The Approach in Action
The Slingerland Approach can be utilized across an entire educational curriculum – not just reading and writing instruction. The approach is adaptable to most curricular materials used within a school.
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The Slingerland Approach can benefit students of any age, from pre-K to adult, because the structure of the approach can be scaled for any age or learning need.
Because the Slingerland Approach is flexible, highly-trained, expert teachers are able to adapt lesson plans to meet the needs of learners.
When students receive consistent instruction from year to year, they are able to carry their learning forward. Skills learned early are strengthened and applied at higher levels over time, giving students the structure and support they need to grow into confident, capable readers and writers.
Teaching Through
the Approach
The Slingerland Approach provides EDUCATORS with:
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Adaptable practices applicable to any existing curriculum and content.
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Formative assessment methods to continuously reassess and adjust teaching to student skills.
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Varied tactics for differentiated instruction that better equip students for learning.
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Concrete strategies to maximize prior student success as for further growth.
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​The Slingerland Approach helps STUDENTS gain:
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Confidence rooted in accurate reading, writing, spelling, listening, speaking, and thinking.
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Systems to energize the learning process rather than relying on dull rote memorization.
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Automatic association of the auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning modalities.
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Scaffolded support to enable future learning success in school and beyond.
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Multimodal learning through the auditory-visual-kinesthetic pathways that best suits that student’s needs.
"Teach to the Intellect"
Beth Slingerland
Teaching to the intellect means skills are taught directly and practiced often, so students know what to do and why it works. This requires trusting that students will learn and grow if they are properly supported to learn why. Sixty years of anecdotal evidence supports this philosophy of education.
For example, in an English class, students are directly taught the skills they need to master writing. This includes everything from forming letters, to understanding and applying spelling rules, to the meanings of prefixes and suffixes and how to use them to impact meaning. Rather than memorizing weekly spelling lists, students practice spelling, writing, and reading together in ways that help language make sense and stay connected.
Reading instruction focuses on both accuracy and understanding. Before reading, students learn important vocabulary and how words fit together to create meaning. With teacher guidance, they practice reading smoothly and with expression, helping them better understand what they read and build confidence as readers.
When students receive consistent instruction from year to year, they are able to carry their learning forward. Skills learned early are strengthened and applied at higher levels over time, giving students the structure and support they need to grow into confident, capable readers and writers.
