Structured Language Approach to Literacy

In Term One we had an introduction to the Structured Language Approach to Literacy. We will be eventually all teaching reading in a different way. Some of the keys points I took out of the introduction from Maire were:
-this was once a programme for people with dyslexia but it benefits all
-taught step by step
-20 minute lessons
-phonics will lead into reading
-you can only go as fast as your group can cope
-sound/letter formation solid before moving on
-explicit teaching of handwriting
-follow up very specific
-teacher aid available for extra practise
-concepts about print will need to be taught in Big Book time

The key ideas in the teaching lessons are:
-creating sound correctly
-writing sound correctly
-write the sound without seeing it
-be able to recognise, hear, write it
-explicit teaching of handwriting

I also got to observe a lesson taken by Miss Clark with her New Entrant children. Then we went through the introductory test. I later got to test some of the children in our hub. I started to change up my planning for the older children in my literacy groups based on some of the ideas from the Structured Language Approach. This seemed to work well. I think this will be a good way to teach the children. It is very structured and the lessons incorporate handwriting, phonics, reading altogether. This will save us alot of time in the school day. I look forward to implementing it more in the future.