Structured Literacy

Structured Literacy
What It Is & Why , It Matters.

Children with Dyslxia are in nearly every classroom- but effective reading instruction is not!

What is Structured Literacy?

Structured Literacy (SL) is a highly effective approach to teaching reading and spelling that supports students who struggle with these skills. One of the most renowned SL approaches is the Orton-Gillingham (OG) method, a time-tested, research-based framework for literacy instruction.

Why is Structured Literacy Important?

Structured Literacy is beneficial for both students at risk for reading difficulties and those with reading disabilities. It offers a consistent, effective framework for building foundational literacy skills. Here’s why SL is crucial:

Evidence-Based Instruction: Structured Literacy is supported by research and has been proven to help students develop essential reading and writing skills.
Comprehensive Skill Development: SL approaches provide systematic instruction in all aspects of literacy, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

What does vowel Y say?

Key Features of Structured Literacy

1. Systematic Instruction

Structured Literacy approaches follow a systematic progression, teaching students one skill at a time. Skills are introduced in a logical sequence, ensuring that each new concept builds on previous knowledge. For example, students learn the sounds of letters before decoding words or sentences

2. Phonemic Awareness Instruction

Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words. OG instruction includes activities like sound mapping, where students break down words into their phonemes (individual sounds) and segment them into sounds or syllables.

3. Mastery-Based Learning

Students must master each reading skill before moving on to the next. This approach ensures a solid foundation for future learning.

Instruction Includes:

Immediate corrective feedback on decoding errors
Clear, helpful tips or prompts for decoding unknown words
Comprehension questions to assess understanding

Why Does Structured Literacy Include Decoding Nonsense Words?

Nonsense words are phonetically decodable but not real words.

For example, the nonsense word “paze” rhymes with “haze” and “maze.” Here’s why nonsense words are an essential part of SL instruction:

Purpose

Nonsense words help assess if students understand letter-sound correspondences and can apply these skills to unfamiliar words. They ensure that students are not just memorizing words but actually learning to decode.

Educational Value

By using nonsense words, we can find out if you know the most common sound for letters and if you can blend the sounds to read words you have never seen before. -Reading Rockets.

Nonsense word measures are one part of DIBELS, a widely-used assessment for young children, and are an integral part of the Orton-Gillingham approach to teaching reading.

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