The Science of Learning Blog

December 16, 2020

Exciting New Addition to Fast ForWord: Elements II

BY Amy Takabori

This is the first in our four-part series leading to the launch of Elements II, the newest addition to the Fast ForWord Literacy secondary program.

We know that secondary educators face an incredible challenge: reaching struggling students who were already falling behind even before the switch to remote learning, now when teachers’ time and energy are maxed out. Fast ForWord Literacy is a powerful, evidence-based solution for this moment.

Elements II is coming soon!

We are excited to announce that in early 2021, Elements II will launch as a brand-new component of the Fast ForWord Literacy program for secondary readers. Designed to meet adolescent learners’ particular needs, Elements II helps all students achieve their learning potential. Elements II joins Elements I, which was released in August 2020, as the latest expansion of the Fast ForWord Literacy program.

With Elements II, secondary students will make up learning loss in record time and gain confidence in the process. The Elements II suite of exercises equips students with the learning skills they need to fully absorb the lessons that teachers expertly provide, whether online or in-person. 

Enjoy this sneak preview of the five exciting and new Elements II exercises, side-by-side with the legacy exercises they will replace.

1. Stellar Stories (Following Directions) will be replaced by Mission Control.

Goal: Develop the skill of following directions by identifying or manipulating shapes according to spoken instructions.

Stellar Stories (Legacy Exercise)
Mission Control (New in Elements II)

2. Stellar Stories (Listening Comprehension) will be replaced by Cinematch.

Goal: Develop listening comprehension skills by listening to stories and answering questions.

Stellar Stories (Legacy Exercise)
Cinematch (New in Elements II)

3. Spin Master will be replaced by Bioacoustics Lab.

Goal: Develop listening accuracy and phonological awareness skills by selecting a target syllable from a sequence of two syllables.

Spin Master (Legacy Exercise)
Bioacoustics Lab (New in Elements II)

4. Star Pics (Phonemic Accuracy) will be replaced by PicFlip.

Goal: Develop auditory word recognition, phonological awareness, and vocabulary skills by distinguishing between similar-sounding words.

Star Pics (Legacy Exercise)
PicFlip (New in Elements II)

5. Star Pics (Academic Vocabulary) will be replaced by Illuminator.

Goal: Develop auditory word recognition and academic vocabulary skills by discriminating among related math and science terms.

Star Pics (Legacy Exercise)
Illuminator (New in Elements II)

Stay tuned for more sneak peeks at this newest component of the Fast ForWord Literacy program.

In Part 2 of this series, we will dive into how Elements II meets the demands of remote or hybrid learning.

Learn more about supporting middle and high school students with Fast ForWord Literacy for grades 6-12 by downloading the brochure.

9 comments on “Exciting New Addition to Fast ForWord: Elements II”

  1. HI Amy, Thanks for the excellent overview--and I think it's missing one piece-- A new version of Sky Rider. Will that be coming?

    Thanks,
    Karen Kennedy
    Reading At Last
    FF Private Provider

    1. Hi Karen, Thanks for your comment! Sky Rider was an exercise in Literacy Advanced, and Foundations II has taken the place of Literacy Advanced with updated HTML5 technology. In Foundations II, the exercise that corresponds to Sky Rider is Jumper Gym. I hope that helps!

  2. Hi Amy, thanks for the new updates. We are looking forward to having it back again with the new design.
    Would it be possible to roll out "Elements III" in the near future for the replacement of "Literacy Advanced?" Also, will
    "reading series 4 & 5" coming soon afterward within this year? Thank you!

    1. Hi Willy, Thanks for your comment! Upcoming new Fast ForWord components may not be exact one-to-one replacements of Literacy Advanced, Reading Level 4, or 5, but our Product Development team is working tirelessly on newly designed exercises that will be just as, if not more, effective. The timeline has not been determined yet, but we'll keep you posted. 😀

  3. Hi Amy, graphics look great and lots of content. Our secondary teachers will be delighted. They love Fast ForWord and this revision will help a lot. Keep them coming!!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

Return to Blog Index
Copyright © 2021 Scientific Learning Corporation. All rights reserved.
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram