The Slingerland Approach: An Overview
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The Slingerland® Approach features cohesive, structured, sequential, multisensory literacy instruction which includes:
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A structured, logical approach which builds independence for the learner.
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Sequential steps to guide instruction on a proven, effective path which is comprehensive, integrated, flexible, and adaptable to all students.
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Multisensory instruction (auditory, visual and kinesthetic-motor) that strengthens each student’s stronger channels of learning and reinforces weaker channels and inter-sensory associations.
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Diagnostics built into each lesson to indicate areas of growth, areas of need, and support differentiation.
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Instructional techniques applicable with any existing curricular materials.
Learning starts with the smallest unit of sight, sound, and feel – a single letter. From single letters, students are taught how to associate sounds with their visual counterparts and how to put letters together to spell words.
They build by adding suffixes and prefixes, phrases, sentences and paragraphs. Students are also taught phonetic rules and generalizations of the English language.
Rather than a weekly spelling list, students work with a dictation paragraph to practice punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and language mechanics. Through this carefully guided approach, students put skills to functional use while developing confidence in written expression.
A structured, phonetic approach to decoding also helps students become successful in reading individual words and learning structures of the English language. Students learn how words work together in phrases and learn the vocabulary needed to understand a reading selection.
Because the approach is adaptable to any curriculum, it can be used to teach any subject.
"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."