Information regarding the different class offerings can be found in this section.
All the classes we offer are based on an adaptation by Beth H. Slingerland of the multisensory approach of Dr. Samuel T. Orton and Anna Gillingham. The techniques she developed are based on sound neurological principles of learning and give children the necessary tools to be successful readers, writers and spellers.
Please use your mouse and click on the name of the class that you are interested in and a screen will pop-up with the class/workshop description and content.
COMPREHENSIVE CLASSES
The intensive Comprehensive Training Classes allow participants to study the causes of specific language disability (dyslexia) and provides understanding and training in techniques that can be effectively implemented in a preventive and/or remedial program of instruction. All of the Comprehensive Classes are accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC).
- SIL Continuum Class
Traditionally offered as a 4-week period of intensive study with a practicum. After a brief, basic review of the introductory class, participants will be introduced to and practice more advanced techniques in the language arts continuum. The use of the dictation paragraph and the screening procedures for identifying students will also be presented.
Class Content Includes:
- Guided observation of the evaluative and prescriptive elements embedded in the daily plan Knowledge of how oral language skills relate to writing and reading skills
- Studying the vertical and horizontal use of the format for instruction
- How to integrate a new learning throughout the format
- Critical thinking skills needed for reading, writing and speaking
- Current research in all aspects of dyslexia
- How to administer and evaluate the Slingerland Screening materials
133 classroom hours. This class is approved for 6 graduate level extension credits through University of San Diego. Registration for extension credits must happen ON or BEFORE the first day of the class. Click here to view the USD enrollment page for the second level continuum class.
- SIL Introductory Comprehensive Class
This class is the core of the Slingerland training program. It is traditionally offered as a four-week summer session and includes a practicum with students. It can also be adapted into a four to six week in-year class.
Class Content Includes:
- Instruction in the introductory steps of handwriting, written language, decoding and reading comprehension
- Knowledge of the historical and philosophical background of Specific Language Disability (dyslexia)
- The study of phonic rules and their application to encoding and decoding
- The neurology of language as a means of developing oral language skills The history, philosophy and current research in the field of dyslexia
- The relationship of curriculum and classroom organization to the language arts program
- Practice with multi-sensory teaching principles through daily work with children
133 classroom hours. This class is approved for 6 graduate level extension credits through University of San Diego. Registration for extension credits must happen ON or BEFORE the first day of the class. Click here to view the USD enrollment page for the introductory level class.
- Third Level Continuum/Intern Class
This four week class is designed for a limited number of participants wishing to become staff teachers in Slingerland multisenstory structured language training course. This class encompasses all learning in the introductory and second level classes as the participant learns how to organize, maintain and evaluate a summer session, its students and participants.
Participants may also enroll in the Third Level Continuum Class for more directed work with small groups of students. Daily lesson plans are developed to meet the needs of these students under the direction of the Slingerland Instructor.
Third Level Continuum/Intern Class Content Includes:
- The use of the Slingerland® Approach with a classroom group of children
- Evaluations of participant lesson plans, materials and teaching stations
- Evaluations of delivery of planned lessons Assisting with the completion of forms for the Slingerland® Institute
- Preparation and delivery of lectures to participants
- Preparation of an orientation about dyslexia and the Slingerland® Approach
- Individualized requirements assigned by the Director
133 classroom hours. This class is approved for 6 graduate level extension credits through University of San Diego. Registration for graduate level extension credits must happen ON or BEFORE the first day of the class. Click here to view the USD enrollment page for the third level continuum class.
SHORT CLASSES
Workshops are offered to provide exposure to various parts of the comprehensive programs. Carol Murray advanced training sessions are also available.
- Handwriting
Offers techniques in both manuscript and cursive handwriting using the Slingerland® Approach. Twelve and a half hours of class time. Minimum enrollment of ten.
Workshop Content
- The purpose of handwriting instruction
- The developmental stages of handwriting in student
- The ability to identify breakdowns in the learning process and develop prescriptive lesson plans
- Styles of letter form including manuscript and cursive
- Strategies for multisensory instruction teaching new letter forms and reviewing those previously taught
- Strategies for teaching students to copy accurately from far point and near point
- The beginning steps for putting handwriting to functional use
12.5 classroom hours. This workshop is approved for 1 graduate level extension credit through University of San Diego. Registration for extension credit must happen ON or BEFORE the first day of the workshop. Click here to view the USD enrollment page for the Handwriting Workshop.
- Pre-Reading Screening Skills
Pre-Reading Screening Skills
A study of the Slingerland Pre-Reading Screening Tests (for kindergarten and beginning first grade students) including administration, scoring and evaluation.
Workshop Content:
- The study of the Slingerland Pre-Reading Screening procedures
- How to use the Pre-Reading Screening for referral, remediation and lesson planning
- How paraprofessionals can assist in the screening and scoring process
- How the Pre-Reading Screening can reveal important information about learning patterns and school readiness
- How to identify strengths and weaknesses in language learning
- How these strengths and weaknesses impact reading, handwriting, written and oral expression and spelling
- How to compare auditory, visual and kinesthetic-motor performance
12.5 classroom hours. This workshop is approved for 1 graduate level extension credit through University of San Diego. Registration for extension credits must happen ON or BEFORE the first day of the workshop.
- Pre-Reading Skills
Pre-Reading Skills Workshop
Developing oral language, phonological awareness and an introduction to recognizing and writing the alphabet. Twelve and a half hours of class time. Minimum enrollment of ten.
Workshop Content
- The understanding of what children need to know before they learn to read
- A study of the normal development of oral language Oral language skills – listening and speaking
- Phonological awareness activities for the classroom
- The sight, sound, form and key-word of each letter of the alphabet
- The major components of reading acquisition
- Current assessment strategies for beginning readers
- Indicators of reading problems and characteristics of language/learning disabilities
12.5 classroom hours. This workshop is approved for 1 graduate level extension credit through University of San Diego. Registration for extension credits must happen ON or BEFORE the first day of the workshop. Click here to view the USD enrollment page for the Pre-reading skills workshop.
- Screening Skills Workshop
Screening Skills
Administering, scoring and interpretation of all levels of the Slingerland Screening Procedures. The various levels may be presented separately or in combination. When presented separately, these classes require ten hours of class time each. When two or more are presented, allow eight hours per class. All courses have a minimum enrollment of ten.
Intro Class Content
- The Slingerland Screening Procedures First Grade through High School
- How to use the Slingerland Screenings for referral or remediation
- How paraprofessionals can assist in the screening and scoring process
- How these screenings can reveal important information about a student’s learning pattern
- How to identify strengths and weaknesses in language learning for every child in your classroom How these strengths and weaknesses impact reading, handwriting, spelling, and written and oral expression
- How to compare auditory, visual and kinesthetic-motor performance
12.5 classroom hours. This class is approved for 1 graduate level extension credit through University of San Diego. Registration for extension credits must happen ON or BEFORE the first day of the class. Click here to view the USD enrollment page for the Screening skills Workshop.
- Slingerland Basic Class
The Basics Class includes these major components of the Slingerland® Approach
Handwriting - Both instructional strategies and content knowledge are included in the handwriting elements of the Slingerland® Approach.
- Importance of handwriting instruction and its relationship to written language acquisition
- Stages of handwriting development in children and older students
- Teaching of letter formation (and letter connections for cursive) with goal of automaticity and functional use of handwriting in written expression
- Use of identified breakdowns in the learning process
- Importance of integrating handwriting instruction into the teaching of reading and written expression
Reading - Both instructional strategies and content knowledge are included in the reading skills element of the Slingerland® Approach:
- Word recognition and decoding
- *Activation of relevant background knowledge
- *Reinforcement and expansion of vocabulary
- Comprehension and Fluency
- *Development of prosody—chunking words into meaningful phrases
- *Syntax and grammar, phrase concept, sentence structure
- *Effect of writing mechanics (e.g., punctuation, capitalization) on comprehension
- *Development of integrated lesson plans using curriculum materials from the classroom
- Relationship between oral language development and learning to read
- Current research findings related to word id, fluency (accuracy-prosody-rate) and comprehension
- Logic and structure of the English language as related to reading
Spelling & Written Language - Both instructional strategies and content knowledge used for integrating the teaching of handwriting, spelling and written expression are included in the spelling and written language element of the Slingerland® Approach
- History and development of multisensory structured language instruction (Structured Literacy)
- Oral language as foundation of written language
- *Development of lesson plans that integrate teaching of handwriting, spelling, and written expression
- *Development of integrated language arts lesson beginning with the smallest unit (simplest) and building (with increasing complexity) toward words and words within phrases and sentences (alphabetic principle)
- *Strategies for teaching encoding (phoneme segmentation) and spelling of regular and unpredictable words
- Current research findings related to oral language, handwriting, spelling and written expression
- Logic and structure of the English language as related to spelling and written expression
*Guided practice in use of these Slingerland multisensory language instructional strategies will be included as time permits.
Continuing education units are available through the University of San Diego. Click here to enroll with USD for CEUs
- Spelling & Written Language Part 1 (Beginning)
An introduction to written expressive language including phonics, encoding and spelling rules leading to independent written work. The workshop is presented in two modules. Forty total hours of class time. Minimum class enrollment of ten.
Workshop Content
- Knowledge of the historical and philosophical background of Specific Language Disability (dyslexia)
- The history and development of multisensory structured instructional techniques
- How to plan and integrate a language arts lesson beginning with the smallest unit and building to words and words within phrases and sentences Strategies for teaching encoding and spelling of regular and non-phonetic words
- Current research about oral and written language Instructional strategies to increase students’ spelling and written language performance A systematic structure for encoding (blending) and vocabulary development
20 classroom hours. This workshop is approved for 1.5 graduate level extension credit through University of San Diego. Registration for extension credit must happen ON or BEFORE the first day of the workshop. Click here to view the USD enrollment page for Part 1 Spelling & Written Language workshop.
- Spelling & Written Language Part 2 (Intermediate)
Spelling & Written Language Part 2
The continuation of the written expressive language including phonics, encoding and spelling rules leading to independent written work. The workshop is presented in two modules. Forty total hours of class time. Minimum class enrollment of ten.
Part Two Workshop Content
Prerequisites: Part 1 or 19-day summer course
- The organization of the English language - including root words, prefixes and suffixes
- Concrete instructional practices for teaching spelling rules How to develop a weekly integrated language arts lesson based on a dictation paragraph including practice, review and introduction of new concepts
- The application of more complex roots and affixes The use of words within phrases and sentences,
- More complex phonograms, and types of syllables
20 classroom hours. This workshop is approved for 1.5 graduate level extension credits through University of San Diego. Registration for extension credits must happen ON or BEFORE the first day of the workshop. Click here to view the USD enrollment page for Part 2 Spelling & Written Language workshop.
- Techniques for Teaching Reading Skills w/Practicum (Select sites only)
This short class offers teaching techniques and background knowledge in the Slingerland® Adaptation for Classroom use of the Orton-Gillingham Approach. It is appropriate for all educational settings. The relationship of learning reading skills to the acquisition of oral language and its development will be explored. Multisensory techniques that begin with single units of sight, sound and feel and progress to larger units will be taught and practiced. These techniques include decoding skills, phrase reading, vocabulary development, reading with comprehension, and higher-level critical thinking skills, leading to increased fluency. The practicum could include observation, feedback, demonstration and lecture in both small group and individual formats.
Class objectives
- To build an integrated lesson plan based on current curriculum materials
- To actively practice the Slingerland® multisensory techniques
- To bring current reading research findings into classroom lessons
- To provide instructional strategies that will increase comprehension and fluency skills
- To study the organization of the English language
- To acquire a systematic structure for decoding and vocabulary development
- To integrate existing curriculum materials
- To use effective time management to maximize student learning
- To plan the sequence for instruction through the school year
- To use student performance to guide the instructional program
- To use pre and post assessments to evaluate progress
- To implement the Slingerland® Approach in a supervised practicum
- Techniques for Teaching Reading Skills/Building Better Reading Skills
Rationale and teaching techniques for phonics, decoding, phrase reading and reading with comprehension and analysis. Twenty hours of class time. Minimum enrollment of ten.
Class Content
- Development of an integrated lesson plan using current curriculum materials
- Practice with the Slingerland® multisensory techniques
- Current reading research findings
- Instructional strategies that will increase comprehension and fluency skills
- The study of the organization of the English language
- A systematic structure for decoding and vocabulary development
20 classroom hours. This class is approved for 1.5 graduate level extension credits through University of San Diego. Registration for extension credits must happen ON or BEFORE the first day of the workshop. Click here to view the USD enrollment page for Reading Skills workshop.
BASICS CLASS
The SB Class integrates the components of three of the most essential Slingerland Short Classes - Handwriting, Reading and Spelling & Written Language. Click here to download the information flyer.
Non-discrimination Policy:
Slingerland® Institute for Literacy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and other programs.
