Structured Literacy in 6 Simple Steps

Structured Literacy

This video explains the six simple steps of structured literacy, which is a systematic approach to teaching literacy.

Phonological Level

• Structured literacy starts at the phonological level, which involves the sound structure of words.

• We learn to break words into syllables and hear and generate rhyme (e.g., cat, sat, matt).

Phonemes

• The next step is focusing on phonemes, which are units of sound.

• We learn what sounds we can hear at the beginning, end, and middle of a word (e.g., "c" in cat).

Graphemes

• After learning about phonemes, we move on to graphemes.

• Graphemes are letters or groups of letters that form each unit of sound.

• We learn how to match phonemes to graphemes through phoneme-grapheme correspondence.

Written Words

• The next step is introducing written words.

• We blend the sounds we know in order to hear a word (e.g., "cat").

• This process is called encoding.

Sentences

• Following words, we introduce sentences.

• We use our blending skills in order to read a sentence (e.g., "at cat and").

• This process is called decoding.

Decodable Texts

• Finally, we introduce decodable texts - books that allow children to use their decoding skills to read.

• These series start with simple sounds and letters that children know so they can have success in reading without guessing words they don't know how to decode.

• As children progress through the series, new graphemes are introduced so they can systematically and successfully learn to read.

Conclusion

• In summary, structured literacy involves six simple steps: phonological level, phonemes, graphemes, written words (encoding), sentences (decoding), and decodable texts.

• This approach allows children to systematically learn how to read and have success in reading.