The short answer is that I was looking for training that gave me a plan to follow to teach reading and that followed structured linguistic literacy or the speech to print approach. I had listened to the award-winning podcast, Sold a Story, and I was inspired to find out more about researched and evidence-based reading instruction. In my search, I came across the non-traditional sound-based approach to teaching reading, structured linguistic literacy or SLL. The more I learned about it; I realized that it was how I had taught my own children to read. I knew from experience that it worked. I had pieced together a plan to teach my own children, based on how I knew that we learned to read. I had a little help with it because my first child had a learning disability and went to language therapy. Her therapist used a program called LIPPS, which I now understand was one of the first Structure Linguistic Literacy programs. Her therapist unofficially trained me to work with my daughter using the materials. I saw how it unlocked the doors that were holding my daughter back and she became a fluent and happy reader.
I did not realize that this was a revolutionary, relatively new therapy. I just knew it worked and now I know that we were truly blessed to have access to this program.
I applied some of the principles while I was teaching my other children, and they all learned to read quickly and had a deep understanding of how reading works. Their learning was integrated as we used real books to learn to read, but also explicit, and dynamic, based on what they needed at the time.
So, when I read about Structured Linguistic Literacy, I knew it worked. I just needed a specific plan to follow. I wanted to be trained in how to be the most efficient in getting kids to be fluent readers. Sold a Story lit a fire under me. I knew there was a great need, and I was driven to find out how I could help the most students.
I chose Reading Simplified because it fit the bill. It would give me a plan and a pathway to follow to teach all beginning or struggling readers. I saw video after video of Reading Simplified in action and I was hooked. Reading Simplified offered a free activity called Switch- it, so I decided to try it in my kindergarten class.
Well, the rest is history.
I was blown away by the progress my students made from one simple activity. I wanted more, so the next summer I signed up to complete the whole Reading Simplified course, which takes about 8 hours to complete.
I have been following the plan ever since and continue to be amazed not only by my student’s progress, but also by how much more confident and less cluttered my teaching has become.