What is Structured Literacy and The Science of Reading?

The science of reading is not just phonics but includes all of the components of oral and written language.

These are:

*phonology (sound system)

*orthography (writing system including phonics & etymology)

*morphology (meaningful parts of language)

*semantics (relationships among words)

*syntax (sentence structure)

*pragmatics (use of language for a variety of purposes)

*discourse (organization-narrative & expository).

Structured literacy is the classroom application of the science of reading.

Structured literacy is based on these instructional principles:

*explicit

*systematic

*cumulative

*diagnostic/responsive (adjusted to needs of learner).

Structured literacy is not just about phonics either. It addresses all of the components of reading identified by the NRP-phonics, phonological awareness, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.