The Slingerland Approach Overview

The Slingerland Approach:

Uses a multisensory method to teach language skills
Works in whole-class, small-group, or individual settings
Can be used with most reading materials
Supports both general education students and those with dyslexia or language difficulties
Has diagnostics built into each lesson to indicate areas of growth, areas of need, and support differentiation
Includes instructional techniques applicable with any existing curricular materials
The approach is adaptable to any curriculum, it can be used to teach any subject

What is the Slingerland Approach?

The Slingerland Approach is a structured way of teaching reading, writing, and spelling that supports all learners—especially students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences. It is designed to help students build skills step by step while gaining confidence and a positive attitude toward learning.

The approach is multisensory (multimodal), meaning students learn through seeing, hearing, speaking, and writing at the same time. For many students who struggle to learn literacy skills, it is not a lack of intelligence that causes difficulty—it is the challenge of connecting these parts of language. The Slingerland® Approach helps strengthen those connections.

Instruction begins with the basics, such as individual letters and sounds. Students learn how letters look, how they sound, and how they feel to write. From there, they move gradually to words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs. Skills are taught clearly and practiced often, so students know what to do and why it works.

Students are taught how English works. This includes letter patterns, spelling rules, and how word parts such as prefixes and suffixes 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.

Research in the Science of Reading shows that structured, explicit approaches like the Slingerland® Approach are effective and efficient for teaching literacy skills. Because instruction is systematic and cumulative, students are supported as skills build over time.

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.

How Children Learn Language

Children learn language (oral and written) through three main pathways:

Seeing (visual)
Hearing (auditory)
Doing (writing and speaking—sometimes called kinesthetic or kinesthetic-motor)

For some children, these pathways work together easily. For others, one pathway may be weaker or harder to use. This can make reading, writing, or spelling more difficult—even for bright, capable students.

A child may:

Understand ideas but struggle to read or spell them
Mix up letters or sounds
Have trouble remembering words they have learned
Know what they want to say but find it hard to say or write it

These challenges are not caused by lack of effort or intelligence. They reflect differences in how the brain processes language.

The Slingerland® Approach teaches through all three pathways at the same time—seeing, hearing, speaking, and writing—so stronger pathways can support weaker ones. This multisensory approach helps students make clearer connections, build confidence, and use language more successfully.

"This has been the first positive school experience for my daughter that has

allowed her to see how she can learn to read and write to her full potential."