Structured Literacy Reading Program

Structured Literacy is a teaching approach that uses research-based reading and writing programs or methods, based on multi-sensory, diagnostic, prscriptive, explicit and systematic teaching methods. It can be a complete curriculum for teaching decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling) beginning with phoneme segmentation. This approach directly teaches the structure of words in the English language so that students master the coding system for reading and spelling. The language system of English is presented in a systematic and cumulative manner so that it is manageable. It provides an organized, sequential system with extensive controlled text to help teachers implement a multisensory structured language program. It is specifically designed for individuals who have difficulty with written language in the areas of decoding and spelling, often due to dyslexia.

DIRECT
Students learn through straightforward, interactive learning, addressing head-on the concepts that govern the structure of written English.

STRUCTURED
The scope and sequence guides the student through the steps of decoding and encoding, teaching them to learn, practice and apply in a systematic manner, beginning with easier concepts first and moving forward through more diffiuclt concepts.

CUMULATIVE
Each concept builds on the one before it. Students work from sounds to syllables, words to sentences, and paragraphs to stories, learning the structure of English through consistent repetition, practice and review.

MULTISENSORY
Lessons are interactive in nature and are designed to fully engage students in the task at hand. Students learn by hearing sounds; manipulating color-coded sounds, syllable and word cards; performing finger tapping exercises, writing down spoken words; reading aloud and repeating what they have read in their own words. All skills and knowledge are reinforced through visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile senses.

INTEGRATED
These methods are organized around the six syllable types found in English; sounds are taught only as they relate to the syllable being studied. Lessons cover only those concepts being taught, with prior lessons being reinforced. Materials and texts are phonetically controlled containing word lists, sentences, and paragraphs that incorporate only the elements of word structure taught in or up to the corresponding lesson. Children are not presented with sounds or words that they have never practiced, until they are ready to do so.