Strategies for Literacy Independence across the Curriculum (SLIC)

Strategies for Literacy Independence across the Curriculum (SLIC) is a professional development-based literacy intervention for struggling adolescent readers in grades 7-10. The program teaches students how authors use different text forms (expository, persuasive, narrative) to present information and how surface features of texts convey content. Students receive explicit instruction in recognizing and using text features (titles, subtitles, captions, font style, graphics) and strategic reading behaviors (previewing, cross-checking, using contextual clues, note-making). The targeted intervention replaces an elective class and uses grade-level textbooks from core content areas, magazine and newspaper articles, short stories, and novels. Teachers receive professional development from SLIC developers and on-site coaches, with instruction informed by periodic SLIC assessments administered every 2-3 months. The whole-school intervention provides the same SLIC strategies to all students through professional development for content-area teachers across all grades 6-12.