Frequently Asked Questions

Seeing Stars©

The Seeing Stars© Program, created by Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes, uses sensory cognitive instruction to develop and strengthen symbol imagery in order to increase all the component parts of reading. This includes phonemic awareness, sight word recognition, and spelling.

Problem: Some students have developed skills in phonics and can sound out words, but they continue to have difficulty reading quickly and accurately on the page. These same students struggle to spell non-phonetic words and to build a sight word base. They sound out the word, but do not recognize the very same word later on.

Source: Symbol imagery is the ability to create mental imagery for sounds and letters within words. Students with this weakness struggle to form mental images for letter patterns that make up the words they are trying to decode. Children and adults can have trouble reading and writing because of weak symbol imagery. This weakness is the root of the student’s inability to self-correct reading errors, build a sight word base, and move fluently through a text. Symbol imagery can be developed and strengthened, allowing students to meet their full potential.

Indicators: Students have difficulty with:

• Memorizing sight words

• Sounding out words

• Orthographic awareness

• Phonemic awareness

• Contextual reading fluency

• Orthographic spelling

• Word attack

• Self-monitoring and self-correcting while reading

• Spelling skills

Solution: The Seeing Stars© Program strengthens the sensory cognitive functions required for reading fluency and spelling.

Visualizing and Verbalizing©

The Visualizing and Verbalizing© (V/V©) program develops concept imagery—the ability to form unified and dynamic mental pictures from oral and written language. Developing concept imagery enables the student not only to recall facts, but to connect ideas and synthesize hypotheses to tackle more complex questions and formulate arguments. This strengthens the student’s oral and written communication skills. 

Problem: Some students read fluently and accurately but can't understand or recall what they've just read. Other students focus on bits and pieces of the story, missing the forest for the trees. As such, these students struggle to follow linear language, whether it be a story, written directions, or verbal directions. Sadly, these students are often labeled inattentive and distracted.  

Source: One main reason for these comprehension issues stems from the student’s inability to create unified and dynamic mental imagery known as concept imagery. The degree of weakness varies from student to student, but a weak foundation limits each student’s ability to form a unified and in-depth understanding of language. 

Indicators: Individuals of all ages may experience the symptoms of a weakness in concept imagery that can limit their abilities in: 

• Reading comprehension

• Critical thinking and problem solving

• Auditory comprehension

• Following directions

• Memory

• Oral language expression

• Clear, specific, organized writing

• Understanding and participating in dynamic social situations

• Understanding humor

• Higher order thinking

• Mental mapping

Solution: The Visualizing and Verbalizing© (V/V©) program strengthens the sensory cognitive functions required for written and oral language comprehension and expression.