Structured Literacy

Below, you will find resources and tools that support Structured Literacy implementation in classrooms.

Structured Literacy instruction is explicit, systematic, diagnostic, cumulative instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, syllable types, morphology, semantics, and syntax. Providing a strong foundation in each of these skills develops the neural routes necessary to become a proficient reader. In early grades, an emphasis should be placed on phonological awareness, phonics, encoding and practice in decodable texts until students are able to read real and nonsense words of all syllable types. As students progress beyond these skills, the emphasis should shift to developing vocabulary, morpheme awareness, and syntax instruction.

AIM Tool:

  • Use this tool from AIM Institute (coming soon) for a quick guide to assessments and a decision-making flowchart that will assist in using assessment data to accelerate learning and inform instruction.
  • Watch this recording of RIDE's Webinar explaining the above tool and featuring AIM Institute for Learning and Research. The webinar also helps participants take a systematic look at interpreting both formal and informal assessment data to improve students' reading outcomes by understanding common reading profiles, grouping students based on areas of instructional need, and differentiating instructional practices to ensure that students continuously improve their reading skills.

Checklist: Use this checklist to track student mastery of Foundational Literacy Skills.

Below, you will find resources that explain each of the Structured Literacy subskills as well as instructional examples and tools that be used to support classroom implementation.

Phonological Awareness

Phonics

Encoding

Decodable Text

Vocabulary / Morphology

Syntax

Background Knowledge

  • Why build knowledge and vocabulary? Achieve the Core explains the implications of The Baseball Study
  • Watch this recording of RIDE's Virtual Honors Colloquium featuring Natalie Wexler presented by Amplify Education. Natalie discusses the importance of using a High-Quality Curriculum that builds background knowledge and aligns with the Science of Reading. She discusses the characteristics and strategies of effective instruction to improve academic achievement to narrow the knowledge gap.

Digital Literacy

Digital Literacy Instruction and Supports for Middle and High School Students

Instructional Supports

  • Visit UFLI’s Online Literacy Hub for free downloadable resources to assist in teaching Structured Literacy online.
  • Watch this webinar in which Dr. Holly Lane and Valentina Contesse describe the University of Florida Literacy Institute's free tools and resources to assist teachers in teaching foundational reading skills including phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, encoding, and morphology using technology.
  • Resources for digital literacy instructional supports:

Assistive Technology

Rhode Island Science of Reading and Structured Literacy Awareness Courses Resources

This page contains resources provided throughout the Rhode Island Science of Reading and Structured Literacy Courses hosted on BRIDGE-RI. These resources are provided for easy access to reference documents and videos after course completion.

For information on how to access the full courses, please refer to this information sheet.

Course 1:

Building an Awareness of The Science of Reading and Structured Literacy

Course 2:

Decoding and Encoding: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, and Morphology

Course 3:

Supporting Language Comprehension: Vocabulary, Morphology, and Background Knowledge

Course 4:

The Reading-Writing Connection - Syntax and Text Structures

Course 5:

Putting it All Together - Fluent and Strategic Readers in a Multi-Tiered System of Supports

Professional Learning

To learn more about Structured Literacy and the Science of Reading, consider doing a book study of one of the following books:

Structured Literacy at Home