Imagine Learning
Imagine Learning
Imagine Learning is an innovative language and literacy software program for ELLs, struggling readers, early childhood education, and SPEC ED students.
Imagine Learning is an engaging language and literacy software program that accelerates English learning. Focused on oral language, academic vocabulary, instruction in the five essential components of reading, and strategic first-language support—it spells success for students everywhere.
How Imagine Learning Helps ELLs
- Utilizes peer modeling
- Provides strategic first-language support
- Boosts oral language development
- Strengthens academic vocabulary
- Instructs students in the five essential components of reading
Basic & Academic Language
The program has a way with words.
Imagine Learning was designed specifically to sharpen vocabulary—a key aspect of language acquisition for ELLs. In the program, ELL students are taught vocabulary through videos, pictures, glossaries, and direct translations. Words and concepts are repeated in multiple contexts in various books and activities, which provide students with a rich language experience and deeper understanding. The program highlights both general academic words and content-specific vocabulary words, so ELLs can use their new vocabulary across the curriculum throughout the day. Additionally, before students read informational leveled texts, key words are clarified and defined in the student’s first language. All in all, it’s just what ELL students need to succeed.
Five Key Components of Reading
Five essential components. One incredible result.
There are countless ways ELLs can benefit from reading. And there are only five essential components to learning how to do it. The National Reading Panel recommends explicit, systematic instruction in five areas: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Imagine Learning delivers explicit instruction in each of these crucial areas, paying particular attention to comprehension. Because comprehension is an especially difficult skill for ELLs to master, Imagine Learning helps students build background knowledge through pre-reading activities and then provides scaffolded reading opportunities with multiple levels of feedback. This strategic approach prepares students for the text while also promoting comprehension. And the incredible result for ELLs? A higher level of literacy.
Listening Comprehension
It’s easier to pay attention when you understand what’s going on.
When you don’t understand the task, how can you accomplish it? Many ELLs struggle to process language, making daily and academic tasks difficult to understand—let alone accomplish. Listening comprehension skills help ELL students learn how to recognize and follow oral instructions, making it easier to follow along. In Imagine Learning’s listening comprehension activities, ELLs are required to focus on specific words and phrases to practice selective listening. This exercise helps them learn how to identify key points. In other parts of the program, ELL students actively listen to interpret various conversations by carefully attending to verbal and nonverbal cues. By increasing this ability to understand the world around them, ELL students keep pace with their peers and gain confidence.
Grammar
A program that’s all prose and no cons.
Core grammatical knowledge is required for basic communication with speakers of any language. And for an ELL student trying to grasp the many rules of the English language, nothing is more important. Research shows that explicit instruction in this area improves speaking and writing skills. ELL students receive direct instruction for concepts such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, plurals, and affixes. They strengthen their grammatical skills by listening to correct syntax in context and then derive the rules on their own by noticing patterns
Speaking
The importance of oral fluency speaks for itself.
Speaking is a foundational element of literacy for ELL students, so oral fluency is a must-have skill. To provide speaking opportunities for ELL students, Imagine Learning directly teaches conversational phrases. In these activities, ELL students listen to each phrase multiple times, learn its meaning, and then have the opportunity to practice saying it themselves and record it. This method of listening, repeating and recording, and then listening to the recording has proven to be one of the most effective ways to improve speaking skills. Students also listen to and record songs and chants in the program, helping them gain oral fluency. With these activities to provide plenty of practice, your ELLs will definitely have something to talk about.
- Utilizes peer modeling
- Provides strategic first-language support
- Boosts oral language development
- Strengthens academic vocabulary
- Instructs students in the five essential components of reading