Structured literacy is an educational method based on the science of reading. This science deeply examines the reading process. It links reading to other language skills, like speaking, spelling, and writing. It also looks at the brain’s role in reading. Key areas like phoneme awareness, phonics, and comprehension are considered. It focuses on how children learn to read and why some find it harder than others.
Key Components of Structured Literacy
Structured literacy is an explicit, systematic approach to teaching reading that aligns with the science of reading. It is particularly beneficial for students with learning challenges, such as dyslexia, but is effective for all learners. This approach involves teaching:
- Phonology: Understanding the sound structure of spoken words, which is crucial in structured language instruction.
- Sound-Symbol Association: Mapping phonemes of spoken language to symbols or printed letters.
- Syllable Instruction: Teaching about different syllable types and how they influence the sound of the vowel in the syllable.
- Morphology: The study of the smallest units of meaning in the language, including base words, roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
- Syntax: The set of principles dictating the sequence and function of words in a sentence.
- Semantics: Understanding the meaning of words and sentences.
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Implementing Structured Literacy
Phonological Awareness:
Engage in activities that emphasize the sounds in words, like rhyming or syllable counting, such as:
Rhyming Games: Play games where you say a word and ask your child to come up with words that rhyme with it. You can make it more fun by turning it into a story or song that includes lots of rhyming words
Syllable Counting: Teach your child to clap out the number of syllables in their name or in other familiar words. For example, “An-drew” (two claps) or “El-e-phant” (three claps).
Letter-Sound Knowledge:
Teach children how letters correspond to sounds, an essential aspect of reading and spelling. These activities can help what that:
Alphabet Books: Read books that focus on the alphabet and associate each letter with a sound, like “A is for Apple,” emphasizing the sound of the letter.
Letter Sound Matching: Use flashcards with letters and pictures. Ask your child to match the letter with a picture that starts with that letter’s sound.
Decoding Practice:
Use decodable texts to help children practice decoding, which is critical for developing reading fluency.
Decodable Books: Choose books designed for early readers that focus on phonics and simple words your child can decode based on their sound-letter knowledge
Word Building: Use letter tiles or magnets to build simple words together, changing one letter at a time to make a new word (e.g., mat, map, sap, sip).
Vocabulary Development
Enrich your child’s vocabulary through reading and discussing a variety of texts. You can do this most efficiently by:
Reading Aloud: Read a variety of books aloud to your child and discuss the meaning of new words you encounter.
Word of the Day:
Introduce a new word each day and use it in conversations. You can even create a “word wall” where these words are displayed and revisited.
Comprehension Strategies:
Teach children to summarize, synthesize, and infer information from texts to enhance comprehension skills. You can do this by:
Story Retelling: After reading a story, ask your child to retell the story in their own words, focusing on the main events.
Questioning: While reading, pause to ask questions about the story, such as “Why do you think the character did that?” or “What do you think will happen next?”
Phonics Games and Activities:
Incorporate phonics through games and engaging activities like these to make learning fun and effective:
Phonics Hopscotch: Create a hopscotch grid with letters or blends. As your child hops on a square, they say a word that starts with that sound.
I Spy with Phonics: Play “I Spy” focusing on phonics (“I spy something that starts with the /b/ sound”).
We have an entire YouTube channel dedicated to practice games and literacy news. To find more activities for you child, consider subscribing here.
The Takeaway
Remember, the key to these activities is to make them engaging and fun, keeping your child’s interest while they learn. This approach aligns with the principles of structured literacy by providing systematic, explicit, and multisensory learning experiences.
Reading is an invaluable skill, but it is also a gift. Students who gain a strong foundation in reading are often more prepared for academic success, but they are also more likely to enjoy reading. When students enjoy reading, they become lifelong learners and learn how to dream big and be more creative too.
Thank you for reading this post today. You might also enjoy reading:
The Science of Reading: What All Teachers Should Know
How Children Learn to Read: A Guide for Parents and Teachers
Harnessing the Power of Phonemic Awareness, Phonological Awareness, and Phonics
At the PRIDE Reading Program, we are committed to empowering literacy success for every learner. Our meticulously crafted curriculum is more than a teaching tool—it’s a beacon of hope for students and educators alike.
If you’re ready to see the transformative power of structured literacy in action, to help your students or your child build a solid foundation and flourish as readers, we invite you to implement the PRIDE Reading Program into your school site or homeschool.
Empower literacy success. Cultivate confident readers. Unlock the transformative power of reading with PRIDE.
*Sources: Hill Learning Center, IMSE Journal, Reading Rockets, Understood.org, and Structured Literacy
At the PRIDE Reading Program, we are committed to empowering literacy success for every learner. Our meticulously crafted curriculum is more than a teaching tool—it’s a beacon of hope for students and educators alike.
If you’re ready to see the transformative power of structured literacy in action, to help your students or your child build a solid foundation and flourish as readers, we invite you to implement the PRIDE Reading Program into your school site or homeschool.
Empower literacy success. Cultivate confident readers. Unlock the transformative power of reading with PRIDE.