If you’re a parent trying to figure out how to help your child become a more confident reader—and you’ve heard people throw around the term “structured literacy”—you’re in the right place.
Maybe it sounds like some fancy school jargon. Maybe you’ve wondered if it’s just another reading program.
Or maybe you’ve never heard the term before and now you’re thinking: should I know this?
Let’s talk about it. No jargon, no overwhelm.
Just a real explanation of what structured literacy is, why it matters, and how it can help your child.
What Structured Literacy Actually Means (Without the Teacher Talk)
Let’s make it super simple:
1. Structured literacy is a way of teaching reading that’s clear, step-by-step, and supportive.
Children are shown exactly how reading works—from sounds to letters to words to full sentences. No guessing games. No hoping that it clicks.
2. It’s especially helpful for children who struggle with reading—like those with dyslexia—but it works for everyone.
Even strong readers benefit from having a solid foundation. Structured literacy makes sure no one falls through the cracks.
3. Think of it like a recipe.
If you handed your child ingredients and said, “bake a cake,” they’d probably stare at you.
But if you gave them the recipe—step-by-step—they’d know what to do. Structured literacy is the recipe for learning to read.
4. It’s not a program.
This is big. Structured literacy is an approach—a big-picture plan for how reading should be taught.
Programs are just the tools that follow this plan.
Structured literacy includes both the content (what’s taught) and the principles (how it’s taught).
It’s sometimes called multisensory structured language education or structured language and literacy: different names, same powerful method.
Why This Approach Works (And Why You’ve Probably Never Heard of It)
Most reading programs aren’t actually built on how the brain learns to read.
Structured literacy is!
Structured literacy is built on what actually works.
Every concept is explained clearly—with guided practice.
Skills are taught in a logical order, from simple to complex.
Each step builds on the last, so nothing is missed.
Teachers adjust the lesson based on how your child responds.
It’s multisensory and hands-on—your child uses sight, sound, movement, and touch to learn.
Instead of asking children to memorize words or guess from pictures, it teaches them how reading really works.
And yes—it’s backed by decades of research.
Quick History (Because It’s Kinda Cool to Know)
The term “Structured Literacy” was created by the International Dyslexia Association in 2014.
Why? Because there were loads of programs—like Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, and others—that were teaching reading the same way, but with different names. It got confusing.
So they created one term to bring it all together: Structured Literacy.
It’s not replacing those programs. It’s the umbrella term that connects them.
What Structured Literacy Teaches (In Plain Language)
Structured Literacy teaches your child how language really works—step by step, from the smallest sounds to full understanding of what they read.
You might not have heard all of these terms before—and that’s okay.
Here’s what Structured Literacy includes:
1. Hearing sounds in words – called Phonemic Awareness.
This is all about your child being able to hear and pull apart the sounds in spoken words.
For example, in cat, they’ll learn to hear three sounds: /k/ /a/ /t/.
This helps with both reading and spelling.
2. Matching letters to sounds – called Phonics.
Your child learns which letters or combinations of letters make certain sounds. This is also referred to as sound-symbol correspondence.
For example, sh makes the /sh/ sound in ship, and oa says the long “o” sound like in boat.
This gives children the tools they need to sound out words on their own.
3. Understanding spelling rules – or the Orthography of English.
Children will learn patterns that make spelling less confusing, like when to use c, k, or ck for the /k/ sound and which letters are doubled or dropped.
These rules or spelling generalizations make spelling more predictable and easier to remember.
4. Breaking words into chunks – called Syllables.
There are six types of syllables, and your child learns how to spot and read each one.
For example, robot has two syllables: ro and bot.
This helps them tackle longer words without getting stuck.
5. Figuring out word meanings – called Morphology.
Your child learns how word parts like prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of words.
For example, unhappy = un- (not) + happy = not happy.
This builds vocabulary and helps them understand what they read.
6. Building strong sentences – called Syntax.
Children will learn how to put words in the correct order and use proper punctuation.
This improves both their writing and their ability to understand what they read.
It also helps them recognize the difference between clear sentences and ones that don’t make sense– an essential skill for both reading and communicating.
7. Understanding the meaning of what they read – called Semantics.
Finally, children will learn to make sense of the words and sentences they read.
They’ll build vocabulary, consider the text’s meaning, and connect it to real life.
This is where reading becomes more than decoding–it becomes meaningful.
How Structured Literacy is Taught (And Why That Matters)
Here’s the magic:
Everything is explained clearly. No assumptions. Kids are shown exactly what to do.
It builds from simple to complex. First “cat,” then “black,” then “blanket.” It all makes sense.
There’s constant feedback. If a child is stuck, they get help right away.
Lots of practice. So they don’t just learn it—they remember it.
Scaffolding. Support is there at the start, and it slowly pulls back as confidence grows.
Multisensory learning. Kids use sight, sound, touch, and movement to make it stick.
Instruction is hands-on and engaging. Think letter tiles, colour-coded word cards, and moving pieces around to build sentences.
It’s responsive. Lessons are adjusted based on what your child needs most in the moment.
Still have a few questions? Let’s clear up some common misunderstandings.
Myths (Let’s Bust a Few)
❌ “It’s just phonics.”
✅ Nope. It includes phonics, but also grammar, meaning, spelling, and more.
❌ “It’s only for dyslexia.”
✅ It’s perfect for dyslexia—but helpful for every reader.
❌ “It’s a fad.”
✅ Structured literacy is backed by years of research and practice.
❌ “It’s only for little kids.”
✅ Older students benefit too—especially if they missed those early steps.
Final Thoughts (From Me to You)
Structured literacy is not magic. It’s not a quick fix.
But it is a proven, thoughtful, research-backed way to help your child become a more confident, independent reader.
And if you’ve ever had that gut feeling that your child needs something different? You’re not alone.
This might be the approach that finally makes things click.