Homeschool Curriculum for Dyslexia: What “Structured Literacy” Actually Means
· By Kindred Team · 5 min read · Learning Differences
Shopping homeschool reading curriculum for a dyslexic child? Learn what structured literacy means, four things every program should have, and how to judge fit.
If your eight-year-old can build a working catapult from a diagram but freezes at a page of simple sentences, you already suspect what a reading test might confirm. You are also probably standing in front of a shelf of programs that all say "structured literacy" or "Orton-Gillingham based" on the box, wondering what those words mean and whether they mean the same thing.
This guide is for that moment. It explains what dyslexia changes about learning to read, what the International Dyslexia Association means by structured literacy, four things a reading program should have before you buy it, and how to think about fit. It is not a diagnosis, and Kindred does not diagnose anything; if you have clinical questions, take them to a reading specialist or your pediatrician.
What dyslexia is, and isn't
The International Dyslexia Association describes dyslexia as a language-based learning disability: difficulty with specific language skills, particularly reading, that is not due to lack of intelligence or desire to learn. IDA's fact sheet estimates that 15 to 20 percent of the population shows some symptoms of dyslexia, while only 6 to 7 percent of students qualify for special-education services. That gap is one reason so many dyslexic children end up homeschooled: they read slowly, test fine, and never qualify for help.
Two things follow. First, your child is not behind because he is not trying. Second, "read more" is not a plan. Dyslexic readers need to be taught the code of written English directly, in a specific order, using more than one sense at a time. That is the whole idea behind structured literacy.
What "structured literacy" means
Structured literacy is an umbrella term adopted by the International Dyslexia Association for programs — Orton-Gillingham among them — that teach reading according to the evidence on how reading is learned. Programs under that umbrella share content and share a method.
The content is the structure of language: phonology (the sounds), sound-symbol correspondence (which letters make which sounds), syllable types, morphology (prefixes, suffixes, roots), syntax and semantics, alongside the five pillars of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
The method is four words. Look for all four.
Four things every dyslexia reading program should have
1. Explicit. Every rule is taught directly. The teacher — that's you, or a video, or a script — explains the concept clearly rather than expecting the child to absorb it from exposure. If a program's sample lesson says "children will notice that…," be cautious. Dyslexic children often do not notice; they need to be told, then shown, then asked to do it.
2. Systematic and cumulative. The program follows a defined scope and sequence, from simple to complex, and each new concept is layered on ones already mastered. Short vowels before long. Closed syllables before vowel teams. A program that jumps to whatever the week's story needs is not systematic, however charming the stories are.
3. Multisensory. The IDA fact sheet's recommendation is that dyslexic students "be taught by a systematic and explicit method that involves several senses (hearing, seeing, touching) at the same time." In practice that means letter tiles, finger-tapping sounds, writing in sand or on a whiteboard, saying the sound while forming the letter. If the program is a workbook and nothing else, you will be supplying the multisensory part yourself.
4. Diagnostic and responsive. The program checks constantly — not just at the unit test — and tells you what to do when a skill is not sticking. You do not move on because it is Tuesday. Good programs build in review and give you a way to tell mastered from memorized.
What it is not
Structured literacy is not more worksheets, and it is not a reading level. It is not a phonics "component" bolted onto a whole-language program. And it is not a program for children of lower intelligence; the IDA is explicit that dyslexia is not due to either lack of intelligence or desire to learn, and many dyslexic children are strong in art, design, building, music, mathematics and spatial reasoning.
It is also not the same problem as attention. Some children have both dyslexia and ADHD, and the two pull in different directions: structured literacy adds sequence and repetition, while an ADHD learner often needs shorter lessons and fewer things on the page. If that is your child, read our guide to homeschool curriculum for ADHD alongside this one, and look for a structured-literacy program with short, well-paced lessons rather than the longest, most thorough one.
Judging fit, not just method
Two programs can both be structured literacy and still fit two children very differently. Ask:
How long is a lesson, and can my child see the end of it? How much of me does it need — scripted and parent-led, video-taught, or independent? Is it print, online, or a mix, and which does my child tolerate? Does it come with the physical pieces — tiles, cards — or will I be buying or making them? What does it cost, and if your state has an education savings account program, is it the kind of curriculum your program approves? (Kindred's checker shows what your state offers and where to apply; it never tells you that you qualify.)
These are fit questions, and they are the ones Kindred is built to answer. Dyslexia is weighed in your child's profile alongside learning style, pace, philosophy, faith preference, format, your involvement and budget, and each match shows the reasons behind it.
Start with a match, not a shelf
You could read every box. Or you could answer a few questions about your child and start from three programs that already fit how she learns.
See your child's top three matches free, no account required, at kindred.school/find-your-match.
Sources: International Dyslexia Association, "Dyslexia Basics" fact sheet (as reproduced by LD OnLine); Orton-Gillingham.com, "What is Structured Literacy"; Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators, "What is the Orton-Gillingham Approach?"