1. New Study Shows Reading Intervention Changes Gray Matter Volume25 Years of Creating the Magic of Learning!This year marks our 25th Anniversary helping children and adults improve theirlanguage and literacy skills. And, this year I am excited to share with you brainresearch that validates our instructional methodology.A new article released by the journal NeuroImage features the results of a studythat examined changes in reading behavior and gray matter volume (GMV) inchildren with dyslexia. These children received intensive reading instruction usingLindamood-Bells Seeing Stars Symbol Imagery program to develop literacyskills. The study, conducted by researchers from the Center for the Study ofLearning, Georgetown University Medical Center, and Wake Forest UniversityBaptist Medical Center, found that (1) training-induced changes in GMV can beobserved in a pediatric sample, and (2) reading improvements induced byintervention are accompanied by GMV changes.Behavioral tests and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performedbefore the Seeing Stars instruction, after the Seeing Stars instruction, and aftera period of time where no instruction was administered. Not only were readingbehaviors significantly improved, for the first time, the results of the study indicatethat GMV increases in the left anterior fusiform gyrus/hippocampus, leftprecuneus, right hippocampus, and right anterior cerebellum occur as well.These are areas of the brain that have been shown previously to play a part inlearning and visual imagery.For many years we have noted significant improvement in decoding and readingcomprehension when we focus instruction on mental imagery as applied to

2. language and literacy skills. The results of this MRI study not only validate thatour instruction in imagery results in improved reading behaviors, but also resultsin important and lasting changes in the brain. This is a very important stepforward in the field of reading.Best wishes,Nanci BellDirector