Reading is an important skill, which needs to be developed in all students, especially among dyslexic students or the ones with reading issues. Both structured literacy and balanced literacy can be effective in developing the given skill, but structured literacy is more precise and direct as well as systematic, which means that it is superior to the alternative option.
Reading is an essential aspect of education, which can predict whether or not a person will be successful throughout the educational process (Seidenberg, 2017). Balanced literacy is a methodological framework of teaching reading through emphasis on context, pictures, and word analogies (Lorimor-Easley & Reed, 2019). In other words, dyslexic students or students with reading problems undergo a wide range of supportive measures, such as independent reading, guided reading, and shared reading (Lorimor-Easley & Reed, 2019). Structured literacy is an approach that is explicit and direct, because it focuses precisely on syntax, spelling, decoding, phonics, word recognition, and phonological awareness (Lorimor-Easley & Reed, 2019). Such a methodological tool is not only useful for individuals with dyslexia, but also highly beneficial for all students, since it leads to major improvement in one’s reading skills (Decoding Dyslexia Ontario, 2021). The research suggests that phonics instruction and phonics development is a more superior method of teaching compared to language and other approaches (Maddox & Feng, 2013).
In conclusion, the accentuation needs to be put on child control and instructor support, where decoding and phonics are not prioritized. Therefore, it is evident that although balanced literacy possesses a wide range of positive aspects, structural reading is more systematic and direct, which makes it more effective and appealing as something, which can be readily integrated into the education system.
References
Decoding Dyslexia Ontario. (2021). The science of reading: 4 myths and top 3 resources. Decoding Dyslexia Ontario. Web.
Lorimor-Easley, N. A., & Reed, D. K. (2019). An explanation of structured literacy, and a comparison to balanced literacy. Iowa Reading Research Center. Web.
Maddox, K., & Feng, J. (2013). Whole language instruction vs. phonics instruction: Effect on reading fluency and spelling accuracy of first grade students. Web.
Seidenberg, M. (2017). Language at the speed of sight: How we read, why so many can’t, and what can be done about it (1st ed.). Basic Books.