Fast Forword Reading Program: Recognising Auditory Processing Disorder.

The ability to process information quickly is key to becoming a proficient reader. Despite reading being considered a visual activity, it relies heavily on an individual’s oral language skills. So most people may not realize how important auditory processing is to reading skills. Here is some information about the correlation between sound and reading; read to the end to find out how parents can help children rev up their auditory processing and, in turn, help them become strong readers. So, let us give you an insight on what is Auditory Processing Disorder and how can you recognize it.

What is Auditory Processing Disorder?

Auditory processing is the process by which the brain assigns meaning to sounds. Hearing is a separate process from auditory processing, which involves the actual mechanics of the ear. A person may hear noises that are the correct pitch and amplitude, but without auditory processing, they might sound like a muffled horn, this is what we call Auditory Processing Disorder.

For Example:

Consider John who has trouble distinguishing between the sounds ‘b’ and ‘d’ in his speech. When asked to map a sound to the grapheme of b, he is going to be overwhelmed and frustrated, and even more so when asked to read the word ‘BED’ aloud.

Consider Leslie, who has trouble digesting information quickly. Because the noises blend together, she has trouble understanding what her teacher says. It’s the same feeling when a person visits a new country and puts his/her new language skills to the test, but the natives speak at a pace that he/she can’t keep up with. Because their auditory map of the spoken sounds in that language is sloppy, the sounds all blend together. Leslie encounters this on a daily basis, and her inability to absorb the quick mixing of sounds prevents her from developing phonemic awareness.

Facing problems this early in life can cause a big disadvantage when trying to master language and reading skills. Even with words slowed down and enciated, it may still not be enough. That’s where the Fast ForWord Reading Program comes in!

The Fast ForWord Reading Program steadily increases the speed of the sound at a rate that is tailored to the success of the children. A child  will have caught up and mastered the reading abilities that demand quick and precise auditory processing by the end of the program. All of the other reading components, such as phonics, decoding, fluency, and comprehension, will fall into place more easily as a result.

At the end of it we have a strong and confident reader and learner!

Now that the connection between sound and reading is understood, let’s pay attention to how children learn to read. Is it possible that their auditory processing or processing speed is the cause of their difficulties? If this is the case, it may be time to help them.

Find Out How We Can Help Your Child!

We at Empowerkidz are authorized providers of the Fast ForWord Program. Contact Dr. Anupma Sethi at +1-669-900-2315 today to know more!