Neuron Learning

Having a child diagnosed with dyslexia can be overwhelming.

Dyslexia in children and adults is caused by a weakness in language and reading skills as well as potentially one or more of the fundamental cognitive skills required for reading. Science now knows that these skills are not set in stone. The brain like any other muscle can be changed, strengthened and improved if exercised appropriately.

This means that dyslexia should no longer be thought of as a permanent diagnosis, although it is a lifetime affliction if not treated.

It is not an issue of intelligence but rather how someone processes information. And not just written information but spoken information as well. And the problems identified in reading can often be reflected in other aspects of life as well.

Neuroscience and educational research have clearly identified the key skills that we need for effective learning. Have a look and see if you feel that any of these critical areas could be improved in your own children

The four importance cognitive processes are Memory, Attention, Processing and Sequencing. We call these skills Learning MAPs™: Memory, Attention, Processing and Sequencing and use them to improve the essential cognitive processes that a student needs for reading and learning.

Improved Memory We assist students to improve their working memory. This provides them the capacity to retain information for a short time, while actively processing or working with it. Users report improved working memory, moving their abilities into the higher range, and show significant improvements compared to before.

Attention Focused and sustained attention provide the ability to concentrate on a task without being distracted. On average, our Fast ForWord ® users show major improvements in attention and focus.

Processing Skills Auditory processing skills, including the ability to discriminate the fast changes that distinguish many phonemes, provide the foundation for acquiring strong verbal language skills and for learning to read. After using the Fast ForWord Language product, users move well into the average auditory processing range in both quiet and noisy conditions.

Sequencing This is a cognitive skill that relies on memory, attention and processing and is essential for phonics, word fluency, reading and oral comprehension. Sequencing places information in a logical order which in turn allows for improved memory attention and processing.

These four skills help students to have several strong outcomes including, phonological memory, improved sentence memory and word discrimination as well as higher attention levels in class and at home, greater ability to remember and carry out instructions and better auditory processing.

The mastery of these attributes clearly enables better reading and therefore easier learning. Students feel a corresponding improvement in self confidence and sense of esteem.

Key Areas Which Require Intervention May Include:

Cognitive Issues: More clinical definitions of dyslexia will refer to cognitive issues as well as reading problems. For example we see more and more psychologists refer in their assessments to speed of processing issues, i.e., the reader is slow at taking in the information. Equally there is a generally accepted feeling that a student with poor memory skills, weak focus and attention and sequencing skills may often reflect these weaknesses in their reading abilities

The Link to Oral Language: A student with poor spoken language will invariably reflect this in his or her reading. It stands to reason; reading is effectively decoding the spoken word. A person who does not know the sounds of the English language or cannot differenciate them will be unable to tell the difference on the page. Therefore they will be unable to understand the symbols and decode the words that they are trying to read.

Language Fundamentals: A limited vocabulary, poor grammar and weak language structure will prevent a student from being an effective reader. A lack of understanding of tenses or how different endings can change a word (e.g., jump, jumps, jumping, will jump) will confuse the reader.

Auditory Processing: A common reason children need help for dyslexia problems is that they have difficulty processing sound, called an auditory processing disorder or APD. This is sometimes evident in early language skills, but just as often is not. Hearing "cat" as one sound for spoken language is much easier than hearing it as three sounds |c|-|a|-|t| as is required for reading.

If a child cannot clearly process these individual sounds inside words -- the phonemes -- then reading is going to be a challenge. In later years this difficulty morphs into an inefficient reading style that is exhausting and diverts brain capacity needed for reading comprehension.

You can check out for your yourself your child or student's reading abilities. Click here to see early signs of difficulties.

Adults tend to show other issues. Click here to see a summary

Neuron Learning identifies the cognitive skill gaps causing dyslexia and strengthens them using Fast ForWord and other cognitive software. Fast ForWord will help your students to be more effective learners.

How Fast ForWord Helps Dyslexia

Neuron Learning uses Fast ForWord software to develop the required auditory processing skills. The program identifies the student's current processing skill level and builds from there, using adaptive exercises that build speed and complexity in tiny incremental steps.

More efficient auditory processing creates the ability to hear the individual sounds inside words more clearly. This improved listening accuracy improves word memory integrity and makes it easier for the brain to make automatic matches to the text when decoding, thereby making reading less exhausting, and a lot faster.

Once a cognitive foundation is in place, our individualised protocol aims to rebuild a student's reading mechanics. Bad habits are eradicated and the fundamentals of spelling, language structure and vocabulary are revisited as needed.

Our goals are reading fluency, reading comprehension and finally, reading with metacognition. This is the ability to read and think about what you are reading and self-correct as you go. This critical skill cannot even begin to develop until reading is automatic.

Reading With Automaticity

If the brain is listening more accurately, decoding will be more automatic. If decoding is automatic reading is less exhausting and thinking resources can be devoted to comprehension. Hence better reading comprehension, less re-reading and more reading enjoyment. It's a virtuous cycle once you are on it!

To find out if we can help your child contact us. We will follow up in a day or so with a recommendation.

Participants will improve listening skills, speech and their reading and learning abilities.

The programmes improve your students’ memory and build attention as well as sequencing skills. After completing the recommended course they will be able to process information accurately and more quickly.

You can be confident of success because we give you regular reporting of each individual's progress including identifying priority areas and detailed reporting of results. Therefore you have your own evaluation tools to monitor and measure your implementation. We also provide support on academic and technical issues.

We provide you with comprehensive resources from oral language development to advanced reading. Students work systematically from phonemic awareness through phonics and vocabulary expansion to sophisticated comprehension.

The marriage of cognitive skills to language development helps students make huge leaps in their academic abilities allowing them to truly realise their potential.

The effectiveness of the program has been verified by many studies including Harvard and Stanford Universities.

We will be happy to talk to you about your needs and how the programmes can help you achieve your aims.

Testimonials

One family, three children. The education psychologist was astonished by the positive results. As their father says "They've more of an interest in reading. Their comprehension is probably where they have most excelled.They no longer need learning support in school." This article in The Independent shows what is possible. Click here to see the full article.

Resources

Reading and the Link to Processing Speed. An article in Advance Magazine for Speech and Language Therapists and Audiologists published in 2007. "Some children with dyslexia struggle to read because their brain isn't wired properly to process fast-changing sounds. Sound training via computer exercises literally can rewire the brain, correcting the sound processing problem and improving reading, a new study has found ....." Click here to see the full article

Brain Changes in Children with Dyslexia after using Fast ForWord Language Programme. A study completed in Stanford University and published in the US National Academy of Sciences in 2003. "this study is the first fMRI study to show changes in brain function in children with dyslexia after remediation. Remediation resulted in improved language, reading performance, and increased activation in multiple brain regions during phonological processing..." Click here to see the full study on the PNAS site

Welsh Assembly Rapporteur Group on Dyslexia; report on July, 16, 2008 "The Dyslexia Rapporteur Group was particularly impressed by the Fast ForWord® computer based products and the experience of these products in the Everett Public Schools for the following reasons:…….. "The key features of Fast ForWord were highlighted in the report: scalability, replication, teacher efficiency, adaptability, engagement for students
"The Rapporteur Group were impressed by the Fast ForWord® Progress Tracker which is an online data analysis and reporting tool that enables teachers to monitor individual, classroom and school performance of students working with Fast ForWord® products." The full report can be read here

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About Neuron Learning

We provide education software for use in schools, clinics and home. Our goal is to bring the best of neuroscience research together with good learning practices. Our programmes develop the essential skills of language, reading and learning. Our students see significant gains in memory, attention, sequencing and processing speeds.

Our reading programmes develop the critical skills of listening accuracy, phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, vocabulary, spelling, grammar and comprehension.

Studies indicate an average gain of 2.4 years in 4 months work on our reading programmes.

Our programmes include the Fast ForWord family of products, Scientific Learning’s Reading Assistant programmes, Brain Fitness from Positscience and other leading software intervention programmes.

Students from a multitude of backgrounds benefit from using our products. These include people with Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Attention Deficit Disorder ADD, ADHD, Aspergers, Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), Acquired Brain Injury Patients, Developmental Delay Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, English Language Learners and Gifted Children, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and Specific Language Impairment

Teachers who use our programmes appreciate the unique way our software helps students improve their ability to process information. They love the training and support we offer. And they appreciate the extensive resources that we provide. Finally they can be confident of success because they benefit from the extensive diagnostic feedback reports we provide to them on each individual student.

Our programmes are available directly from us and from our providers throughout Europe including; England, (London, Belfast, Birmingham, Newcastle, Manchester),France, Germany (Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich), Holland / Netherlands, Ireland (Cork, Dublin, Galway, Killarney, Limerick, Navan, Tralee) Bulgaria, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, (Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow) Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Wales and other parts of the United Kingdom.Please contact us for further information