CARSplus 2025 Annual Special Education Convention
Location: Sacramento Double Tree, 2001 Point West Way, Sacramento, CA 95185
Dates: February 21-22, 2025
Presenter: Erika Blackwell, Regional Director for Lindamood-Bell for Schools
Presentation Title: Closing the Comprehension Gap: Develop Language Comprehension, Expression, and Critical Thinking for All Learners
Presentation Description:
To engage in a communicating world, students must effectively comprehend language yet many curricula treat language comprehension as a byproduct of background knowledge and vocabulary. This approach results in the most disadvantaged students being left behind. Creating mental images for language is foundational to listening and reading comprehension. Concept imagery underlies the acquisition of background knowledge, vocabulary development, language expression, and critical thinking. Participants will learn how the imagery-language connection, aligned with the Dual Coding Theory of cognition, is foundational to helping all students meet their learning potential. Instructional strategies will be introduced on the explicit development of imagery.
Head Start California 2025 Annual Conference
Location: Westin San Francisco Airport, 1 Old Bayshore Highway, Millbrae, CA, 94030
Dates: February 24-26, 2025
Presenter: Erika Blackwell, Regional Director for Lindamood-Bell for Schools
Presentation Title: Closing the Comprehension Gap: Develop Language Comprehension, Expression, and Critical Thinking for Early Learners
Presentation Description: To engage in a communicating world, students must effectively comprehend oral language. Yet many curricula treat language comprehension as the natural byproduct of background knowledge and vocabulary, instead of an essential component of learning to be developed explicitly, sequentially, and cumulatively. This approach often results in the most disadvantaged students being left behind. Clinical research indicates there is a separate comprehension weakness that is rarely identified. This weakness often undermines the learning process, especially as concepts become more abstract. It is a weakness, based in the sensory system, in creating Concept Imagery.
Creating mental images for language is foundational to listening comprehension. Imagery underlies the acquisition of background knowledge, vocabulary development, language expression, and critical thinking. Developing young learners’ ability to create imagery prepares them for academic success. This presentation will discuss Dual Coding as a unified, scientifically-based cognitive theory of literacy. Participants will learn how the imagery-language connection is foundational to strengthening the underlying processes for language comprehension, helping all students meet their learning potential. Instructional strategies will be introduced on the explicit development of imagery through an engaging learning experience. This introductory session is appropriate for all and does not require prerequisite knowledge.
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