Structured Literacy: Unlocking the Secrets to Reading and Writing Success
Structured Literacy is a research-based approach to teaching reading and writing that benefits all learners, not just those struggling with reading difficulties like dyslexia. It focuses on what is taught and how it is taught, combining evidence-based content with effective instructional methods.
Key Components of Structured Literacy
Structured Literacy teaches students the building blocks of language:
Phonology – Understanding the sounds of language (phonemes) to support reading and spelling.
Phonics & Syllables – Mapping sounds to letters and dividing words into syllables for accurate decoding and spelling.
Morphology & Etymology – Learning prefixes, suffixes, roots, and word origins to expand vocabulary and comprehension.
Syntax – Mastering sentence structure and grammar to improve reading and writing clarity.
Text-Reading Fluency – Reading accurately, smoothly, and expressively to focus on understanding.
Semantics & Comprehension – Integrating meaning, context, and prior knowledge to make sense of text.
Handwriting & Written Expression – Practicing letter formation and multiple writing modes to enhance fluency.
Principles of Effective Instruction
Structured Literacy is not just about content—it’s also about how instruction is delivered. Core principles include:
Sequential, Systematic, and Cumulative Approach
Lessons follow the logical and functional order of English language concepts, starting with the simplest skills and progressing to more complex ones. For example:
Single-letter vowels are taught before vowel teams.
Closed syllables are introduced before open syllables.
New concepts are always related to previously learned material, reviewed regularly, and taught using consistent language. The goal is mastery and automaticity, allowing students to perform skills efficiently and confidently.
Diagnostic Teaching
Teachers continuously assess students’ mastery and functional use of concepts, using both informal (observation) and formal (standardized) tools. Instruction is adjusted based on these assessments to ensure approximately 80–90% of student responses are correct—a hallmark of well-planned Structured Literacy lessons.
Synthetic and Analytic Instruction
Structured Literacy combines two approaches:
Synthetic – Teaching parts of language first, then showing how they form a whole (e.g., blending /s/ + /t/ + /a/ + /sh/ = stash).
Analytic – Breaking a whole into its component parts (e.g., segmenting stash = /s/+ /t/ + /a/ + /sh/).
From Skills to Functional Use
Frequent practice moves students from learning individual skills to applying them in reading, writing, and comprehension tasks. Mastery at the level of automaticity frees cognitive resources to focus on higher-level thinking.
Consistent Use of Structured Literacy Vocabulary
Teachers introduce and consistently use precise language terms—like consonant, vowel, syllable, morpheme, stressed, unstressed—to reinforce concepts and support long-term retention.
The Power of Multisensory Learning
Structured Literacy incorporates multisensory (multimodal) strategies, engaging visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-motor pathways. This helps students remember and apply skills more effectively, making learning active, and enjoyable.
Why Structured Literacy Works
Research shows that combining structured content with evidence-based teaching strategies dramatically improves reading outcomes. Students develop fluency, comprehension, spelling, and writing skills when instruction is systematic, explicit, cumulative, and multisensory.
Structured Literacy is more than a method—it’s a roadmap for success in reading and writing, helping every student unlock their potential.
How the Slingerland Approach Aligns
The Slingerland Approach is a classroom-tested program rooted in Structured Literacy principles. It emphasizes:
Structured, Sequential Instruction – Lessons progress logically from simple to complex language concepts.
Multisensory Learning – Students see, hear, and physically engage with letters and sounds to strengthen memory.
Cumulative Practice – Skills are regularly reviewed and reinforced for mastery and automaticity.
Diagnostic Teaching – Teachers continuously monitor student progress and adjust lessons to individual needs.
Integration Across Language Skills – Phonology, phonics, syllables, morphology, syntax, reading fluency, comprehension, and handwriting are taught in a connected, holistic way.
Through these features, Slingerland provides an effective, evidence-based method for helping struggling readers and writers achieve literacy success.
