Audiblox FAQ: Does It Really Work?

Frequently Asked Questions

Progress and improvement

Q: Does Audiblox really work?
A: A recent, independent study in the U.S. achieved significant and dramatic results in 94% of 67 students, aged 5 to 18, with ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia and non-specific learning disabilities. Results were as follows:

ADHD (35 students) — 52.45% combined increase:
37.24% pre-test avg/89.96% post-test avg

Dyslexia (13 students) — 46.76% combined increase:
41.31% pre-test avg/88.06% post-test avg

Dycalculia (2 students) — 57.38% combined increase:
39.76% pre-test avg/97.62% post-test avg

Non Specific LD — 64.14% combined increase:
30.40% pre-test avg/94.55% post-test avg

This percentage is in line with our own experiences.

While we'd like our success rate to be 100% this would forever be impossible as brain training is inter alia dependent on the student's willingness to learn and exert himself. Not surprisingly, two of the four learners who did not benefit from Audiblox in the above-mentioned study have significant ADHD with ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder).

Q: What are the factors that determine the speed of improvement?
A: In order to achieve results it is important that the following pitfalls be avoided:

(1.) Instead of taking pains to ensure that the exercises are done exactly right, many people, in their haste to get started, rush through the descriptions of the exercises. Rather start a week later, but make sure that you are doing everything exactly right. Read the descriptions of the relevant exercises several times, and carefully watch the relevant exercises on the Audiblox DVD.

(2.) After having their children assessed, parents often simultaneously follow a variety of programs, each program intended to address a different aspect(s) of the child's problem. Fifteen minutes per day are thus spent on this program, ten minutes on that program, ten minutes on yet another program, and so on. In this way, Audiblox is often also squeezed somewhere into the schedule.

One should be wary of such an approach, as this will only reduce the child's chances of becoming a "star learner". A child will also not become a musician if he divides his daily practice time between various musical instruments, spending fifteen minutes on the piano, ten minutes on the trombone, ten minutes on the guitar, etc.

When the above-mentioned pitfalls have been avoided, the speed of improvement is generally dependent on a number of factors. A few are:

The giftedness of the learner: The more gifted a learner, the faster his progress will be.
The severity of the learning problem: The more severe the learning problem, the more work will be required to help the learner to "catch up."
The time spent on the program: Success is commensurate to the amount of time and effort expended on the program.
The presence of a language problem. If a child has a language problem, it is important that parents follow the advice as set out in the Audiblox manual on how to solve a language problem. Unless they do, success with Audiblox will be limited.
The presence of an emotional or behavior problem. If a child has an emotional or behavior problem, success will be limited.

Q: How long does it take generally before one starts seeing results when following the Audiblox program?
A: While one usually starts seeing improvement within a few lessons with regards to the number of blocks that the learner can handle when doing the Audiblox exercises, this improvement will not transfer to the learner's schoolwork immediately. This takes time.

When transfer occurs it is usually sudden and noticeable. As an example, a mother who worked diligently for half an hour per day, six days per week, wrote:

I have a dyslexic boy who is now ten. He's going into Grade Five. He usually ends his year with a fail in reading and writing. Since Grade Two the school has wanted him to repeat his year and I have refused, promising to try to help him myself. We have been through many different programs (at school and at home), with very little results.

We began Audiblox about six weeks before Grade Four ended. His concentration has greatly improved, he actually listens to what the teacher is saying, less clowning in class. He can now actually pick up a book and read on his own, something he never did before. The principal called me to tell me that for the first time my son passed all his courses! He got a C in reading and a B in writing!

This mother saw noticeable results after 18 hours (30 minutes per day, 6 days per week for 6 weeks). However, it can also take longer than 18 hours to start seeing results. Up to 30 hours is normal.

After this initial — and usually clearly visible — intellectual jump, it happens that the learner finds himself on a plateau again, followed by another leap forward. This pattern can repeat itself many times.

The above scenario could be described as a "staircase effect". However, one may also see a "snowball effect":

We began using Audiblox (spelling program) 6 months ago, and the results have been just stunning. Within a month, she was able to remember how to spell a few words, and then just like a baby learning to talk, she began to experience a rapid snowball effect. A few months after we began using Audiblox, she said as we were driving around on errands — "Mom, I think I know how to spell library." And she did! And this was not an isolated moment, only the first. She is now almost an intuitive speller. Really, it's a miracle. Six months ago, her spelling tested at a Kindergarten level, and is now at a 6th grade level. This is just still so amazing to all of us who have struggled with her.

Q: How long must one work with a learner before his problem will have been solved completely?
A: One must make sure that a learner's problems have been solved completely before discontinuing the program. It is wise to continue with the program until he is at least one year ahead of his grade level in his area of difficulty. The minimum time that is required to achieve this is about one year, but it can take up to two years if the learner has severe learning problems.

If one discontinues the program before the foundational skills of reading, spelling, writing and math have been thoroughly automatized, there is the danger of a relapse. On the other hand, once the foundational skills have been automatized and the learner is clearly no longer behind in his reading, spelling, writing, and math, the problem will not return if the program is discontinued.

The mother who wrote the above commentary continued with Audiblox for a full year. Three months after discontinuing the program she wrote:

My son completed the Audiblox program about 3 months ago. He did it for 1 year. I have written a few times stating all the changes that have happened since, but now I'd like to say that he is continuing to change. He has begun Grade 6 and has become very self-confident. He comes home from school and does his homework on his own. He organizes himself (something unheard of before Audiblox...). He asks me his schedule for the week, hockey or soccer practices and organizes his homework accordingly. He no longer struggles in school to keep up and is adjusting to the increased work load. I am amazed at how far he has come. This time last year, he was failing reading and writing, he had a very low self-esteem and basically thought he would struggle for the rest of his life. Not so!!!!!! It sounds too good to be true but it isn't. Sometimes the best things in life are so simple, we almost miss them.

Sometimes it is helpful to gradually wean the learner from the program rather than abruptly discontinue the program. Once the learner has overcome his or her difficulties, one may consider decreasing the number of minutes spent on each session or the number of sessions per week.