A woman high-fiving a young student

Opening doors to the communicating world.

"

As the sensory information of imagery is brought to consciousness, students can access it as a sensory tool.

"

~ Nanci Bell and Christy Bonetti

  • Talkies

    The Talkies® program is the primer to the Visualizing and Verbalizing® program for students who need simpler, smaller steps of instruction to establish the imagery-language connection.

    Learn more about Talkies 

  • The Talkies program is

"In the short time my son has been in the program, his expressive skills have increased dramatically and he is speaking in full sentences (and often in multiple sentences)!"

~Melissa, a mother

  • Talkies Kit
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Gander Publishing

Talkies® Kit

$489.95
$489.95
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The Talkies Kit provides theory, tools, and specific steps to implement Nanci Bell and Christy Bonetti's Talkies program. Talkies is the primer to the acclaimed Visualizing and Verbalizing® program for students who need simpler, smaller steps of instruction to establish the connection between language and mental imagery.

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Talkies FAQ

Problem

Chip is in first grade, and although he had a full-time tutor since he was three, his poor communication skills are causing him social difficulty. He has difficulty expressing himself and comprehending language concepts.

Cause

Weakness in concept imagery—the ability to create an imaged whole—means that Chip is significantly unable to comprehend, or receive and express language well.

Symptoms

Individuals of all ages can experience a significant weakness in the ability to created an imaged whole.

This causes weakness in:

  • Difficulty with general verbal and non-verbal expression
  • Difficulty formulating sentences
  • Difficulty following directions
  • Apparent disengagement or frustration
  • Symptoms of autism spectrum disorders

Solution

The Talkies® program is the primer to the Visualizing & Verbalizing® (V/V®) program for students who need simpler, smaller steps of instruction to establish the imagery-language connection. The goal of Talkies is to develop the dual coding imagery and language as a base for language comprehension and expression. Talkies is especially helpful for students with a limited oral vocabulary and/or limited ability to verbalize. Research indicates Talkies benefits students previously diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Talkies is also ideal for any preschool child.

The Talkies Difference

Talkies brings imagery to a conscious level, serving as a basis for oral language expression and language comprehension. Utilizing a systematic process, Talkies includes incremental units of language, moving through a sequence of receptive practice, expressive practice, and imagery practice.

Who is a Talkies student?

Talkies is especially helpful for students with a significant weakness in receptive and expressive oral language skills. Talkies is often utilized for individuals diagnosed with autism. It is ideal for students who need simpler, smaller steps of instruction to establish the imagery-language connection prior to instruction in the Visualizing and Verbalizing program. Developmentally, Talkies is beneficial for all young children between the ages of two and five, preschool through kindergarten, to develop dual coding at a conscious level.

Response to Intervention (RTI)

Talkies is used primarily as a Tier 3 intervention for students with special needs. Talkies is also used in Tier 1 as an early childhood program for PreK-Kindergarten.

Common Core

Talkies, as a primer to the Visualizing and Verbalizing program, provides the supports and scaffolding many struggling students need to meet rigorous grade-level expectations. The program helps develop the language skills needed to meet the expectations in the strands of Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language. Download our free White Paper to learn how sensory-cognitive instruction supports the Common Core.

English Language Learners

Talkies supports best practices in English Language Development, especially for beginning or emerging English learners. English learners are given frequent opportunities to develop oral language skills. Talkies lessons are scaffolded and differentiated to help develop essential vocabulary.