What is Structured Literacy?


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Structured Literacy History and Resources

When the term structured literacy was initially used by the International Dyslexia Association (July 1, 2014), it was a method for those supporting explicit systematic phonological awareness and phonics instruction to have one name to use as opposed to Wilson, OG, Slingerland, Sonday, and so on. The notion was that Whole Language had one name for what it was, and explicit systematic instruction did not.  Hal Malchow, then president of the IDA board, consulted various groups and canvassed the membership of IDA and the literacy community on several selected names, and structured literacy was the name that was selected.  With the implementation of the Knowledge and Practice Standards from IDA, the term has grown to include instruction in all of the five components of reading as outlined by the National Reading Panel. 

Please see the link below to articles, reports, and guides supporting the use of explicit systematic reading instruction or Structured Literacy and, further, that Structured Literacy includes the five components of reading:

Second Edition of KPS (2018) – FINAL KPS FOR PUBLICATION_May2018.pdf | Powered by Box

This information is also outlined within the IDA Structured Literacy Brief published in 2019 and authored by Louise Spear-Swerling. ” ….. Highly explicit instruction is provided, not only in important foundational skills such as decoding and spelling, but also in higher-level aspects of literacy such as syntax, reading comprehension, and text composition.” p. 6 of Structured Literacy Brief.pdf | Powered by Box

The New Jersey Dyslexia Handbook outlines this information as well from p. 20 to p. 25, based on Scarborough’s Reading Rope model.  The New Jersey Dyslexia Handbook (state.nj.us)

Structured Literacy and Typical Literacy Practices: Understanding Differences to Create Instructional Opportunities | Reading Rockets 

The National Reading Panel and The Big Five | Orton Gillingham Online Academy (ortongillinghamonlinetutor.com)

What Is Structured Literacy? – International Dyslexia Association (dyslexiaida.org)

Structured Literacy and Typical Literacy Practices: Understanding Differences to Create Instructional Opportunities (readingrockets.org) 

Can Prevailing Approaches to Reading Instruction Accomplish the Goals of RTI? (mydigitalpublication.com) 

Structured literacy resources | The International Dyslexia Association Ontario Branch (idaontario.com)

https://improvingliteracy.org/sites/improvingliteracy2.uoregon.edu/files/TASK%20FORCE%20Report%20final.pdf (Recommendation #4)

https://www.sreb.org/resources/resources-support-georgia-dyslexia-pilot-districts (Supports five components of reading)

https://coh.dyslexiaida.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2020/11/Dyslexia-Roadmap-Guide-for-School-Districts-Page-Booklet-View.pdf (Five components of reading; Cost analysis)

 


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