All posts by Amy Kessler

The Imagery-Language Foundation for Math

Math, , ,

 

Many students can grasp addition and subtraction problems using math manipulatives. But take away the concrete objects and their understanding seems to disappear.

 

Manipulatives are a very helpful visual representation, but math students of all ages need to learn to visualize what numbers mean as well.

 

Mathematics is cognitive processing, or thinking, that requires both imagery and language. Imagery is fundamental to the process of thinking with numbers.

 

The primary cause of math difficulties is a weakness in two areas: numeral imagery—the ability to visualize numbers—and concept imagery—the ability to process the gestalt (whole) from language. Individuals who demonstrate weaknesses in these areas often attempt to memorize math facts instead of being able to think, reason, and problem solve with numbers.

 

People who are great at math can easily visualize math functions. The language of numbers turns into imagery and they “see” mathematical relationships. However, many individuals may experience an inability to image the concepts underlying math processes. This causes weakness in the following:

 

  • Learning math facts
  • Grasping mathematical relationships
  • Following proper mathematical operations
  • Solving word problems
  • Estimating numerical values
  • Understanding higher level math

 

The following excerpt from On Cloud Nine Math by Nanci Bell and Kimberly Tuley, explains the importance of both concept and numeral imagery:

 

“To bring concept and numeral imagery to a conscious level as the missing link in math instruction, On Cloud Nine integrates and applies the principles of Bell’s programs: Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking (V/V) and Seeing Stars: Symbol Imagery for Phonological and Orthographic Processing in Reading and Spelling (SI). As individuals become familiar with the concrete manipulatives, they are questioned and directed to consciously transfer the experienced to the imaged. They image the concrete and attach language to their imagery. The integration of imagery and language is then applied to computation. They develop the sensory-cognitive processing to understand and use the logic of mathematics in mental and written computation.”

 

 

 

The On Cloud Nine Math program stimulates an individual’s ability to image and verbalize the concepts underlying math processes. Concept and numerical imagery are integrated with language and applied to math computation and problem solving. There is emphasis on both mathematical reasoning and mathematical computation.

 

Explore our math instruction, including Learning Center results, here.

 

Educators: Find out how you can learn the steps of the On Cloud Nine Program in one of our acclaimed professional development workshops, and teach your students how to “see” math, here.

Special for Winter Break | Free Homework Matters

Australia, Specials,

If school is not always easy for your child, you may have mixed feelings about winter break. Parents of struggling students have to consider the effect that time off from learning may have.

 

At our learning centres, we provide a magical learning experience for students all year, and that includes school breaks. In this short video see how we help families strike a balance during winter break. We keep it fun while using this time to focus on just what each student needs.

 

Enrol for 20 hours or more of Winter Break instruction and receive free Homework Matters in August!

 

Winter Break instruction is individualised to meet the needs of each student. 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 (for example: story problems or reading fluency).

 

Students who are currently struggling with reading, comprehension, or maths can use their school break to jump start a new or ongoing intensive instruction plan. Winter break is an opportunity to focus on the skills that will make school easier.

 

Homework Matters at Lindamood-Bell is supervised homework help. We create an environment that motivates and focuses students on getting their homework done. Our skilled instructors take the struggle out of homework for families by helping students stay engaged and productive. We can answer your child’s questions and assist when necessary.

 

Call us to learn more and chat about how you can use Winter Break (and August Homework Matters!) to make an impact on your child’s learning:

 

Double Bay (02) 9328 7119

Chatswood (02) 9410 1006

Melbourne (03) 9815 2949

Making a Difference for Students in Jamaica | Lindamood-Bell for Schools

For Schools, Professional Development, ,

This month, teachers in Jamaica were introduced to Lindamood-Bell’s Visualizing and Verbalizing (V/V) and Seeing Stars programs. This professional development opportunity was facilitated by the Sandals Foundation (‘the Sandals Foundation’) and funded by the CHASE (Culture, Health, Arts, Sports, and Education) Fund in an effort to increase literacy and math competency for Jamaican students with special learning needs.

 

The focus of the Sandals Foundation is ensuring that as many children, youth, and adults as possible have the educational opportunities they need to reach their full potential. Programs include community scholarships, supported schools, book drives, and literacy programs, as well as support of new libraries and computer facilities. Each year, the Sandals Foundation supports thousands of students in educational facilities throughout the Caribbean community.

 

The introduction of the V/V and Seeing Stars programs was the brainchild of Mandy Melville, the parent of a child with dyslexia. “I used to have to take him away during the holidays to do this type of lesson at (Lindamood-Bell) Centers in Miami, so every year we’d go away. One of the things that hit me was when he said to me, ‘Mummy, why am I the only child that has to go away for extra lessons?’” At that point, Melville was determined to bring the programs to Jamaica where more children could benefit.

 

Through the Jamaican Ministry of Education, 50 teachers were selected out of hundreds of applicants to attend the four-day workshop. Educator Shakera Roberts, one of the workshop participants, commented that “being trained in (these programs) will greatly assist me and my fellow Jamaican teachers to be more equipped with effective methodologies to facilitate students with special needs to learn to their full potential.”

 

Read More about this exciting project.

 

Lindamood-Bell’s research-validated programs address the imagery-language connection that is a silent partner to cognition and literacy—often the missing piece for students.

 

Reading and Spelling Programs

 

Seeing Stars (SI)

Symbol Imagery for Phonological and Orthographic Processing in Reading and Spelling

 

Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing(LiPS)

Phonemic Awareness for Reading, Spelling, and Speech

 

Comprehension Programs

 

Visualizing and Verbalizing(VV)

Concept Imagery for Language Comprehension, Thinking, and Memory

 

Talkies

Foundational Development in Concept Imagery, Oral Language Comprehension, and Expression

 

Our unique programs can help diverse groups of students learn to read and comprehend to their potential, including students with minor to severe learning challenges and English Language Learners. Schools and organizations partner with us for our expertise in addressing the learning needs of students. While the needs of our educator clients vary, we can apply our best practices to big literacy challenges.

 

Find an upcoming event for your teachers or contact us to discuss the learning needs of your community.  We can customize an event that meets your unique needs.

 

800-233-1819

805-541-3836

 

Watch it Now | Learning Center Open House

Learning Centers,

Be our Guest at our Dream Big for Learning Virtual Open House!

 

We help students learn to read, comprehend and do math to their potential. Our instruction is based on an individual’s learning needs.

 

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

 

Our summer instruction results in extraordinary gains in just a few weeks.  Spending part of a summer with us can be one of the most positive learning experiences of a child’s life. We believe in the potential of your child and we want to help your big dreams come true!

 

 

Find a learning center near you, including many Seasonal Learning Clinics: locations or call us, 800-300-1818.

Summer Learning Plan: When the Teacher Recommends Reading Help

Learning Centers, Reading

Teachers always encourage students to read as much as they can over summer break. But if your last parent-teacher conference came with a specific suggestion—to get reading support during the summer months—you are likely considering one of the following:

 

1. Reading more with your child, teaching him/her to read yourself

2. Having a “reading specialist” tutor your child 1-2 times per week

3. Joining a library reading challenge for extra practice

4. Signing your child up for a reading camp

5. Doing nothing—perhaps reading has not yet “clicked” for your child

 

Although any of these options can seem like a good idea, they may not be the right solution for improving your child’s reading. Rest assured that many parents of primary grade students share the same dilemma. With the precious summer months and hopes for a better school year at stake, it’s important to make the right plan for summer learning.

 

What your child needs for success

Reading is an integration of processing skills: word attack, sight word recognition, contextual fluency, oral vocabulary, and comprehension. For many students, a cause of reading difficulties is weak symbol imagery—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. This difficulty can prevent students from accessing school curriculum as quickly and accurately as their peers do. Students who read fluently, and are able to self-correct their errors, have strong symbol imagery. Learn more about symbol imagery and solutions for reading difficulties here.

 

Traditional reading camps and tutoring programs focus on content-area instruction, spelling and reading rules, or may touch on a variety of reading strategies. While these activities have value, they will not address and improve the underlying cause of a reading difficulty—stretching the issue out into the next school year.

 

And, unfortunately, practice does not “make perfect” for students who struggle with reading. While reading with your child and going to the library are excellent activities for all families, neither will improve reading if there is an unaddressed weakness.

 

Enough help to make a difference

Even great learning programs can be ineffective if they are not conducted with enough intensity to actually change learning. If a child is behind peers in reading skills, intervention has to decrease the learning gap by increasing the rate of learning. To increase the rate of learning, students need the right diagnosis and the right instruction, in the right environment. At our learning centers, our daily, intensive intervention commonly results in years of gain in just a few weeks of instruction.

 

Learn more about intensive instruction, including a video featuring a parent’s perspective, here.

 

Beware of the “summer slide”

Questioning the teacher’s advice about summer help altogether? You’re not alone. Parents may wonder if their child’s reading is truly unsatisfactory as compared to peers. Or they may wonder if it would be better take a total break from schoolwork.  

 

When a teacher has indicated a child could benefit from reading help, she has likely considered these factors, and more. For many students, three months away from academics can lead to measurable learning loss in skills—which, of course, is not what any family wants to be faced with at the start of the upcoming school year. The summer slide effect hits struggling readers harder than their peers; so if your teacher has identified an issue, your child may be at risk of starting school even further behind.

 

The first step of a great plan

If you or your child’s teacher are seeing signs of a possible reading difficulty, or you are concerned that reading hasn’t “kicked in,” you need to find out why and that there is help. A learning ability evaluation uncovers the strengths and weaknesses that affect learning. At our learning centers, we identify the strengths and weaknesses that may be affecting school and make recommendations for an individualized instruction plan.

 

A few weeks at our learning center can make reading a strength before next year. Your child can be a better reader in time for school and have plenty of time for a great summer break. Go here for a list of our locations, including our seasonal, summer-time learning clinics. We look forward to helping you plan for summer learning that will make a difference for your child. Contact us 800-300-1818.

The Magic of Summer Learning

Instruction, Learning Centers, ,

The Right Time

Many families are new to using summertime for learning—dreaming only of endless summer days with family and friends. We agree that students, especially those who struggle, do need a break from school. But for many students, three months away from academics can lead to measurable learning loss in skills like reading and math—especially troublesome for students who have a weakness that makes school difficult. 

 

While we all look forward to rest and relaxation, parents of struggling students have an opportunity to use summer to give their child a great next year. The chunks of time available in the summer months make it an optimal season to pursue intensive instruction. Four hours a day often results in extraordinary gains.  In just weeks, students develop skills that can make next year easier. So you will have plenty of time to balance family, fun, and learning. 

 

The Right Program

Traditional reading and tutoring programs focus on content-area instruction, or practicing decoding and spelling rules. Lindamood-Bell programs are unique. Our programs develop the imagery-language foundation necessary for reading, spelling, and math. While “reading camps,” library book clubs, and other educational activities may have some benefit, they often do not address the cause of a learning weakness. Students may be practicing what is hard for them without a chance to change and benefit from their efforts.  

 

The Right Instruction

Summer instruction at Lindamood-Bell is individualized to meet the needs of each student.  Each student only works on exactly what he/she personally needs to be a better learner. An accurate learning ability evaluation is the first step toward helping your child learn to their potential. We uncover the strengths and weaknesses that are affecting school, and in a thorough results consultation, we will discuss a learning plan to change learning in the shortest time possible. Recommendations are differentiated based on the unique learning needs of each student.

 

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.

 

Students who are currently struggling with reading, comprehension or math can use a few weeks this summer to jump-start a new or ongoing intensive instruction plan. Young students can learn how to read for the first time. Some students use summer weeks to get ahead with an enrichment program in an area like writing, study skills, and test taking.  Alumni students might attend for help applying their skills to a new task like story problems or reading fluency.

 

The Right Environment

Parents can be surprised at how much their child (who does not love school) enjoys their Lindamood-Bell experience. How do we do it? Walk through our doors and you’ll begin to notice the difference between our center and virtually every other learning environment your child has been to. Our welcoming, comfortable space sets the climate for student learning. We are committed to teaching all individuals to read and comprehend to their potential; our research-validated instruction is our foundation. Other unique features of the Lindamood-Bell Learning Center experience also contribute to student success:

 

  • One-to-one instruction
  • Instructors who are skilled, compassionate, and fun
  • Program oversight by our Instructional Quality Team
  • By-design celebration of individual student success

Above all, our learning center reflects our belief that every student can be taught to learn to their potential.

 

Discover the Magic of Summer Learning

Get a feel for what you can expect at our learning center this summer!

Make an impact this summer!  It’s a great time to get ahead for next school year.  Get started today by contacting our learning center to discuss how we can help make this summer everything your family has been waiting for! 800-300-1818

Lindamood-Bell Featured on NPR Series Unlocking Dyslexia

* News, Australia,

A New Story From NPR: Millions Have Dyslexia, Few Understand It

 

A new story premiered on NPR titled Millions Have Dyslexia, Few Understand It. The reporter, who was a student at Lindamood-Bell when she was younger, visited our Washington, DC Learning Centre this past summer and interviewed Centre Director Nancy Gregerson and some of our students.

CLICK HERE for the NPR story.

A New Story From NPR: How Science Is Rewiring The Dyslexic Brain

 

The second part of  NPR’s Unlocking Dyslexia series features Guinevere Eden, director of Georgetown University’s Center for the Study of Learning. She explains what is happening in the brain of someone with dyslexia when they read and how the brain can be “rewired” with intensive intervention.

CLICK HERE  for the NPR story.

A New Story From NPR: How Parents Can Help Kids With Dyslexia Succeed In School

 

Families who have had success at Lindamood-Bell describe the value of early intervention and more.

CLICK HERE for the NPR story.

A New Story From NPR: Dyslexia: The Learning Disability That Must Not Be Named

 

Parents and advocates are concerned that schools aren’t acknowledging a diagnosis of dyslexia—and aren’t giving students the help they need.

CLICK HERE for the NPR story.

A New Story From NPR: ‘B’ And ‘D’ Learning Process Debunks Dyslexia Jumbled-Letters Myth

 

Many believe dyslexia is about jumbled letters, but experts say that’s not quite right. This story explores what’s happening in the brain that causes those backward letters.

CLICK HERE for the NPR story.

At Lindamood-Bell, we believe that all individuals can be taught 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 research-validated, sensory-cognitive instruction.

 

Learn more about our approach and results with students diagnosed with dyslexia here.

Imagine Your Child’s Potential: Intensive Instruction Can Make a Difference

Instruction, , , , , ,

Those who are new to Lindamood-Bell may be more familiar with traditional tutoring and accommodations which are 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.

 

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.

Independent Study of Visualizing and Verbalizing™ and Autism Spectrum Disorder Featured in Exceptional Parent Magazine

* News, Australia, , ,

The current issue of Exceptional Parent Magazine Features an independent study of Visualizing and Verbalizing™ and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  “The Science of Improved Language Comprehension: Brain Connectivity and Autism Spectrum Disorder,” summarises the groundbreaking results of a recent University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) study.

 

In this study, a group of children with ASD received 10 weeks of intensive instruction utilizing the Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking™ program. It was found that the instruction “was enough to strengthen the activity of loosely connected areas of their brains that work together to comprehend reading.” The children’s reading comprehension also improved.

 

The article will enable parents, physicians, and education professionals to better understand the relevance of the findings of the study, primarily that deficits in language comprehension can be improved through stimulating and strengthening the connection between the verbal and imaginal centres of the brain.

 

Language comprehension is foundational to learning—both social and academic—in the educational environment. With a better understanding of subject matter and social relationships, students are poised for greater success in all areas of life.

 

Exceptional Parent (EP) is a 42-year-old, award-winning publishing and communications company. EP provides practical advice, emotional support, and the most up-to-date educational information for families of children and adults with disabilities and special healthcare needs as well as to the physicians, allied healthcare professionals, and educational professionals who are involved in their care and development.

 

Get the article on page 32.

 

 

CLICK HERE

 

Contact us for information about the Visualizing and Verbalizing™ program including learning centre instruction for students: Melbourne: (03) 9815 2949; Chatswood (02) 9410 1006; Double Bay (02) 9328 7119

My Child is Struggling in School: Why?

Australia, Instruction, , , , , ,

When school is hard for your child, it can be difficult to know what to do. Hire a tutor? Double-down on homework time? Create incentives for good grades? We encourage families to seek specific answers as to why an individual child is struggling. This infographic, “Why is my child struggling in school?” walks through two primary factors that impact language and literacy.

 

 

A Learning Evaluation Like No Other

If school is hard for your child, you need to know why and that there is help.  A learning evaluation will uncover the strengths and weaknesses that are affecting school. In a thorough results consultation, we will discuss an individualised instruction plan to make school easier.

 

Our learning centres, help students of all ages learn to read, comprehend and do maths to their potential. Get in touch: Melbourne (03) 9815 2949; Sydney Chatswood (02) 9410 1006; Sydney Double Bay (02) 9328 7119.