Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer READER'S EDGE BACKED BY NASA? AND PRING?????????

I just wanted to know why Learning Strategies corp couldn’t back their product with a NASA study. The people form the TLC did just that and the following is what they wrote.
http://www.fluentreading.com/

NASA

In addition to its Mission as the USA’s space agency, NASA is specifically charged with the responsibility of providing a continuing supply of trained men and women for the Country’s space program.

Fulfilling that mission, NASA is involved with actively supporting schools (K-12, colleges and universities) in the areas of Math, Science and Reading.

In April 2002 TLC was invited by NASA to give a presentation of The Reader's Edge® program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Pursuant to that goal, NASA chose TLC’s Reader’s Edge program as the leading program for teaching enhanced reading skills.

On October 23, 2002, NASA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with TLC that authorized TLC to use NASA content for inclusion in its Reading Selections.

In 2003, using The Reader’s Edge software, TLC conducted a Fluent Reading program at the Murphy School District, Phoenix, AZ. As a reward to the students who completed the course, NASA provided a NASA Certificate of Completion for the TLC Fluent Reading Program.

I responded to this in the other topic. Here's what I said:

I went to the site you linked to and I took their online demo. I read their test at 538 wpm. I didn't Photoread it. I then took their comprehension test and scored 100%. This put me above a Level 5 on both factors on their chart. The averages for their demo were 227 wpm and 73% comprehension.

From the rest of the site, it looks like they've put together a software program that teaches you to stop subvocalizing and learn to take in two or more words per eyestop. It had an Evelyn Wood and typical speed reading techniques feel. Learning these techniques are great for building efficient regular reading skills, but they pale in comparison to what I've been able to accomplish with Photoreading.

I'm glad they got NASA's stamp of approval, I have to say their program seems like a natural evolution of regular reading. If you want revolutionary, stick to PhotoReading.

I know this is kind of a moot point, but since when was NASA an authority on cognitive science?

I mean, don't get me wrong, I love NASA. I go to their astronomy photo of the day every day and their web layout is, to me, a perfect model of seamless web navigation.

But to be honest, why someone would use them as a resource for the backing of a speed reading program seems kind of silly, not unlike NASA backing that Tempur-Pedic mattress. It's also not unlike TLC also being endorsed by the Native American Business Alliance, which they also proudly proclaim.

I'd much rather trust the testimony of Dr. Michael Bennet, one of few scholars with a doctorate in reading, and even wrote his own book regarding speedreading. He fully endorses Photoreading. In fact the one page of testimonials located here ( http://www.learningstrategies.com/photoreading/Intro4.html) is full of people who are at least somehow affiliated with cognitive science, education, or neuro-linguistic programming.

I guess I'm saying that George Foreman may be more famous than the best chef in the world, but when it comes to food, I'd rather eat a steak from the chef than toss a slab of meat on the Foreman grill. Likewise, in choosing an accelerated reading course, I would rather take the word of a scholar in accelerated reading over an anecdote about TLC was "invited to demonstrate" in front of NASA (nowhere in the article I read did NASA officially "endorse" TLC), when NASA's goal is space exploration, not cognitive science.

Just my 2 cents.

-Ramon

PS - edited to repair broken link.

[This message has been edited by razordu30 (edited May 17, 2004).]