What is Structured Linguistic Literacy (SLL)?

---

The Structured Linguistic Literacy approach is an accelerated, systematic, explicit, and integrated instructional speech-first approach to spelling and reading. SLL begins instruction with a word, breaking each word into its individual sounds, providing the letter(s) that represent the sounds (spelling), and then blending those sounds back together to read the word. Reading and spelling are taught in the same activity and with the same process since these processes are reversible and utilize the same code. For emerging readers, once the simple code (1 letter representing 1 sound) is taught and applied, they move on to instruction in the more complex code. 

Words containing the complex code utilize concepts that are unique and common in English:

• 1, 2, 3, or 4 letters spell a sound (am, she, sigh, dough).
• The same sound can be spelled in many ways (/s/: sit, miss, nice, horse, cent, listen).
• The same spelling can represent different sounds (‘s’: /s/ in ‘sun’, /z/ in ‘is’, /sh/ in ‘sure’).
• A strategy to decode multisyllabic words is crucial.

Many spellings for a sound can be taught at once, even to emerging learners, once they have been taught the simple code. Similarly, many sounds that go with the same spelling can also be taught. Patterns are emphasized, and application to accurate reading in text and accurate spelling in writing is part of instruction. With the Structured Linguistic Literacy approach, there is an abundance of multisyllabic word instruction, especially words with 3 syllables or more. These multisyllabic words are taught explicitly, early in instruction, and regularly for learners. This instruction with multisyllabic words facilitates vocabulary by teaching prefixes, suffixes, and root words in context. Mastery of concepts and skills is obtained over time with instruction that spirals and interleaves what has been learned by the student to help advance further learning.