post
BLOG AND NEWS

Profiles of Success | Spotlight on Fort Smith Public Schools

Aug 7, 2019
 
 

Background

Fort Smith Public Schools in Fort Smith, Arkansas, serves a large percentage of students who are at-risk of reading failure. Beginning in the 2017-18 school year, Fort Smith Public Schools implemented Lindamood-Bell® instruction to address the specific needs of dyslexic students and provide a solid foundation for all early learners. The partnership has been cost-effective for schools and life-changing for students.

Watch them speak about their experience.

Click to read about their successful summer reading program.

 

Professional Development

More than 300 teachers, including all K-2 classroom teachers, special education teachers, and reading interventionists, attended workshops to learn the steps of Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking, and Seeing Stars for Reading Fluency and Spelling.  The programs, written by Lindamood-Bell co-founder, Nanci Bell,  address the imagery-language foundation that underlies reading, spelling, language comprehension, memory, and critical thinking.

 After the workshops, teachers continued learning throughout the year with job-embedded professional development. Support was provided in a cost-effective manner, via state-of-the-art telepresence coaching.

Professional Development:

 

Results | Tier 3 Students

Student gains were measured with a universal screener, the Istation ISIP Phonemic Awareness subtest. In Fall 2017, 210 first grade students scored in the lowest group, Tier 3, for Phonemic Awareness. Students scoring in the lowest tier qualify for immediate small-group reading intervention.

In January, the number of students in the lowest tier was reduced to 128, and by April, only 96 students still scored in the lowest tier. Crucially, these changes were reflected across the most at-risk subpopulations of Economically Disadvantaged, Special Education, and English Language Learners. The results of this study illustrate that Lindamood-Bell instruction in the Seeing Stars® program leads to improved reading, which is essential to achieving success with school curricula.

 

 

Longitudinal Results | Classroom Instruction

K-2 classroom implementation addressed a district goal of preventing literacy deficits from ever being established. All Kindergarten through second grade teachers across the 19 elementary schools attended Seeing Stars and Visualizing and Verbalizing workshops. Teachers implemented the programs 15 minutes per day as a supplement to their core reading program, with support provided by Lindamood-Bell’s online job-embedded professional development team.

At the beginning of 2017-18, almost as many students (999) scored in the lowest tier on overall reading, as scored in the highest tier (1,283). Students scoring in Tier 3 are required by state law to receive intervention, placing substantial pressure on the district’s capacity. As a result of implementing sensory-cognitive instruction in the whole classroom K-2 setting, by April of 2019, only 621 students scored in the lowest tier (a reduction of 378 students), with 1,862 students scoring in the highest tier (an increase of 579 students). 

 

These changes were reflected across subpopulations of Economically Disadvantaged, Special Education, and English Language Learners. The results of this study illustrate that implementing Lindamood-Bell instruction in the Seeing Stars and Visualizing and Verbalizing programs in whole classroom settings leads to improved reading, which is essential to achieving success with school curricula.

Read about Fort Smith‘s success in a recent article in the Entertainment Fort Smith Magazine titled, “Comprehensive Early Intervention Results Positive.”

 

Learn More

Schools partner with Lindamood-Bell for our expertise in research-validated programs that work within a Response to Intervention (RtI) framework and are aligned with state standards, including Common Core. We are uniquely prepared to help schools meet the needs of students with dyslexia.  

Explore our professional development workshops and contact us with any questions or to discuss how your school can get started: 800-233-1819.


Connect with us
📚 Every Student Can Thrive with the Right Support
At Lindamood-Bell Academy, students with dyslexia receive personalized, one-to-one instruction that builds reading skills, confidence, and a love of learning. Our evidence-based approach helps students overcome challenges and succeed in school and life.
Discover how our school can transform your child’s learning journey. Tap the link in bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
📚Want to help your child become a confident, independent reader?
Our latest blog article shares essential tips for supporting reading at home, including fun activities, creating a reading-friendly environment, and guidance for readers who struggle. Discover how the right instruction and support can make reading an enjoyable and rewarding experience for your child.
Tap the link in our bio to read more, @lindamoodbellofficial.
🎧 New Podcast Alert: Dyslexia Didn’t Stop Carson 🌟
Diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, Carson found his confidence and skills at the Lindamood-Bell. Today, he’s a college grad thriving in financial services, and he credits his journey to evidence-based instruction and dedicated instructors.
Hear Carson’s inspiring story of perseverance, growth, and the lifelong impact of sensory-cognitive instruction
👉 Listen now at the link in bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
Back-to-School Literacy Workshops for Teachers – Extended Offer!

Take advantage of our extended savings to enhance your literacy instruction:
10% off any online workshop with code BACK2SCHOOL10
20% off custom team in-services (minimum 10 participants)

Equip yourself and your team with strategies to help struggling readers thrive.
📅 View the full schedule or request a proposal via the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial
Hurry, this offer is available through October 31, 2025!
👂 Think your child isn’t listening? It might be more than that. Language processing disorders affect how the brain understands and uses language, impacting reading, comprehension, and everyday communication.
✨ At Lindamood-Bell, we provide personalized, evidence-based instruction to help each student build the skills they need to succeed. From expressive and receptive language to auditory processing challenges, we meet every child where they are.
💡 Learn the signs and strategies to support language processing disorders. Tap the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
📢 We’re hiring!
 Our Lindamood-Bell® Learning Centers in Newton and South Shore, MA, are looking for Educational Clinicians / Tutors ✨
We’re seeking energetic, positive individuals with strong communication skills and a passion for helping students succeed. If you’re enthusiastic, have a growth mindset, and thrive in a supportive, engaging environment, we’d love to hear from you!
Help students of all ages reach their full potential in reading and comprehension. 💡
👉Explore these opportunities (and more) at the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
Back-to-School Literacy Workshops for Teachers: Save Now!

-Get 10% off any online workshop with code BACK2SCHOOL10
-20% off custom team in-services (min. 10 participants)

Transform your literacy instruction and help struggling readers thrive.
📅 View the schedule or request a proposal via the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial

Hurry, this offer ends September 30, 2025.
We’re in Shenandoah County, Virginia, this week, training a fantastic group of teachers in the Visualizing and Verbalizing program! 📖✨ We can’t wait to see their students thrive with stronger comprehension and critical thinking skills. 
💡🎓
🎧 New Podcast Episode: Beyond the Diagnosis: Autism, Advocacy, and Learning Success 🌟
Hear how Lindamood-Bell’s Visualizing and Verbalizing® instruction helped a child with autism go from struggling with comprehension to reading at a high school level by age eleven. This inspiring journey shows the power of evidence-based instruction to unlock potential.
👉 Listen now at the link in bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
Educators: struggling readers need instruction that targets the root causes of their challenges. 

Since 1986, Lindamood-Bell has partnered with schools to deliver proven reading interventions and teacher training that build essential skills.

Tap the link in our bio to discover 5 key strategies to improve reading intervention at your school! @lindamoodbellofficial
Big news for Educators! 
Seeing Stars® by Lindamood-Bell co-founder Nanci Bell is officially recognized by the What Works Clearinghouse, a trusted U.S. Department of Education resource. This research-backed program helps students with reading fluency, comprehension, and spelling, including those with dyslexia, 
become confident readers. Tap the link in bio to learn more, @lindamoodbellofficial.
🎒 Start the school year strong!
New routines mean new opportunities, and a strong start can make all the difference.
At Lindamood-Bell, our evidence-based approach has helped thousands of students thrive. Today on our blog we’re sharing a few simple strategies to help your child start the year with focus and confidence. 
Tap the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
Let’s make this their best year yet.
Thinking about school options or how to support a struggling learner? Our latest blog posts offer helpful guidance:
 🔹 What to Consider in an Online School
 🔹 Support for Dyslexia and Other Reading Disorders
 🔹 What is ADHD?
 🔹 Reading Programs for Struggling Readers
Visit our blog for these articles and more! Follow the ink in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
Reading challenges can hold students back in school and in life. At Lindamood-Bell, we provide personalized, one-to-one instruction that addresses the root causes of reading difficulties.
Our new blog explains how our approach builds the skills and confidence students need to succeed.
📖 New on the blog: A Reading Program That Works for Struggling Readers
 🔗 Link in bio, @lindamoodbellofficial
Request Information

Request Information

When you complete our form, we'll send you to our digital information packet and reach out to you shortly.
You may also call us at

* required

Schedule a Learning
Ability Evaluation

Please fill out the form and we will be in touch to schedule an evaluation.

* required