March 17, 2004

A US-made computer program offers kids with language and reading problems a chance to catch up with their peers.

Until earlier this year, five-year-old Teddy Na remained shut in his own world. He couldn't read the alphabet. He couldn't write, and found it difficult to talk to others or understand them.

But, an intensive computer-based teaching programme has left Teddy a changed boy.

He has been chattering away at home, is slowly learning to read and is even willing to make phone calls - a once-dreaded task.

'He's improved so much that it's almost difficult to believe,' laughed Ms Ngoo.

Educational-service company Scientific Learning Corporation developed the program. A well-received program in the United States, Fast ForWord is here through local distributor KidzGrow.

According to KidzGrow's clinical director, Ms Cheryl Chia, Fast ForWord is noted as a proven method of treating auditory processing disorders.

The proprietary patented technology allows the computer to lengthen and to slow down speech sounds. This gives children the time to listen, process and comprehend the sound of words. As the learning progresses, the words can be speeded up to the normal rate of speech. Kids also get to associate the sounds with letters flashing on the screen, which helps them learn to read.

'The program works on the assumption that rigorous training can help 'rewire' children's brains,' said Ms Chia. 'On average, kids who use Fast ForWord make language gains of one to two years in six to eight weeks.'

Parents like Geraldine Chang, 36, agree. The former teacher put her six-year-old son Jordan on Fast ForWord, after spending months teaching him simple Maths concepts with little success.

'Jordan was unable to grasp even simple concepts like three plus two equals five,' said Ms Chang.

'It was only after I put him on Fast ForWord and saw the improvement, that I realised that there was nothing wrong with his intelligence - he simply had a problem understanding my instructions.'

The program helped Jordan 'process' the information he listens to properly, 'so the words don't get jumbled up in his mind', she added.

Fast ForWord has also provided a ray of hope to Chloe Lee, 9, who has dyslexia, a condition which makes it difficult for some kids to read or interpret symbols. After struggling for years, the Primary Three pupil can finally read simple words like pronouns and prepositions. That's a huge relief for her mother, Connie Lee, because despite years of therapy and special classes, Chloe was not making much progress.

'I was increasingly under pressure to put her in a special school, and that's something I did not want to do,' said the 37-year-old.

The dramatic improvements, however, come at a cost - at $45 an hour, or $2,700 for a six-week course with KidzGrow.

The cost is a big worry for parents like Mrs Lee, who said she 'earns very little' as an administrative officer. 'There is no way I could afford more classes, even if Chloe needed it.'