Module 5 Section 3

Summary

This module delves into structured literacy, an educational approach emphasizing explicit, systematic, and cumulative instruction. It advocates for differentiating teaching to meet diverse student needs, using diagnostic assessments to tailor instruction. The method covers letter-sound correspondence, syllabication, and morphology, ensuring equitable access to literacy fundamentals. It benefits all students, not just those with reading difficulties, aligning with scientific teaching practices.

Takeaways

• 📚 Structured literacy is an approach to teaching reading and writing skills that is suitable for all students.
• 👨‍🏫 Explicit instruction is crucial, involving teacher-led teaching of concepts broken down into small steps.
• 🔄 Systematic instruction follows a defined sequence, starting with easier concepts and progressing to more complex ones.
• 🔁 Cumulative instruction ensures that previously learned concepts are reintroduced and integrated throughout the learning process.
• 🔍 Diagnostic assessments are used to inform instruction and identify specific student skill strengths and weaknesses.
• 👥 Differentiation is necessary to meet the needs of all students, which can occur within content, process, product, or environment.
• 🔢 Structured literacy includes teaching high-frequency skills first, such as letter-sound correspondence and syllabication.
• 🔠 The instruction is sequenced to start with single consonants and vowels, moving to more complex patterns like multisyllabic words.
• 🧩 Morphology is taught using a logical sequence based on the frequency of morphemes in language, starting with common endings and building complexity.
• 🔄 Structured literacy allows for multiple repetitions, which are necessary for students to master reading skills.
• 🌟 Structured literacy is beneficial for all students, not just those with reading difficulties, and is supported by research and recommendations from practice guides.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of educators according to Anita Archer and Charles Hughes?

The primary goal of educators is to help students make the maximum possible academic gains in a positive, respectful environment that promotes their success and nurtures their desire to learn.

What does structured literacy include?

Structured literacy includes the high priority skills students must acquire as they learn to read and write. It's an approach to teaching, not a specific program.

How is the content delivered in structured literacy instruction?

The content is delivered in a carefully structured approach that is explicit, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic.

What is explicit literacy instruction?

Explicit literacy instruction is teacher-led, with concepts directly taught, often broken down into small steps, clearly explained, and skills sequenced from simple to complex.

What does systematic mean in the context of structured literacy instruction?

Systematic means having a defined scope and sequence built around the structure of the English language, starting with high frequency, easier concepts, and building to the more complex.

How does structured literacy instruction approach the teaching of letter-sound correspondence?

It starts with single consonant and moves to vowel sounds, followed by blends and digraphs, silent-e and two syllable words, vowel teams, R-controlled sounds, affixes, and finally to multi-syllabic words.

Why is it important to separate easily confused letter sound associations?

Separating easily confused letter sound associations and auditorily or visually similar letters, such as D, B, and E, I, prevents confusion and supports clear learning.

What is the purpose of introducing syllabication instruction?

The purpose is to introduce high frequency and less complex skills first, allowing students to visually parse longer words into syllable chunks for easier decoding.

How does structured literacy approach the teaching of syllable types?

It categorizes most English words into six syllable types, providing a common vocabulary for teachers and students, with the goal of recognizing patterns that support reading and spelling.

What is the significance of a cumulative approach in structured literacy instruction?

A cumulative approach allows for multiple repetitions of previously learned concepts throughout instruction, enabling students to master the concepts.

How does structured literacy instruction use diagnostic assessments?

Diagnostic assessments are used to inform instruction that is responsive to students' needs, identifying specific skill strengths and weaknesses, and adjusting the intensity of instruction accordingly.

Why is structured literacy beneficial for all students, not just those with word reading difficulties?

Research shows that the majority of students need significant support to learn to read, making structured literacy essential for 60% of students and beneficial to the other 40%.

How can instruction be differentiated within a structured literacy approach?

Differentiation can occur within the content, the process of accessing or interacting with content, the product students produce, or the learning environment.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Structured Literacy Instruction

This paragraph introduces structured literacy as an educational approach aimed at maximizing students' academic gains in a positive, respectful environment. It emphasizes the importance of explicit, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic instruction. Explicit instruction involves teacher-led teaching of concepts broken down into small steps with clear examples and feedback. Systematic instruction is defined by a sequence starting with easier concepts and building to more complex ones, ensuring prerequisite skills are taught before new ones. The paragraph also discusses the importance of differentiating instruction for students with varying needs and the role of diagnostic assessments in tailoring instruction to meet individual student requirements.

05:03

🔍 Cumulative and Diagnostic Aspects of Structured Literacy

Paragraph 2 delves into the cumulative nature of structured literacy, where previously learned concepts are reintroduced and integrated throughout instruction to allow for multiple opportunities for review and repetition. It highlights the need for multiple repetitions for students to master word reading, with struggling readers requiring even more. The paragraph also discusses the diagnostic aspect of structured literacy, which uses assessments to inform instruction and identify specific skill strengths and weaknesses. It emphasizes that structured literacy is not just for students with reading difficulties but is essential for the majority of students and beneficial for all. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on differentiation within the classroom, suggesting strategies such as scaffolding, modeling, and providing frequent feedback to support a diverse range of learners.

Keywords

💡Structured Literacy

Structured literacy is an educational approach that emphasizes a systematic and explicit teaching of reading and writing skills. It is not a specific program but a method that ensures all students acquire high-priority skills necessary for literacy. The script mentions that structured literacy includes a carefully structured approach that is explicit, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic, which is crucial for all students to learn to read and write effectively.

💡Explicit Instruction

Explicit instruction is a teaching method where concepts are directly taught by the teacher, often broken down into small steps for clarity. It is highlighted in the script as one of the greatest tools available to educators, where skills are modeled and feedback is provided to ensure correct practice. This method is integral to structured literacy as it allows for clear understanding and application of literacy concepts.

💡Systematic

Systematic in the context of literacy instruction refers to a planned and sequential approach that builds upon the structure of the English language. The script explains that systematic instruction starts with easier concepts like high-frequency words and progresses to more complex ones, ensuring that prerequisite skills are taught before introducing new ones. This systematic nature helps in achieving measurable learning goals.

💡Diagnostic

Diagnostic in the script refers to the use of assessments to inform and adjust instruction based on students' needs. It is part of structured literacy instruction that identifies specific skill strengths and weaknesses. The data gathered is used to group students with similar needs and to adjust the intensity of instruction, ensuring that all students' needs are met.

💡Cumulative

Cumulative instruction implies that previously learned concepts are reintroduced and integrated throughout the teaching process. This allows for multiple opportunities for review and repetition, which is essential for students to master literacy concepts. The script mentions that research shows students require multiple repetitions to reach accuracy and automaticity with word reading.

💡Letter-Sound Correspondence

Letter-sound correspondence is a foundational skill in reading where students learn the relationship between letters and the sounds they represent. The script outlines a systematic instruction in letter-sound correspondence that begins with single consonants and moves to vowel sounds, blends, digraphs, and more complex patterns. This systematic approach is crucial for building reading fluency.

💡Syllabication

Syllabication is the process of dividing words into syllables, which is an important skill in reading and spelling. The script mentions that syllabication instruction has a scope and sequence, starting with high-frequency and less complex skills like closed syllables and progressing to more complex patterns. This helps students to decode longer words more efficiently.

💡Morphology

Morphology is the study of the formation, structure, and relation of words. In the context of the script, morphology is part of the structured literacy approach where students learn about common inflectional endings, prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Understanding morphology helps students decode and understand the meaning of multisyllabic words.

💡Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching that acknowledges the diverse learning needs of students by tailoring instruction to meet those needs. The script discusses how differentiation can occur within the content, process, product, or learning environment. This approach is essential for a structured literacy classroom to ensure that all students, regardless of their abilities, can succeed.

💡Equitable Access

Equitable access in the script refers to ensuring that all students have fair and just opportunities to learn the essential foundations in reading and writing. Structured literacy instruction aims to provide this access by aligning with the science of teaching and learning, thus supporting a wide range of students, including those with learning disabilities.

💡Academic Language

Academic language refers to the formal and specialized vocabulary, syntax, and discourse conventions used in academic settings. The script mentions that teachers can help students access academic language by using strategies such as breaking down complex sentences and teaching morphology. This is crucial for students to engage with complex texts and meet the demands of academic discourse.

Highlights

Goal is to help students make academic gains in a positive environment.

Structured literacy is an approach, not a specific program.

Structured literacy includes high priority skills for reading and writing.

Content delivery must be explicit, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic.

Explicit instruction is teacher-led and concept-focused.

Skills are sequenced from simple to complex in explicit instruction.

Systematic instruction follows a defined scope and sequence based on English language structure.

Instruction is planned to build on students' prior knowledge.

Differentiated instruction is necessary for all students' needs.

Structured literacy instruction is cumulative, allowing for multiple repetitions.

Diagnostic instruction identifies skill strengths and weaknesses.

Structured literacy is essential for 60% of students and beneficial for the other 40%.

Structured literacy aligns with the science of teaching and learning.

Shifts in instruction can support educators in adopting structured literacy.

Differentiation can occur within content, process, product, or learning environment.

Core instruction can be intensified by scaffolding instructional routines.

Teachers use strategies before, during, and after reading to help students interact with complex texts.

Structured literacy approach combines evidence-based elements for effective reading instruction.

Transcripts

In part three of this module, we will explore the how of

instruction and intervention.

As Anita Archer and Charles Hughes said, "As educators, we all have the

same goal to help our students make the maximum possible academic gains

in a positive, respectful environment that promotes their success and

nurtures their desire to learn."

You'll recall from Module 3 this graphic of structured literacy.

Structured literacy includes the high priority skills students must acquire

as they learn to read and write.

It's not a specific program.

Rather, it's an approach to teaching the content and delivery

of structured literacy instruction that is appropriate for all students.

The content must be delivered in a carefully structured approach

that is explicit, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic.

Explicit literacy instruction is teacher-led, with concepts

directly taught, often being broken down into small steps.

Concepts are clearly explained, and skills are sequenced from simple to complex.

Skills are modeled through an I do, we do, you do progression, using clear examples.

Prompt and corrective feedback is provided to ensure that students are

not practicing skills incorrectly.

Explicit instruction, according to Archer and Hughes, is one of the

greatest tools available to educators.

In structured literacy instruction, systematic means that we have a defined

scope and sequence built around the structure of the English language.

The planned sequence starts with high frequency, easier concepts

and builds to the more complex.

Prerequisite skills are taught prior to the introduction of new skills.

Instruction is planned deliberately, before it is delivered, and builds

on students prior knowledge.

This systematic instruction moves students towards meeting measurable learning goals.

Systematic instruction in letter-sound correspondence begins with single

consonant and moves to vowel sounds, followed by blends and digraphs.

Silent-e and two syllable words, vowel teams, R-controlled sounds,

and affixes, and finally, to multi-syllabic words in grade three.

Although the learning process is the same for all students, some students

may require more repetition, more explicit instruction, or reteaching

along the way to master these skills.

It is important to separate easily confused letter sound association,

and auditorily or visually similar letters, such as D, B,

and E, I, to prevent confusion.

Like every other instructional component of structured literacy, syllabication

instruction has a scope and a sequence.

High frequency and less complex skills are always introduced first.

So closed syllable, single syllable word patterns reflect

beginning phonics patterns.

Other syllable types and multisyllabic word reading is integrated as

phonics concepts continue to develop in complexity as well.

This image represents one sequence of instruction.

Some researchers and programs teach silent-e syllable

patterns before open syllables.

Differences in the sequence for these middle types is no problem, as long

as they are part of an intentional scope and sequence that begins with

the high-frequency and high-utility closed syllable pattern and ends

with the more complex -le pattern.

Most of our English words can be categorized into six syllable types.

The names of the syllable types provide a common vocabulary

for teachers and students.

The goal is to recognize the patterns that support reading and spelling.

Students need to be able to visually parse longer words into syllable

chunks so that they can quickly and easily decode each syllable.

Introduce the concept of a syllable as soon as students are combining

a handful of consonants and a vowel into short, closed syllable words.

As always, there is a scope and sequence that is integrated into

a structured literacy approach.

This is a logical sequence that is based on emergence and frequency of

morphemes in spoken and written language.

We see those common inflectional endings that are introduced first, then prefixes,

common Latin roots, derivational suffixes, those trickier chameleon prefixes that

change spelling depending on the base word, and finally, Greek combining forms.

Again, the order of concepts might change depending on the publisher and

researcher, but it always starts with high-frequency, high-utility concepts

and builds on those to more complex ones.

With a structured literacy approach to instruction, previously learned

concepts are introduced and integrated throughout instruction.

This allows multiple opportunities for review and repetition, so that students

are able to master the concepts.

Research shows us that students require multiple repetitions to reach accuracy

and automaticity with word reading.

Average readers need between 4 and 14 repetitions.

As you can see from this graphic, struggling readers, and students with

learning disabilities, will need many more repetitions to reach mastery.

A structured literacy approach that is cumulative allows for

these multiple repetitions.

Instruction in a structured literacy classroom is also integrated across

the different levels of word reading knowledge, from letter-sounds, to

syllables, to syllable division patterns, to morphology, and spelling instruction.

Finally, structured literacy instruction is diagnostic.

It uses diagnostic assessments to inform instruction that is

responsive to students needs.

Diagnostic instruction identifies specific skill strengths and weaknesses.

Data is then used to identify student learning needs.

Students can then be grouped with other students with similar needs.

Their progress is frequently monitored, and the intensity

of instruction is adjusted to meet the needs of all students.

Structured literacy is not just for students with word reading difficulties.

Research has shown that the majority of our students will need

significant support to learn to read.

Structured literacy is essential for 60% of our students, and it

is beneficial to the other 40%.

This explicit, systematic, cumulative approach to literacy instruction reflects

the science of teaching and learning, and aligns with the recommendations

from the IES practice guides.

Structured literacy instruction ensures that all students get

equitable access to the essential foundations in reading and writing.

Because it is not a program or curriculum, shifts in instruction, such as those

mentioned in this chart from Ohio's 6-12 Literacy Implementation Guide, can

support educators in making the shift to a structured literacy approach.

This chart is also helpful for examining current reading programs and their

alignment to structured literacy.

To meet the needs of all students in the classroom, instruction

must be differentiated.

Differentiation can occur within the content, the process by which the children

access or interact with content, the product students produce based on their

learning, or the learning environment.

As Tomlinson notes in her book, How to Differentiate Instruction in an

Academically Diverse Classroom, at its most basic level, differentiation

consists of the efforts of teachers to respond to the variance

among learners in the classroom.

Core instruction in the tier 1 classroom can further be intensified

by scaffolding instructional routines as skills are introduced.

The tasks can also be further broken down into step-by-step

instruction or strategies.

Teachers can provide more modeling and think-alouds or guided-questioning during

instruction to make it more explicit.

Examples and non-examples can be given to illustrate the new

learning, and more frequent student responses can be invited to provide

students with many opportunities to practice with teacher feedback.

As described on page 43 of Ohio's Dyslexia Guidebook, the strategies

teachers use before, during, and after reading will allow students to interact

with the complex language and vocabulary demands of the texts they encounter.

Teachers can scaffold the complex text by breaking down complex sentences,

teaching morphology to determine the meaning of multisyllabic words,

using sentence frames when writing or discussing texts, and helping students to

access academic language and background knowledge specific to the text.

This concludes Module 5, Section 3.

In this section, you learned that a structured literacy approach

combines evidence based elements and teaching principles for effective

reading instruction for all students, and that differentiated tier 1

instruction allows for flexible grouping and intensifying instruction.