LindamoodBell Professional Learning Community Driving the Sensory Bus

Imagery is a sensory connection to language. © 2014 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes

Visualizing and Verbalizing The goal is to engage the individual to consciously create and access mental representations and stimulate his or her awareness of the imagery-language connection. © 2014 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes

Imagery is sensory information that prevents language from going in one ear and out the other. Imaged Gestalt (whole) Oral Language Written Language © 2014 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes Higher Order Thinking Main Idea Conclusion Inference Predict/Extend Evaluate

Visualizing and Verbalizing Guide Language to Drive the Sensory Bus Use language to directly stimulate the sensory input of imagery—the nonverbal code. Language of, “What are you picturing…” directly stimulates imagery. The language of, “What are you thinking…” does not. “What do you picture will happen if…” is better than, “What do you think will happen if…” “What letters do you picture for the word…” is better than, “What is the meaning of the word…” © 2014 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes

Drive the Sensory Bus Concept Imagery “What do you picture for, ‘The black and white cat’? ” “I see. . . ” Teacher Student Your language activates sensory input for concept imagery. © 2014 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes

Socratic Method The V/V program employs the Socratic method to specifically bring the sensory input of imagery to a conscious level. The teacher creates a Socratic learning environment of questioning—a give/take, a back/forth with your student. Ask questions to help students compare their response to the stimulus. © 2014 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes

Page 56 Sensory Language Questioning can directly stimulate dual coding. • You must ask questions that not only develop imagery, but also direct imagery to appropriate details, leading to the gestalt of the paragraph. Questioning to imagery elicits the start of imagery. • Follow each sentence with, “What did those words make you picture? ” “What are you picturing for…? ” Ask questions that explicitly stimulate imagery. Stimulate imagery with questions! © 2014 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes

Page 56 Choice/Contrast Give choices for imagery—do not assume imagery. A question needs to require more than a “yes” or “no” response and is often best when asked with choices in the beginning of V/V instruction. When your student chooses one of your choices, it does not mean she visualized. Check to be sure she really pictures that choice. If you assume imagery for part of a sentence, that will be the part of the picture summary she forgets. Imagery and memory are linked! © 2014 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes

Page 56 Questioning to Imagery A Simple Guide Develop imagery sequentially from subject to verb to object. Detailed imagery for the primary noun. Imagery of the movement (what action the subject does). Detailed imagery for the object. © 2014 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes

Question Toward the Gestalt Direct your questions to develop imagery for the main idea of the sentences, rather than the parts. Read the whole paragraph to yourself first! Do not get too much imaged detail for insignificant parts. See chapter 19 for relevant questioning. Do not over-question for so much imaged detail. © 2014 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes

Imagery Questions “The large bald eagle soars high above the blue river looking intently down into the water. ” (VV Stories, Grade 6, Bk 1) Write 5 imagery questions in the order you would ask your student… © 2014 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes

Driving the Sensory Bus? Which sentences drive the sensory bus? “What is the meaning for the word tribe? ” “What are you seeing for the glove? ” “What do you picture the dog doing? ” “Tell me about the crocodile’s tail. ” © 2014 Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes