The Slingerland Approach

OUR MISSION

Excellence in literacy instruction for all

An Approach to Literacy Instruction that WORKS

The ultimate goal of the Slingerland Approach is independent language arts skills including oral language, reading, writing, and penmanship. The Approach is rooted in the Science of Reading and trains teachers in comprehensive, multi-sensory, structured literacy instruction.

The Slingerland Approach adapts the 1-on-1 Orton-Gillingham approach to a whole-classroom setting. It is effective for general education classrooms and particularly effective for struggling readers (e.g., students with dyslexia, ELL needs, or other language-based learning challenges).

A Slingerland Education

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.

Skills Built During Training:

Oral language development
Phonemic awareness
Phonological awareness
Handwriting
Written language
Encoding
Decoding
Reading comprehension
Fluency

Adapting and Expanding - The Slingerland Difference

Orton-Gillingham	Slingerland Approach
Designed as a 1:1 clinical approach and later applied to classrooms	Designed for whole classrooms; applicable in small groups and 1:1
Remedial (Tier 3 focus)	Preventive in nature (applicable throughout Tier 1-Tier 3)
Utilizes the Language Triangle to show the relationship between V-A-KT (visual-auditory-kinesthetic tactile)	Develops skills from simple to complex in each modality (kinesthetic, auditory, visual) and integrates as new skills are learned
Cursive taught in all grades with manuscript as an add-on	Teaches manuscript and/or cursive based on school requirements in a structured step-by-step process
Teaches encoding and spelling, leading toward independent writing	Expands on Orton-Gillingham principles and breaks the process down into smaller steps for a clearer path
Emphasizes letter-sound relationship leading to encoding and decoding skills	Emphasizes letter-sound relationships leading to encoding and decoding skills with focus on functional use
Emphasizes encoding and decoding from left to right	Begins encoding and decoding at the vowel first to prepare for multisyllabic words
Reading begins after learning to decode	Reading can be introduced before decoding
No structured preparation for reading	Structured process for Reading Comprehension and reading from the book steps integrated into every lesson plan
Lesson plans move between visual (reading) and auditory (spelling) modalities	Lesson plans focus on the oral and auditory (writing) modalities first with the knowledge that visual (reading) modalities rely on the oral and auditory aspects to develop literacy skills

"I love the multi-modal aspect of the program. So many kids will benefit from what we learned. It also gave me tools to apply with emergent bilingual students."

- Cristina Carter, TX

Bilingual Reading Interventionist

An elementary aged black boy with glasses and a gray long sleeved shirt stands at a classroom white board. Projected on to the white board are the words weigh, eighth, freight, inveigh, and eighteen. The boy has already underlined the letters E I G H T E in the word eighteen with a black marker and seems to be continuing to underline the letters E and N.

A Slingerland Classroom

The Slingerland Approach provides educators with:

Adaptable practices applicable to any existing curriculum and content.
Formative assessment methods to continuously reassess and adjust teaching to student skills.
Varied tactics for differentiated instruction that better equip students for learning.
Concrete strategies to maximize prior student success as for further growth.

The Slingerland Approach helps students gain:

Confidence rooted in accurate reading, writing, spelling, listening, speaking, and thinking.
Systems to energize the learning process rather than relying on dull rote memorization.
Automatic association of the auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning modalities.
Scaffolded support to enable future learning success in school and beyond.
Multimodal learning through the auditory-visual-kinesthetic pathways that best suits that student’s needs.

COMPREHENSIVE SLINGERLAND CLASSES

ARE ROOTED IN PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE

This allows participating educators to practice instructional skills while working with students.

Course Structure

Introductory Comprehensive

This class is the core of the Slingerland training program. It is traditionally offered as a four-week summer session and includes a practicum with students. It can also be adapted into an

in-school-year class.

133 classroom hours. This class is approved for 6 graduate level extension credits through the University of San Diego.

Continuum Comprehensive

This class is traditionally offered as a 4-week period of intensive study with a practicum. After a review of the introductory class, participants will be introduced to and practice more advanced techniques in the language arts continuum. The use of the dictation paragraph and the screening procedures for identifying students will be presented.

133 classroom hours. This class is approved for 6 graduate level extension credits through the University of San Diego.

Extended Practicum

This class consists of 1-on-1 coaching between a Certified Slingerland Instructor of Teachers and a class participant. Participants have 9 months to complete 6 observation cycles including submitting written materials and videoed Slingerland lessons for feedback.

The online of a blue circle surrounds a smaller black circular outline. In the middle is the word IMSLEC.

In a circular pattern inside the black circle outline are the words "Accrediting Quality Professional Preparation in Dyslexia."

The International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC) accredits organizations meeting their high standards.

“Teach through the intellect.”

- Beth Slingerland

Learning is the Legacy

Since 1960, more than 18,000 teachers in 32 states and five countries have been trained in the most effective approach to literacy instruction. All classes are taught by Certified Slingerland instructional staff.

Slingerland has been on the leading edge of comprehensive, multi-sensory, structured literacy instruction for over 60 years. We train teachers, equipping them to teach students at all levels of reading in a classroom setting.

The Slingerland Approach is adaptable to curricular materials used at any school.

The Slingerland Literacy Institute (SLI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established through the work of Beth Slingerland. SLI seeks to transform education through the Slingerland Approach, which takes the science of reading into practical classroom strategies.