A seminar aimed at encouraging youngsters to read takes place next Tuesday.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Martha S. Burns, who has been a practicing speech and language pathologist for 40 years.

She has served on the Faculty of Northwestern University since 1981 and is an ASHA Fellow. Dr. Burns has also received honours from Northwestern University, American Speech Language Hearing Foundation, and St. Xavier University.

She has also authored and published two books, as well as various articles on language development, language disorders, auditory processing disorders and adult neurological disorders in professional journals.

The Neuroscience Approach to Reading Intervention, which is a free event, takes place at the Bermuda College, New Auditorium Hall, room N100, on December 4, from 8.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.

Neuroscience Approaches to the Study of Literacy: From Brain Research Classroom Intervention.

Organisers said from the foundational research on brain development to the technologies now available to schools for intervention, this seminar illustrates how science is advancing the cause of struggling readers, and how brain research is helping lead the way.

In an interview with The Royal Gazette, Dr. Burns explained that the Fast ForWord family of programmes was first introduced to the Island by Bercon Ltd., who are the exclusive providers in Bermuda and the Caribbean region, in 2005.

When asked whether oral language learning and written language learning was interdependent, Dr. Burns stated: "Oral language skills form the foundation for written language, reading and learning.

"On December 4, during the Brain Seminar, we will be discussing how the brain learns. We will also examine how literacy problems can often be linked to a lack of oral language skills in children and young adults."

She explained that the underlying causes of literacy problems could be identified and then addressed by specific exams.

"We have specific tests that identify young children at risk for reading problems and in older children we can identify specific causative issues," she said.

"Once the cause of these problems has been identified, we can use neuroscience based products to improve the brain's processing efficiency and accelerate quality learning.

"This principle is called brain plasticity and, among neuroscientists, it refers to the brain's ability to change at any age throughout life."

So how does the Fast ForWord system work?

She said: "It is based on over 30 years of Neuroscience research on the best exercises to increase memory, attention, processing speed and sequencing; cognitive prerequisites for reading.

"We call this Brain Fitness."

Does the programme differ between high school aged children vs. pre-teens?

Her reply was that the Fast ForWord Language products develop the same cognitive skills in adolescents and in children.

"However, in the programmes used by teens, the difficulty level is increased and the animation used in the exercises is designed to appeal and hold the attention of teenagers."

In previous times many dyslexic students fell by the wayside, but Dr. Burns explained how the programme assists this particular learning disability.

"It improves the brain's ability to process information in ways that are necessary for reading," said Dr. Burns.

"In an independent study conducted at Stanford University, brain imaging scans of children with dyslexia who used the Fast ForWord Language product showed normalisation of activity in critical areas of the brain used for reading. "Furthermore, this group of students showed significant improvements in reading and oral language skills on a number of assessments."

The exercises are presented to children in the form of games, which helps encourage them to complete the exercises, she added. "However, children soon discover that they need to work hard to advance in the programmes."

Contact Richard Bassett on 535-1545 or at bercon[AT]logic.bm to RSVP.