Language and reading skills are critical for all students, impacting their ability to benefit from instruction, follow directions, and participate in class discussions. Strong linguistic skills also provide a critical foundation for building reading and writing skills. After Fast ForWord use, students in the Springfield Public Schools made significant gains in their reading performance. Overall improvement across all students was 6 months during the 3 1⁄2 month period. For students who showed benefit, average improvement was more than a whole grade level for students receiving special education or Title 1 services, as well as for students who were English language learners. This suggests that using the Fast ForWord products strengthened the students’ foundational skills and helped them benefit more from the classroom curriculum.
