Corporation(619) [email protected] Investor Contact:Jane FreemanChief Financial OfficerScientific Learning Corporation(510) [email protected] Oakland, Calif. — June 17, 2014 —Between Common Core and state testing requirements, school days are filled and space for additional activities is limited. This poses a challenge to millions of struggling learners, who need regular access to interventions in order to achieve academically. To provide K-12 schools with expanded options to treat the underlying cause of language and reading difficulties, once and for all, Scientific Learning Corp. (OTCQB:SCIL) today announces a new, shorter three-day protocol. The new three-day protocol will allow preK-12 schools to bring the benefits of the Fast ForWord language, literacy and reading intervention to more students fewer days per week, making it easier to integrate the program into their daily class schedules. The award-winning program was developed by neuroscientists to address foundational language and literacy skills, while concurrently developing memory, attention, processing and sequencing skills. The three-day, 30- and 50-minute protocols for the Fast ForWord program provide more implementation flexibility for schools, particularly those that have shorter class schedules or fewer workstations available to students. In keeping with its dedication to researching effectiveness, Scientific Learning conducted studies comparing the standard five-day, 30-minute protocol to the new three-day, 50-minute protocol and found comparable benefits. It also analyzed data collected from elementary, middle and high schools using a 30-minute protocol just three days per week, and found that these students also showed significant gains as well, although over a longer time period. For example, third graders in a California district made nine months of growth in only two months of Fast ForWord use, while high school students in New York made one […]