Structured Multiliteracy
Structured Multiliteracy extends evidence-based literacy instruction across languages through explicit, systematic teaching that develops reading, writing, oral language, and comprehension together.
Rather than relying on translation alone, Structured Multiliteracy helps educators support multilingual learners through authentic instruction designed around how languages work.
Learn more about how Structured Multiliteracy supports multilingual learners in our free webinar.
Structured Multiliteracy
The Building Blocks of Strong Literacy
Structured Multiliteracy integrates the essential components of literacy instruction while helping students make meaningful connections within and across languages.
- Students learn to recognize, segment, blend, and manipulate speech sounds, building the foundation for decoding and spelling.
- Instruction strengthens phonological awareness while helping students transfer sound-based skills across languages.
- Students learn how letters and letter combinations represent sounds and how those patterns support reading and spelling.
- Instruction is systematic and cumulative, promoting accurate word recognition and orthographic understanding.
- Students study prefixes, suffixes, roots, and word structures to strengthen vocabulary, spelling, and comprehension.
- Instruction helps students recognize meaningful relationships among words and make connections across languages.
- Students learn how grammar, sentence structure, and word order function within and across languages.
- This supports comprehension, written expression, oral language development, and academic language use.
- Students build vocabulary through context, morphology, and cognate study while deepening their understanding of words and meaning.
- Instruction supports comprehension of increasingly complex text.
- Students learn how language is used in different social, cultural, and academic settings.
- Instruction develops flexible communication skills while honoring linguistic and cultural diversity.
Join the Structured Multiliteracy Conversation
Attend our virtual half-day symposium to explore evidence-based literacy instruction with the experts. Whether you support multilingual learners at the classroom, school, or district level, you’ll walk away with valuable insights and actionable ideas to drive student success.
days day
hours hour
minutes minute
seconds second
An Intentional Approach to Literacy Instruction
Languages are not interchangeable—and literacy instruction should not be either. Structured Multiliteracy supports literacy development across languages from the start, rather than adapting English instruction through translation alone.
Built on the Science of Reading
Direct instruction builds literacy skills efficiently and effectively.
Oral language supports reading, writing, and comprehension.
Knowledge in one language strengthens learning in another.
Extending Structured Multiliteracy Into Spanish
Structured Multiliteracy supports multilingual learners with diverse literacy needs, including students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences.
Esperanza Intervención applies Structured Multiliteracy through intensive Spanish-language intervention designed for Spanish-speaking students with significant reading challenges.
Authored by bilingual literacy expert Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, the program provides explicit, systematic instruction aligned to the structure of the Spanish language—not translated from English.
Ready to Explore Structured Multiliteracy?
Discover how Structured Multiliteracy can help your multilingual learners build the strong, transferable literacy skills they need to thrive—today and in the future.