All posts by Amy Kessler

Use This Summer to Increase Learning

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Imagine your child returning to school in the fall with better skills, ready to tackle the new year. Students can spend part of their summer gaining reading, comprehension, and math skills at our learning center.

 

Instruction at Lindamood-Bell is individualized to meet the learning needs of each student in a short amount of time. Because it’s one-to-one, we’ll only spend time on what your child needs. Learn about our summer programs here.

 

Get started with our Learning Ability Evaluation. The information you’ll receive can help answer questions about school performance, behavior, frustrations, homework issues, and expectations. Then join us for a few weeks to help your child increase the learning skills that will make school easier!

 

Find your location or call us! 800-300-1818

In this short video, Lindamood-Bell co-founder, Nanci Bell describes the factors that add up to student success:

 

Join Us for Online Instruction

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Can’t make it to one of our learning centers? Join us online!

 

Online Lindamood-Bell® instruction is located where each child needs to learn. We connect with you from a Lindamood-Bell Learning Center, and our instruction staff works with your student one-to-one. We provide the same quality instruction families experience with us in person.

 

Our online instruction is a great option for continuing students, as well as students who are new to Lindamood-Bell.

 

 

For more information, contact us at one of our centers.

 

Double Bay (02) 9328 7119 | Chatswood (02) 9410 1006

Winter Break is the Right Time for Learning

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Winter Break is the perfect time to maintain learning momentum, tackle an assignment with help, or get some support with a challenging subject. Our flexible schedule and one-to-one instruction can allow your child to return to school with confidence.

 

The break is an opportunity to focus on the skills that will make school easier.

 

For example, students can attend for an enrichment program to advance in an area like writing or study skills. Alumni students might attend for help applying their skills to a new task like story problems or reading fluency. Students who are currently struggling with reading, comprehension or math can use their school break to jump-start a new or ongoing intensive instruction plan.

 

https://youtu.be/lHtkIkjGCvA

 

Contact us to learn more about how you can use Winter Break to make an impact on your child’s learning. Find your location in Chatswood or Double Bay.

Imagine a Better Writer

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Book reports, essays, and even short responses, can cause frustration, panic, and sometimes, even tears for many school age students. And it’s no wonder. Writing is a complex task that requires a lot: good thinking skills, organization, spelling, grammar and punctuation, as well as ease with a pencil or keyboard.

 

Writing can be particularly difficult for students who have an identified comprehension weakness. A primary cause of language comprehension problems is difficulty creating an imagined gestalt. This is called weak concept imagery. This weakness causes individuals to get only “parts” of information they read or hear, but not the whole. So without the “big picture” idea for a passage or book she just read, a student will have a hard time coming up with a strong paragraph. Writing is imaged thought.

 

Students who can write well are putting words to the images in their mind’s eye. The imagery-language foundation is key to good thinking and communication. Try using language that stimulates imagery as you coach your child through their next writing assignment.

 

Start at the Beginning

Make sure your child understands the writing assignment. To gauge understanding, read the directions together and pause to see if she can picture the key details. For example, if the assignment is, “Choose your favorite character in your book. Write a paragraph about why they would make a good prime minister,” you can ask your child questions about what she is picturing like, “How long are you picturing the finished assignment will be?” and “What are you picturing for ‘prime minister’?”

 

Make a Plan

Before your child starts the next big writing assignment, work on a list of tasks to be completed. Use imagery-stimulating questions to ensure your child is understanding the purpose and goal of each.  A book report might entail:

 

– read book

– take notes

– write outline

– write the first draft

– read my draft and edit

– write final

 

Work together to estimate how much time each task will take, and get them onto a timeline or calendar. Just like adults, kids prefer to check off smaller tasks as they go, rather than returning to one big daunting project.

 

Outline

Outlines are a great way to get ideas organized. Your child’s teacher may have suggestions or tools for organizing paragraphs. Many graphic organizers (e.g. the “hamburger” method) are acceptable, as they reflect a classic paragraph structure:

 

A topic sentence / main idea

Detail #1

Detail #2

Detail #3

Conclusion: A closing sentence that links the details.

 

To get the most out of outlines, engage your child by using language that prompts imagery. Asking questions may help spur new ideas. For example, “What do you picture the pig is doing all day?”

 

Writing & Editing

Your student can follow her outline for keywords to use for writing the paragraph. Throughout the writing process, encourage your child to be connecting language and imagery. When writing, we are creating an image in the mind of the reader.

 

Give feedback about whether you can visualize her writing.  For example, “Wow! I could really picture the red fox you described.”

 

When editing, encourage your child to find and correct words she may have misspelled.

 

We hope these tips for writing help your family throughout the school year! Nanci Bell, author of Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking, wrote, “Many students with language comprehension weakness may also have poor writing skills because they lack the imagery for the gestalt (whole). Attempts to teach them to write are hampered by their weakness in the nonverbal code of imagery. While often good in spelling, punctuation, and grammar, they still can’t write.”

 

If you’d like more information on language comprehension weakness and writing, please contact our Learning Centers.

 

Sydney Chatswood (02) 9410 1006; Sydney Double Bay (02) 9328 7119.

 

Why Daily Intensive Instruction?

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Those who are new to Lindamood-Bell may be more familiar with traditional tutoring conducted over the course of semesters or years. Therefore, our daily instruction, that changes reading or comprehension in a short period of time, may be unfamiliar. An “intensive care” learning environment can be ideal for students who are not performing to their potential. Lindamood-Bell pioneered the concept of intensive instruction—four hours a day, five days a week with our research-validated instruction.

 

Why is daily beneficial?

Nanci Bell, co-founder, explains daily intensive instruction in the following excerpt from Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking:

 

“The rate of learning gain can be improved with intensive intervention. Students with severe weakness in concept imagery may be years behind in language comprehension. For example, Johnny, a student in the fifth grade with reading comprehension at the second-grade level, has a three-year gap between his grade level and his reading comprehension. Even with adequate oral vocabulary and decoding skills, Johnny didn’t gain a year in reading comprehension for each year in school…intervention has to decrease the learning gap by increasing the rate of learning. To increase the rate of learning, you need to provide the right diagnosis and the right instruction, in the right environment. The last is often intensive intervention, four hours a day, five days a week, which results in years of gain in weeks of instruction.”

 

Why do some students struggle?

Reading is an integration of processing skills: word attack, sight word recognition, contextual fluency, oral vocabulary, and comprehension. Students with poor comprehension, critical thinking, writing and memory may have weak concept imagery—the ability to create an imagined gestalt (whole) from language. Students who are poor decoders and spellers, or slow readers, may have weak symbol imagery—the ability to visualize letters in words. These difficulties are not only frustrating for a student, but prevent them from accessing school curriculum.

 

School at any grade can include the kind of good challenges that foster learning: discovering a solution in science lab, writing a poem, or even studying for a big test, can all be positive learning experiences. However, if a student has a weakness that affects learning to begin with, they may not be getting everything they should from school. Their challenges with reading or comprehension may be hindering their ability to fully participate in schoolwork. And, rather than catch up eventually, a struggling student will typically fall farther and farther behind as the year goes on.

 

Will intensive instruction be “too much” for my child?

Parents may worry that their child will not be able to maintain focus for so many hours. We get it! Even the most disciplined student would have difficulty attending to a teacher for twenty hours per week of typical reading help.

 

Our continued success with students, including those with a previous diagnosis of a learning difficulty and/or attention issue, is due to our unique approach. We accurately assess individual needs and provide research-validated instruction in a safe, positive, focused environment.  Lindamood-Bell sessions feature a high level of interaction, movement, games, and motivational rewards. Students work with a different instructor every hour to keep attention rate and intensity high and the sessions interesting. Our instructors are energetic and passionate about maximizing learning throughout every session. As a result, our students see success quickly and realize they can learn given the right tools!

 

An alumni family describes Intensive Instruction:

 

Imagine Your Child’s Learning Potential

If school is hard for your child, you need to know why and that there is help. Identifying strengths and weaknesses is the first step toward helping your child learn to their potential. A learning evaluation will uncover the strengths and weaknesses that are affecting school. In a thorough results consultation, we will discuss an individualized learning plan to make school easier.

 

Some students come to us with a previous diagnosis such as dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, or a general learning challenge—and we make a difference for each of them.

 

Some students seek our help to enhance their skills or to just make learning easier—and we do.

 

Learning at Lindamood-Bell

Lindamood-Bell instruction is based on the learning needs of each student. We can make a difference for students of all ages and abilities.

 

Our individualized Summer Programs result in extraordinary academic gain in just a few weeks. We teach reading, comprehension, and math at our learning centers.

 

Families seeking a complete solution, including curriculum, can explore Lindamood-Bell Academy, a K-12 private school. Now enrolling for the next school year.

 

Summer is a great time to schedule intensive instruction, and get ahead for the next school year.  Get started today by contacting our learning center to discuss your child’s needs: 800-300-1818.

Lindamood-Bell Academy: The Right School for All Types of Students

Academy, Specials,

Lindamood-Bell Academy’s flexible and differentiated curriculum—both in person and online—means that the Academy can be the right school choice for all types of students, including:

 

  • Accelerated learners
  • Learners who need a flexible environment
  • Students with challenging schedules
  • Homeschool families
  • Students who struggle with reading
  • Students who struggle with comprehension
  • Students who have school anxiety

We develop the imagery-language foundation for success in language processing and success in all curriculum. Our research-validated instruction and individualized learning plans help your child truly thrive.

 

Meet a few of the families who have found a home at school with our Academy:

 

 

Want to learn more or discuss a learning plan for your child? Get in touch.

 

The Academy is now accepting applications for the 2019-20 school year.

 

Enroll by May 24, 2019, and receive a $500 credit toward 2019-20 tuition.

 

Winter Break Programs to Maintain Learning Momentum

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Winter learning at Lindamood-Bell is individualized to meet the learning needs of each student in a short amount of time. Because it’s one-to-one, we’ll only spend time on what your child needs.

 

We’ll start with a learning evaluation to uncover the strengths and weaknesses that affect academic performance. In a results consultation, we will recommend a learning plan that will make a difference for your child.

 

What could your child learn this winter? Read on for typical areas of focus.

 

Strong readers recognize common words and can sound out unfamiliar words easily. This makes reading at grade level or above easy, and not a chore.

 

Students who are currently struggling can learn to read to their potential this winter.  We identify why reading is hard for each student and spend a few weeks developing the skills they need to become a better reader. Learn about our approach.

 

If your child is still learning to read, a few weeks at our Seasonal Learning Camp can make a big difference. Emerging readers can work on the basics that will make the transition to kindergarten or first grade a breeze. We strengthen the imagery-language foundation for reading, spelling, and comprehension. Learn about how we help young learners here.

 

Do words “go in one ear and out the other” for your child? This is more common than you’d think. Weak concept imagery—the ability to image a gestalt (whole)—may be the cause. Weakness in concept imagery interferes with reading and listening comprehension, memory, oral vocabulary, critical thinking, and writing.

 

There are individual differences in the ability to visualize language—a key to good comprehension skills. We will teach your child how to “see movies when they read,” so they will get the big picture. Improving this skill will make many aspects of school easier. Learn more about how we develop comprehension here.

 

Does your child “hate” math? People who are great at math can image and verbalize math concepts. The language of numbers turns into imagery and they “see” mathematical relationships. We can teach your child how to think with numbers. Learn how we solve math “problems” here. Individuals of all ages can learn to do and enjoy math!  

 

Academic Prep is an enrichment program for students ready to advance in areas like writing, study skills, organization, and test taking. Students benefit from our expertise in learning and cognition. One-to-one programs are tailor-made to address the academic needs of your child—and get them excited about the school year!

 

How long is a winter break program?

Instruction is based on individual learning needs. Programs are typically 4-6 weeks.

 

Which program should we do?

A learning evaluation will uncover the strengths and weaknesses that may be affecting performance in reading, comprehension, and math. In a results consultation, we will recommend an individualized instruction plan that will change your child’s learning.

 

We already tested and know my child needs Visualizing and Verbalizing/Seeing Stars/On Cloud Nine, etc. Can we get it at Seasonal Learning Camp?

Absolutely! For decades, students have spent part of their winter learning with us. Seasonal Learning Camps provide one-to-one Lindamood-Bell Learning Center instruction. We hope your child will be excited to attend for part of his/her winter!

 

Is this for kids with learning disabilities?

Some students come to us with a previous diagnosis such as dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, or a general learning challenge—and we make a difference for each of them. Some students seek our help to enhance their skills or to just make learning easier—and we do.

 

What about planned vacations?

Let’s talk! We can either work a break into your winter break program or conduct sessions online without interrupting your child’s learning momentum.

 

Will it be fun?

Definitely! Our staff is highly skilled to make learning changes in a short period of time. A big part of how we do that is through our positive, energetic, enthusiastic interactions with students of all ages. You will be amazed at how much your child loves learning this winter!

 

To get you started, we are pleased to offer our Learning Ability Evaluation at a special rate of $395 in-center (regularly $875). Contact us to schedule your child. Find a learning center location near you, including Learning Camps: Locations.

 

Double Bay/Brisbane (02) 9328 7119 | Chatswood/Melbourne (02) 9410 1006 

Imagine a Better Reader with Evidence-Based Instruction

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At Lindamood-Bell, we believe that all individuals can learn how to read to their potential—including those who have a previous diagnosis of dyslexia.

 

Over the course of nearly three decades, Lindamood-Bell has worked with thousands of individuals. Sitting with a child or an adult who struggles to read a word provides unique insight into the learning process. Our success with students is due to our unique approach, including our evidence-based, sensory-cognitive instruction.

 

The Challenge

Unfortunately, many students, even those who have had years of extra help, continue to struggle with grade level text. Perhaps they sound out a word eventually—but it is slow and labored. They may take so long to sound out the word that they miss the meaning of the text altogether. Or, they may substitute words when reading a paragraph. For example, they may read ‘production’ instead of ‘perfection.’

 

For many individuals, even those who have received extensive reading support, sight word recognition remains difficult. They may attempt to use phonics strategies for most words—such as reading  /pee/ /oh/ /plee/ for the word ‘people.’ When they finally conquer a word, they might not recognize that same word when they encounter it in the next paragraph.

 

Also, while a student may be able to spell words phonetically, they are unable to remember the visual patterns of words (orthography). For example, they may spell the word “friend” as “f-r-e-n-d.”

 

A Missing Connection

An important aspect of reading and spelling is symbol imagery, which underlies both phonological and orthographic processing. Symbol imagery is the ability to visualize letters in your mind’s eye. This connection of imagery and language is necessary for sounding out new words, as well as quickly recognizing letters and common words. Students who read fluently, and are able to self-correct their errors, have strong symbol imagery.

 

Traditional reading help focuses on how to sound out words as well as reading and spelling rules. While these activities have value, they do not affect the necessary imagery-language connection. They do not change how a student is processing language. This is why reading may still be extremely difficult for students who have received years of tutoring.

 

A Unique Approach

We help make this connection for students at our learning centers. The Seeing Stars Program develops symbol imagery for reading and spelling. Long overlooked in the field of reading research, symbol imagery is an important function that can now be assessed and developed.

 

Our instructors’ language stimulates an individual’s symbol imagery. For example, when a teacher says, “What letters do you see for ‘top’?” she is prompting the student to picture the letters t-o-p. By applying this skill to phonological and orthographic processing, reading, spelling, sight word and contextual fluency skills are improved.  Improved symbol imagery can change reading, regardless of a student’s age or struggle with literacy—including those with a previous diagnosis of dyslexia.

 

Evidence-Based

We continually monitor student results to ensure that we maintain our exceptional standard of quality. View our Learning Center results with students who have reading difficulties here.  

 

We also actively participate in neurological and behavioral research on our programs and instruction. Numerous peer-reviewed articles based on studies examining the effectiveness of our instruction with dyslexic students have been published in scholarly journals. In a recent fMRI study, neurological changes and significant reading improvements held or increased after Seeing Stars instruction. Read about this exciting research here. One of the study authors, Guinevere Eden, director of Georgetown University’s Center for the Study of Learning, was recently interviewed for the NPR series, Unlocking Dyslexia. In How Science Is Rewiring The Dyslexic Brain, Dr. Eden explains what is happening in the brain of someone with dyslexia when they read and how the brain can be “rewired” with intensive intervention. Lindamood-Bell is featured throughout the series. Get the series here.

 

Get Started

In this video, a parent describes how a Lindamood-Bell learning evaluation pinpointed exactly why her children were not excited about reading—and what could be done to help. While some students come to us with a diagnosis such as dyslexia, many students, like Melinda’s children,  just need the right instruction to make learning easier.

 

 

 

If you would like further information or have questions regarding our instruction please contact us online or call 800.300.1818.

 

Learning at Lindamood-Bell

Lindamood-Bell instruction is based on the learning needs of each student. We can make a difference for students of all ages and abilities.

 

Our individualized Summer Programs result in extraordinary academic gain in just a few weeks. We teach reading, comprehension, and math at our learning centers.

 

Families seeking a complete solution, including curriculum, can explore Lindamood-Bell Academy, a K-12 private school. Now enrolling for the next school year.

 

Contact us to learn more and get started! 800-300-1818

Free Diagnostic Screening for Learning + Save $50

Learning Centers, Specials, , ,

Imagine your student going back to school with better learning skills and more confidence. Summer learning at Lindamood-Bell is individualized to meet the learning needs of each student in a short amount of time, often in as few as 4-6 weeks. This summer, your student can make extraordinary gains in reading, comprehension, or math.

 

Get Started for Free

Get started for free with a Complimentary Diagnostic Screening for Learning.

 

This free 30-minute screening measures your student’s reading and comprehension skills—and includes a consultation with our Center Director. You’ll get answers to questions about school performance, behavior, frustrations, and homework issues.

 

BONUS: Now through May 31, 2019, every free screening includes $50 off the next step—a full Learning Ability Evaluation.

 

A Learning Ability Evaluation Like No Other

Our success with students starts with our unique Learning Ability Evaluation. We identify strengths and weaknesses that may be affecting performance in reading, comprehension, and math. We identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses in learning so we can offer specific instruction to change weaknesses into strengths.

 

The Learning Ability Evaluation includes:

 

  • 10+ standardized measures of reading, comprehension, and math
  • Identification of strengths and weaknesses
  • Online or at one of our locations
  • Consultation to explain findings

Special Rate

To get you started, we are pleased to offer our Learning Ability Evaluation at a special rate.

 

  • US: $295 In Center • $395 Online
  • UK: £310 In Center • £385 Online
  • Australia $395 In Center • $495 Online
  • Singapore $395 In Center • $495 Online

 

Remember you’ll receive an ADDITIONAL $50 off when you start with a Complimentary Diagnostic Screening for Learning! Hurry, $50 off ends May 31, 2019.

 

Call to schedule your student today! 800-300-1818.

Strengthen Learning Skills with Winter Break Instruction

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While hitting the books is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of relaxing, it’s important to consider the effect that time off from learning may have on your student.

 

Winter break instruction is individualized to meet the needs of each student. For students who have difficulties with reading, comprehension, or math, winter break is an excellent way to get ahead on a new or ongoing intensive instruction plan, and to start taking the steps to make learning easier.

 

Students can attend for an enrichment program to advance in areas like writing, study skills, and test taking. Alumni students might attend for help applying their skills to something new, like story problems or reading fluency.

 

Ways We Can Help

Give your student the learning skills needed for success when facing academic challenges. Even students who are comfortable and excel in a traditional school environment can benefit from our expertise in learning and cognition. We teach:  

 

  • Note taking
  • Writing
  • Study Skills
  • Test-taking strategies
  • Organization skills

Build the Imagery-Language Foundation at Lindamood-Bell

Students who are having a hard time in school may have a weakness that affects learning. Unfortunately, these students typically fall further behind as the year goes on. Students with poor comprehension, critical thinking, writing, and memory may have weak concept imagery—the ability to create an imagined gestalt (whole) from language. Students who are poor decoders and spellers, those typically labeled as “slow readers,” may have weak symbol imagery—the ability to visualize letters in words. These difficulties are not only frustrating for a student, but also prevent them from fully understanding school curriculum.

 

Our unique imagery-language instruction can make a difference. Students can experience years of gains in just a few weeks, and they can continue to grow during the school year—either online or at the learning center.

 

  • Individualized learning plans
  • One-to-one instructor-student ratio
  • Research-validated programs
  • Welcoming, comfortable environment for all ages  

Getting Started

New to Lindamood-Bell? If school is hard for your child, you need to understand why–and know that there is help. Identifying strengths and weaknesses is the first step toward helping your child finish the school year successfully. A learning evaluation will uncover the strengths and weaknesses that affect school performance. In a thorough results consultation, we will discuss an individualized learning plan to make school easier.

 

Imagine Learning with Us

In just a few weeks, our learning center can help make your child feel more confident and prepared for school. Contact us to get started.

 

Sydney Chatswood: (02) 9410 1006

Sydney Double Bay: (02) 9328 7119