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Talk; Good Practice - Secondary

Wednesday stream 3 Session 16.10 - 17.25 Length 25 minutes

The Slingerland Multisensory Approach for teaching language arts in primary through adult classrooms

Susan Heinz

The Slingerland Institute for Literacy in Bellevue, WA Sueheinz@aol.com

Abstract

The Slingerland Multisensory Approach for teaching language arts to specific language disability children (dyslexic) was developed by Beth H. Slingerland as she worked with Anna Gillingham and Bessie Stillman. Her adaptation of the Orton-Gillingham approach was for the classroom. She stayed true to the Orton-gillingham multisensory, structured, sequential, cumulative lesson plan format but her concern was for the children who have no opportunity for tutoring in addition to their school classroom. Her philosophy for her approach is now supported by the research for early phonological training, direct, multisensory instruction, and the structure of the English language as the basis for reading and writing success. The Slingerland Approach includes instruction in oral language for communication, handwriting, the process of spelling and writing, and the process of decoding and reading through a structured format not unlike the Orton-Gillingham approach. Simultaneous multisensory instruction meets the needs of dyslexic students for auditory, visual, and kineasthetic reinforcement for learning to read, write and spell. Teaching the structure of the English language increases the success for learners who struggle with academic tasks. The approach is effective with primary through adult learners.