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Teacher PD that makes a difference | Spotlight on Cañon City School District

Oct 9, 2017
 
 

Cañon City School District is continuing into its second year of a three-year Colorado Department of Education literacy grant initiative. With the goal of changing outcomes for struggling readers, Cañon City partnered with Lindamood-Bell to provide teachers with workshops and ongoing coaching to develop their skills.

 

Participating teachers start out by learning the steps of Visualizing and Verbalizing for Language Comprehension and Thinking and Seeing Stars for Reading and Spelling.  These research-validated programs address the imagery-language foundation that underlies reading, spelling, language comprehension, memory and critical thinking.

 

Job-embedded professional development

 

After the workshop, teachers receive job-embedded professional development. Throughout the year Lindamood-Bell provides onsite support in the classroom through the use of state-of-the-art telepresence robot technology. Learn about our robot coaching in the following video:

 

 

Making news

 

This cost-effective solution was described by school administrators and teachers in articles appearing in the Cañon City Record. Get the hometown story:

 

Cañon City School District: More students measuring up in reading

Cañon City School District sees gains one year into implementing reading intervention.

 

Focus for the 2017-18 school year

 

The district is continuing to facilitate professional development for new and continuing staff. They will use what they learn with more students, prioritizing those who have an Individual Education Plan or otherwise qualify for services under the Colorado READ Act. Teachers will also be building on the growth students experienced in the first year of the initiative. For example, new readers may now be tackling reading fluency.

 

Lindamood-Bell is thrilled to continue supporting Cañon City Schools educators. We look forward to helping to achieve the big goals they have for students.

 

Below, check out results for decoding students.

 

Colorado Students Receiving Seeing Stars Instruction Make Significant Improvements in Reading

 

Background

Cañon City Schools in Cañon City, Colorado, serves a large percentage of students who are at-risk of reading failure. During the 2016-17 school year, Cañon City implemented Lindamood-Bell® instruction to address the specific needs of this student population. One hundred nineteen students received an average of 104 hours of Seeing Stars instruction to develop symbol imagery for reading. Instruction was delivered by Cañon City teachers who received professional development in the Lindamood-Bell programs. Student gains were measured with a battery of reading assessments.

 

 

Results

On average, Seeing Stars students achieved significant improvements in reading. They made large standard score changes on all measures. Additionally, the 18-point percentile increase in word recognition put these students within the normal range (25th-75th percentile). Their pre- to posttest results were statistically significant on all measures. 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.

 

Profile

Number of Students: 119

Grade Levels: 1st-5th

Lindamood-Bell Programs Implemented:

– Seeing Stars®

Focus of Professional Development:

– Teacher Workshops

– Job-embedded Coaching via Telepresence Robot

– Instructional Leadership Support

 

Lindamood-Bell instruction can change learning for students, regardless of their previous struggle with language and literacy. Contact us to learn how your school can get started: 800-233-1819.

 

Connect with us
🍂 A Fall Learning Gift for Your Student!

This fall, Lindamood-Bell is here to help your student catch up or get ahead with individualized instruction in reading, comprehension, and math.

A Learning Ability Evaluation helps identify your student's strengths and needs and guides an individualized learning plan.

Our Fall Learning Gift makes it easier to get started!
Enroll for at least 80 hours of instruction by November 30 and receive:
🔸 A credit equal to your full evaluation fee toward instruction
🔸 20% off your first week of instruction*

Learn more about the offer at the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
*Terms and conditions apply. See landing page for details.
We're proud to sponsor Everyone Reading Illinois' “Dynamics of Dyslexia” 2026 Fall Conference, November 4–5 in Naperville, IL!

Lindamood-Bell Learning Center Directors Stephanie Grady (Deerfield) and Taylor-Marie Funchion (Elmhurst) will present “The Missing Link in Literacy: Understanding the Imagery-Language Foundation” on Wednesday, November 4, from 3:10–4:30 PM.

Their session will explore the important role of imagery in reading, spelling, and comprehension, drawing on decades of instructional experience and scientific research. Attendees will learn about the sensory-cognitive processes underlying literacy and practical strategies to support students with dyslexia and persistent reading challenges.

We look forward to connecting with educators and professionals dedicated to helping students succeed!

Tap the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial, for more info!
🎉 40 Years of Changing Lives Through Learning

🧠 2011: Georgetown University researchers publish a study showing changes in the brains of children with dyslexia following reading intervention.

Our next milestone highlights research conducted by Georgetown University's Center for the Study of Learning in collaboration with Lindamood-Bell.

Published in the scientific journal NeuroImage, the study followed children with dyslexia who received eight weeks of instruction using the Seeing Stars® program.

Researchers found significant improvements in reading skills, along with measurable increases in gray matter volume in the brain. Follow-up testing eight weeks later showed that these gains were maintained.

These findings offered encouraging evidence that effective reading instruction can help children with dyslexia improve their reading skills while also supporting changes in the brain.

Follow along as we celebrate 40 years of changing lives through learning!
🎉 40 Years of Changing Lives Through Learning

📖 Our next milestone takes us to 2010, when Nanci Bell published the Symbol Imagery (SI) Test.

This standardized assessment measures a student's ability to visualize the sounds and letters within words, an important skill for reading and spelling.

The SI Test helps educators identify and monitor skills that underlie word recognition, spelling, and reading fluency.

Follow along as we celebrate 40 years of changing lives through learning!
🐱 Calling all cat lovers! Celebrate National Cat Day with a FREE reading resource for parents and teachers, courtesy of Gander Publishing!

This Imagine That! lesson packet features five cat-themed stories for grades 2–6, vocabulary practice, puzzles, and a coloring page!

Perfect for use with Visualizing and Verbalizing® or with any student who could benefit from extra comprehension practice.

Download your free packet - follow the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial!
🎉 40 Years of Changing Lives Through Learning

Our next milestone takes us to 2008, when Lindamood-Bell co-founder Nanci Bell was recognized by the California State Assembly as one of the state's Top 50 Women Business Leaders!

Follow along as we celebrate 40 years of changing lives through learning.
#LindamoodBell40 #LindamoodBell
🎧 New Podcast Episode!

How can art help students share their stories and make a difference in their communities?

Muralist Kyle Holbrook joins Lindamood-Bell for Schools Director of Development Dave Kiyvyra to discuss the Moving Lives of Kids Community Mural Project and the power of art to bring people together.

Hear how students are using creativity to express themselves and contribute to their communities.

Listen and subscribe at the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
🎉 40 Years of Changing Lives Through Learning

📚 2006: What happens when an entire school district works to improve reading?

In 2006, researchers from Texas A&M University published a study in the American Educational Research Journal examining reading achievement in Colorado’s Pueblo School District 60, where Lindamood-Bell had been working with schools since 1997 to support students at risk of reading difficulties.

They examined reading scores for students in grades 3–5 over several years and found that schools using Lindamood-Bell instruction made significantly greater gains than schools across Colorado. Those gains increased over time, including in Title I schools.

It was encouraging to see these results, especially in a district where so many students needed additional reading support.

Follow along as we celebrate 40 years of changing lives through learning.

Tap the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial,  to learn more about our work and research.
📣 FREE Halloween Download for Parents and Teachers, courtesy of Gander Publishing! 🎃
The Imagine That! Halloween lesson packet features four high-imagery stories written at a 2nd–5th-grade reading level.

👻 Enjoy stories about a giant pumpkin, a ghost, and even a rooster accused of being a witch!
🎃 Build reading comprehension with higher-order thinking questions.
🍬 Strengthen vocabulary skills with engaging activities.

Perfect for use with Visualizing and Verbalizing® or any student who could benefit from extra comprehension practice.
Download your free packet and bring some Halloween fun to reading! Follow the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial
🎉 40 Years of Changing Lives Through Learning

🧠 2004: Georgetown University researchers publish an important study on adult dyslexia and Lindamood-Bell instruction.

Led by Dr. Guinevere Eden and published in the scientific journal Neuron, the study used brain imaging to examine changes in adults with dyslexia following eight weeks of intensive Lindamood-Bell instruction.

Researchers found improvements in reading skills along with changes in brain activity, showing that the adult brain can continue to change and develop with reading instruction.

More than 20 years later, these findings continue to offer hope for adults who struggle with reading.

For more about our evidence-based reading instruction, follow the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.

Follow along as we celebrate 40 years of changing lives through learning!
🎉 40 Years of Changing Lives Through Learning

Our next milestone takes us to 2002, when Lindamood-Bell reached another exciting first!

🇬🇧 2002: Our first international Learning Center opens in London, England.
The opening of our London Learning Center meant more children could benefit from individualized instruction to strengthen their reading and comprehension skills. It was another meaningful step in helping more students learn to their potential.

Follow along as we celebrate 40 years of changing lives through learning.

Explore Lindamood-Bell at the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
🎙️ New Podcast Episode: Supporting At-Promise Students

In this episode, we’re joined by Khieem Jackson, Managing Director of Reaching At-Promise Students Association (RAPSA), for a thoughtful conversation about helping at-promise and opportunity youth thrive.
Together, we explore how the words we use to describe students can shape their experiences, and how literacy and learning can open doors to new opportunities beyond the classroom.

🎧 Listen and subscribe at the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
Lindamood-Bell will be at the International Dyslexia Association 2026 Annual Reading, Literacy & Learning Conference, November 12–14 in Las Vegas.

Join Paul Worthington, Director of Research and Development, for “ADHD and Dyslexia: Untangling the Comorbidity Conundrum,” which examines research on co-occurring ADHD, dyslexia, and language-processing difficulties, as well as implications for intervention.

📅 November 12–14
📍 Las Vegas + virtual attendance available

Learn more about our presentation and where to find us at the conference at the link in our bio, @lindamoodbellofficial.
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