How I Use Forbrain When a Student Isn't Ready for Fast ForWord

In my last blog, I shared a little about my journey into educational neuroscience.

It all began with Dr Norman Doidge’s book The Brain That Changes Itself, where I first discovered Fast ForWord and the incredible idea that we can put a demand on our brain to change, even when there are learning and reading challenges.

Since then, I’ve continued learning through courses, research and, perhaps most importantly, working alongside children and families.

One thing I’ve been learning recently is that not every child is ready for Fast ForWord.

Many of the children I meet in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 are still developing the foundational skills that learning depends on. Others may be much older. They may struggle to focus for more than a few minutes, find it difficult to remember simple instructions or lack confidence in their own ability to try.

That doesn’t mean they can’t improve.

It simply means we need to meet their brains where they are.

That’s where using Forbrain in my face to face sessions really helps.

Forbrain is a headset that uses both air conduction and bone conduction to provide immediate auditory feedback while students speak and listen. I find the science behind it fascinating, but what interests me even more is how I can use it as part of fun, engaging activities with learners of all ages.

Rather than sitting children in front of long lessons, we play.

We clap rhythms.

We remember sequences.

We identify sounds in words.

We move.

We laugh.

We repeat simple patterns, to give their brains the chance to wire new pathways.

Sometimes we even pretend we’re detectives listening carefully for tiny sounds hidden inside words. From the outside, it probably looks like we’re just having fun. But underneath, those games we’re playing are building some very important brain skills.

Many of the activities focus on attention, working memory and phonemic awareness—the ability to hear, identify and manipulate the individual sounds that make up spoken words. These skills are incredibly important because they become part of the foundation of language, learning and reading.

And each time a student uses their voice while wearing the Forbrain, they receive better feedback from their voice. The Forbrain uses the natural audio-feedback loop which allows for natural self-correction. Interestingly, I've found many students prefer reading out loud with the Forbrain on - as the brain isn't working as hard to match sounds to letters.

Educational neuroscience has helped me appreciate that reading isn’t one single skill. It’s built on many smaller skills working together. The stronger those foundations become, the more confidently children can build upon them.

Of course, every child is different. Some children need more movement, some need shorter activities. Others enjoy the challenge of remembering longer sequences or listening for increasingly similar sounds - one of the reasons I like the interplay between Forbrain and Fast ForWord so much. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach.

One of the biggest lessons educational neuroscience continues to teach me is that emotion matters. Children learn best when they feel safe, curious and included in the group. If an activity is too difficult, their brains can quickly become overwhelmed, or if it’s too easy, they become bored. The real magic often happens in that sweet spot where a child thinks, “That was tricky… but I did it!”

Those little moments build confidence as much as they build skills.

As I’ve continued using Forbrain, I’ve become increasingly curious about how combining immediate auditory feedback with carefully chosen activities may support young learners. Research into educational neuroscience and auditory processing continues to grow, and I enjoy following it with an open and hopeful mind.

I’m certainly not suggesting there’s one solution for every child. There never will be. Children are wonderfully unique, and every brain develops differently, but I do believe that when we understand more about how children learn, we can make wiser decisions about how we support them.

That’s what my mission means to me. I'm not replacing great teaching or tutoring, I'm supporting it by increasing awareness about the brain and the skills like attention, memory and auditory processing that underpin the ability to learn and read.

Educational neuroscience is helping us better understand the amazing organ doing all the learning in the first place.

Every week I continue learning something new. Every week I become a little more curious.

And every week I’m reminded why I love walking alongside children and their families as they discover that learning and/or reading doesn’t have to stay hard forever.

Because when we understand the brain a little better, we often discover new reasons for hope.

If you'd like to learn more about Learnerobics, click on the link below. It'll take you to our Next Steps page, where you can join our community and get regular emails, download our free ebook, or book a free consultation.

Learnerobics

Mission: Develop attention, memory, language and mindset skills in children and adults with learning and reading challenges.

Vision: We see a future where learning and reading challenges no longer limit confidence and living a life of purpose.

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monique@learnerobics.com.au

The information on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, educational, psychological, or healthcare advice. Always consult a qualified health care professional regarding your individual circumstances. Results may vary between indiviuals.

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