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Literacy Solutions for English Learners

Jan 9, 2017
 
 

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Teachers of English Learners face a unique challenge—to quickly develop language and literacy skills in a differentiated manner. To address the needs of English Learners, teachers can add instruction that develops the imagery-language connection. English Learners can acquire the skills and knowledge they need, more quickly.

 

By addressing the skills that underlie reading and comprehension, teachers can boost language learning for all students, while providing specific instruction to address the needs of those students who have learning challenges—even in their first language.

 

Our programs support best practices in English Language development and have been shown to accelerate skill acquisition:

 

COMPREHENSION & VOCABULARY

Visualizing and Verbalizing and Talkies develop the underlying skills necessary for:

  • Oral Language Development
  • Acquiring Academic Vocabulary
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking

READING & SPELLING

Seeing Stars and Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing(LiPS) develop foundational decoding skills:

  • Phonological Awareness
  • Phonics and Word Recognition
  • Reading Fluency
  • Spelling

[CASE STUDY] Colorado School Implementing Lindamood-Bell Instruction Closes the Achievement Gap in Reading for English Learners

 

Background

Haskin Elementary School in Center, Colorado, serves a large percentage of English Learners who are at-risk of reading failure. From 2010-14, Haskin implemented Lindamood-Bell instruction to address the specific needs of this student population. The first three years of this project, 2010-11 through 2012-13, were funded through a federal School Improvement Grant (SIG). Haskin students received Seeing Stars and Visualizing and Verbalizing instruction to develop symbol imagery and concept imagery for reading and comprehension. Instruction was delivered by Haskin teachers who were trained in the Lindamood-Bell programs. Gains for English Learners were measured with the reading portion of the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program and the results were compared to gains made by non-English Learners.

 

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Results

English Learners at Haskin achieved a 50-point increase in reading proficiency from 2010 to 2014. This was the largest change of all elementary schools in the state. Additionally, the achievement gap between non-English Learners and English Learners was closed by 20 points. Statewide, the gap was closed by 4 points over this same period of time. The results of this study illustrate that providing Lindamood-Bell instruction in the Seeing Stars and Visualizing and Verbalizing programs leads to improved reading and comprehension in English Learners, which is essential to achieving success with school curricula.

 

Profile

School Years: 2010–14

Number of Schools: 1

Grade Levels: 3rd–5th

 

Lindamood-Bell Programs Implemented:

Focus of Lindamood-Bell Services:

 

Lindamood-Bell instruction integrates and strengthens  RtI and EL services. Explore our professional development workshops and contact us with any questions or to discuss how your school can get started: 800-233-1819.

 

For information on how to address core standards learning for all students, watch our recent webinar,  Beyond Expectations: Language Comprehension and Thinking for State Standards Curriculum.

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🎧 New Podcast Episode: A Mother’s Perspective: Autism, Comprehension, and Real Progress 🌟
Hear April share her son’s journey at Lindamood-Bell. Although he was a strong decoder, reading comprehension remained a challenge. Through Visualizing and Verbalizing® instruction, his comprehension scores soared—and he’s now making substantial progress in math.

Discover how personalized, sensory-cognitive instruction helped him gain the skills and confidence to thrive academically.
👉 Listen now at the link in bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
At Lindamood-Bell, our support doesn’t end on the last day of instruction.

Families who have previously attended are invited to schedule a School Year Checkup, a dedicated time to reflect on progress and realign as academic demands change.

Each Checkup includes:
 • A conversation about school progress
 • A complimentary Learning Ability Evaluation
 • Clear insights and next steps, if needed

The School Year Checkup is an exclusive benefit for past Learning Center families.
New to Lindamood-Bell? Explore how our personalized instruction can support your child’s learning. 
Follow the link in bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
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Math remediation is not about more worksheets or memorizing steps. It is a targeted, structured approach that identifies why a child is struggling and rebuilds the foundational skills needed for lasting understanding.
At Lindamood-Bell, our On Cloud Nine® program integrates imagery with language to help students connect math concepts to verbal reasoning. Students learn to understand the process behind the problem, strengthening both reasoning and computation.
Learn more through the link in bio at @lindamoodbellofficial.
It’s a great time to plan professional development for your school district.

Book a Lindamood-Bell inservice workshop by March 15 and save 20% per attendee (minimum 10 participants). Workshops can be scheduled through December 18, 2026.

Practical, classroom-ready training for:
• Early literacy and math
• Students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities
• Struggling readers

Give your team research-based tools they can use right away.
Learn more at the link in bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
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Our latest blog article breaks down the role of a reading specialist, what expert instruction looks like, and how individualized support can make a lasting difference in reading and comprehension.
 👉Read more at the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
Young students need strong listening comprehension to learn, communicate, and succeed in school, but these skills are often expected to develop on their own instead of being taught intentionally.

Join us at the Head Start California Annual Conference in Ontario, California for Closing the Comprehension Gap: Develop Language Comprehension, Expression, and Critical Thinking for Early Learners, presented by Melissa Garner, Director of Lindamood-Bell For Schools, and Zuzy Chaves, Director of Jardin de la Infancia.

Learn how developing Concept Imagery can strengthen listening comprehension, vocabulary, language expression, and early critical thinking for young learners.

Get session details and conference information at the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
As we begin Black History Month, we honor and celebrate the achievements, leadership, creativity, and resilience of African American leaders, educators, scholars, and artists—past and present.

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer.” —Harriet Tubman

Explore resources and learn more with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture. Link in Bio.
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🔗 Read the full article at the link in bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
Start 2026 Strong with Workshop Savings ✨

Kick off the year with special pricing on Lindamood-Bell for Schools professional development, aligned with the Science of Reading.
✔ Save 25% when you bring a colleague or bundle workshops
✔ Group inservice training discounts up to 25% available

Use code HELLO26BOGO

⏰ Offers end January 31, 2026.
👉 View the workshop schedule and reserve your spot.
🔗 Link in bio @lindamoodbellofficial
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📅 Jan 12–16 | Academy Week
See firsthand how we help students build their learning ability while thriving in a full academic curriculum.

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📚 Teaching students to connect language with imagery strengthens reading skills and comprehension.

At Lindamood-Bell, our approach is grounded in Dual Coding Theory (DCT), a cognitive framework explaining how the brain processes information. Our founders’ programs, including Seeing Stars for reading and spelling and Visualizing and Verbalizing for comprehension and critical thinking, apply these principles through sensory-cognitive instruction.

✨ See how our approach translates into classroom practice and the real results it produces for students.
Read the full article - tap the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
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Our latest blog, Developing Early Literacy Skills: A Parent’s Guide to Supporting Young Readers, shares practical tips for nurturing language, decoding, and comprehension at home. Discover how everyday reading and playful activities can spark curiosity and confidence.
✨ Learn how personalized support at Lindamood-Bell can strengthen the foundational skills your child needs to succeed in school and beyond.
Tap the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
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