Father of Brain Plasticity Michael Merzenich to Reunite with Fellow Pioneers at Scientific Learning Conf. March 3-5
February 25 2016 - 12:00PM
Business Wire
20 years after developing the
neuroscience-based Fast ForWord reading intervention Drs. Paula
Tallal, Steve Miller, William Jenkins and Michael Merzenich will
discuss new research on language and reading disorders, and why so
many children still struggle
Despite the efforts of educators, parents, and school boards,
there remains an epidemic of reading failure in American schools.
But what’s even more heartbreaking than watching a child struggle
to read is knowing that there is a proven remedy – based on decades
of neuroscience research – currently being used by parents, K-12
school districts and specialists in private practice. Yet, millions
are still missing out.
It began with neuroscientists Michael Merzenich, William
Jenkins, Paula Tallal, and Steven Miller who believed the key to
solving language and reading issues could be found in the
underlying cognitive processes of the brain. They met at a
conference in 1993 and discovered that their independent lab
research fit together like pieces of a puzzle. They could use the
newly discovered concept of brain plasticity – the ability of the
brain to rewire and improve – to target the root causes of slow
progress in struggling readers. Fast ForWord, a computerized
language and reading program that uses the principles of
neuroplasticity, was thus created.
Now twenty years later, these four neuroscientists will come
together in a rare joint appearance at the 2016 Visionary
Conference March 3-5, 2016 at the Westin San Diego in California.
Drs. Merzenich, Jenkins, Tallal, and Miller will discuss their
original research on auditory processing, brain plasticity, and how
much research has advanced our understanding of the brain and
learning as it applies to literacy and cognitive skills.
“Traditional tools for teaching reading, regardless of how
expertly and how often they are applied, will not work for most
struggling readers until these more foundational cognitive skills
are remediated,” said Tallal. “Not providing educators with
evidence-based tools to address both listening and oral language
skills is equivalent to demanding that a builder construct the
third floor of a school without having the tools to build a
sufficiently strong first and second floor, and then wondering why
the school keeps collapsing.
“The goal for the Visionary Conference is to bring together the
professionals working to improve literacy to learn more about the
research and evidence. They are the ones who must implement these
evidence-based tools and technologies on a broad scale to help the
millions of struggling readers who desperately need help,” said
Tallal.
Attended by psychologists, speech pathologists, and other
specialists in private practice and K-12 schools, the Visionary
Conference will include a variety of sessions including reviews of
new research and how educators and professionals can use the
findings to help treat learning disabilities.
For more information, visit http://www.scilearn.com/.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160225006208/en/
for Scientific LearningLeslie Eicher, APR,
314-221-9113Leslie@EicherCommunications.com
Scientific Learning (NASDAQ:SCILE)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2024 to Jun 2024
Scientific Learning (NASDAQ:SCILE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2023 to Jun 2024