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We
read for enjoyment, to gain knowledge, draw meaning, and stimulate
our imaginations. Without clear understanding of content, however,
none of these purposes are served. Reading accurately and fluently
are the first steps toward being a good reader. Remembering and comprehending
are the goal.
We have worked with many students whose weaknesses in comprehension
and/or expressive language have kept them from reaching their potential.
This ability to conceptualize language, or sensory cognitive processing,
is key not only to reading, but also oral and written expression,
developing a sense of humor, and following directions. It is an ability
that becomes critical for a student's success in middle and high school.
We have seen significant advances on standardized tests and in schoolwork,
because the program we use gives students a concrete way to process
information. |
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The Reading Clinic offers students methods for understanding how to
understand, and how to express that understanding. Lindamood Bell’s® Visualizing and Verbalizing® program develops the ability to
conceptualize mental images that match content and then use language
to describe those images. Students learn to come to their own understanding
and express that understanding. Starting at a basic level using structure
words to describe the attributes of a picture they find immediate
success in an area in which they may have been struggling. They then
progress, step by step, into and through longer and more complex pieces
of printed information. In one-to-one sessions, students are able
to safely take risks and work at their highest level. |
| As they
actually "see" what getting meaning is all about, our students blossom,
gaining confidence and showing their personalities. Parents and teachers
often notice an increased eagerness to join discussions. Homework
becomes easier when less time is spent reading and re-reading to memorize
words. Instead, students begin to understand what they are reading
and can more easily remember it. |
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| When students
come to a whole understanding, where they "get" the gestalt, or main
idea, they can develop higher order thinking skills, such as inferring,
concluding and predicting. Using critical thinking, they are engaged
in learning and the process is less of a chore and becomes more intriguing
and stimulating. They now own the information, can talk about it,
and use this expressive language in writing that demonstrates their
understanding. In follow-up programs, students are reminded of their
new skills and how best to use them. |
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