Our local PBS station (KQED) just aired a new documentary, “The New Science of Learning: Brain Fitness for Kids”. The program, while not mentioning Fast ForWord by name, extolls the virtues of cognitive training for enhancing learning in children of all ages and abilities.
If you’re familiar with the Fast ForWord story, and the idea that training programs like Fast ForWord can enhance learning by developing foundational cognitive skills like memory, sequencing, processing rates and attention, there’s not too much new stuff here. The show includes interviews with Drs. Merzenich and Tallal, as well as other psychologists, neuroscientists and educators. And Willie Brown, perhaps the most famous Fast ForWord alum, makes a very compelling appearance.
The show does a good job of pulling together all of the pieces that comprise Fast ForWord and presenting the package in a clear way. It’s all in there, from the criticality of timing in language, to the very concept of brain plasticity.
The elephant in the room, of course, is Fast ForWord, whose existence is implied, but never specifically mentioned. In the grand scheme of things, that’s probably good for the movement, as the endorsement of a specific product would weaken the overall message that brains are plastic and can be made stronger and more efficient with the appropriate training program.
We’d recommend “The New Science of Learning” for everyone, especially if you have only a cursory understanding of the premise and promise of a program like Fast ForWord.
If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, you’ve got a couple more chances to catch the show this week. It’s on Thursday evening at 7:30 PM and again early Friday morning (1:30 AM). We understand that a wider national release is imminent.
If you’d like to know more about brain fitness and how Be Amazing can help your child, visit our Web site.
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