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LETRS: Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling:
LETRS is a professional development course that empowers teachers to understand the what, why and how of literacy instruction, based on the most current scientific research. LETRS provides deeper knowledge of reading instruction as well as how to assess and address student needs based on age, grade, and ability levels.
This manual is accompanied by state-of-the-art, interactive technology to support a blended learning model. The online instruction aligns to the units in this manual and shows how to directly apply LETRS principles and practices to the classroom.
Volume 1
Unit 1 The Challeng of Learning to Read
Unit 2 The Speech Sounds of English
Unit 3 Teaching Beginning Phonics, Word Recognition and Spelling
Unit 4 Advanced Decoding, Spelling, and Word Recognition
Learning to be a skilled instructor, whether in a regular class or an intervention setting, can take a long time, a lot of practice, and a lot of study. This LETRS course translates current findings from reading science into practical guidance that empowers all teachers to instruct with genuine confidence.
This manual is accompanied by state-of-the-art, interactive technology to support a blended learning model. The online instruction aligns to the units in this manual and shows how to directly apply LETRS principles and practices to the classroom.
Volume 1
Unit 1 The Challeng of Learning to Read
Unit 2 The Speech Sounds of English
Unit 3 Teaching Beginning Phonics, Word Recognition and Spelling
Unit 4 Advanced Decoding, Spelling, and Word Recognition
Learning to be a skilled instructor, whether in a regular class or an intervention setting, can take a long time, a lot of practice, and a lot of study. This LETRS course translates current findings from reading science into practical guidance that empowers all teachers to instruct with genuine confidence.
329 pages, Spiral-bound
Published January 1, 2019
88 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
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June 7, 2021I spent so much time reading this as professional development this school year that it must be counted in my “read� books for the year.
March 22, 2022
Hello, Teachers! The content of this LETRS training is fabulous! The tests and quizzes...not so much (some tricky wording on some of those questions). The implementation of all of these researched-based best practices? A little daunting in a fifth grade classroom. I really wish the videos would portray a true classroom with 30-35 students, most of whom are on automatic pilot (independent practice) while the teacher pulls 4 kids to the back table to promote morphology. The book is great, an excellent resource with lovely suggestions for phonological awareness activities!
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February 27, 2024LETRS is a comprehensive program for the science of reading and I found it useful for college credit and helping my ELL students learn to read in English (especially newcomers) . This text is very dense but comprehensible.
July 4, 2021
Two years later, finally finished the first four units of my district's PD program! This has seriously revolutionized how I teach and actually was part of inspiring me to want to be a classroom teacher. What they say about it giving confidence is very true.
May 10, 2025
Spent so much of my life reading this book for professional development, it must be counted towards my “read� books 😅
April 6, 2025
Took this class last year and learned SO MUCH. Should be required for alllllllll education majors.
May 31, 2023
Read this book for professional development along with the trainings. It has to be counted as a book I've read this year!
Good resource for solid reading instruction based on the science of reading.
Time consuming to get through, but solid.
Good resource for solid reading instruction based on the science of reading.
Time consuming to get through, but solid.
July 3, 2024
Truly cannot wait to apply everything I’ve learned from this book to my classroom! I’ve never taken so many notes in my life, and have never felt so lit up for teaching literacy.
📚📝❓�
📚📝❓�
November 24, 2024
I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that every teacher in our district will now be required to do this training. It’s what we all should have learned in college. Based on actual research from a number of fields. A convergence of evidence. I have a couple of question marks about Kilpatrick/PAST - but I’m hopeful science will continue to study the role of advanced PA in proficient reading.
February 16, 2025
Very informative and helpful.
March 18, 2025
I highly recommend this training for all teachers. I learned so much and was able to take things I learned and immediately implement them in my classroom. I’m so excited to start Volume 2!
April 20, 2024
The very best PD course! I learned so much from this training.
May 1, 2025
Volume 1 is done!
July 8, 2022
Learned so much about how kids learn to read, and how to help struggling readers. This course has changed the way I approach reading instruction and intervention.
June 27, 2022
All the stuff teachers SHOULD have learned in college!!!
This information will change the trajectories of our students' lives. Can't wait to dig into Volume 2!!!
This information will change the trajectories of our students' lives. Can't wait to dig into Volume 2!!!
May 14, 2022
Excellent! This book has totally transformed how
I teach reading! I highly recommend!
I teach reading! I highly recommend!
October 19, 2023
This book has A LOT of information in it. I wish it included more activity ideas. Great to use for learning about the Science of Reading.
May 6, 2023
Educators, this is a powerful curriculum built to teach the well researched and well evidenced approach to learning how we read. The book and accompanying online course is a year-long study. One learns the phonological, graphological and morphological processes of reading in the reading brain. The course is a four part, 16 chapter book and online lessons that are well done (although some of the assessments are a bit confusing). The educator receives a certificate if s/he/they pass the final assessment of 45 questions with 80%. I am so thankful to have this knowledge. I am anxious for the second course which focuses on comprehension. I like to tell educators that this is the “why� and UFLI (free and online resource) is the “how� and “when� to teaching beginning or remedial readers. Students soar. LETRS is a prescriptive and diagnostic approach to teaching reading, spelling and phonics.
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June 30, 2024Honestly, I loved this. My favorite parts were the historical knowledge I learned about how English works. When so many say that English is the toughest language to learn, with no rules, that's not true. I enjoyed learning about the different languages that came together to make English and the rules that seem like they don't exist (e.g., when to double an ending consonant when adding a vowel suffix).
While all that was interesting, I feel I am more able to support new readers and teachers teaching K-3 kids how to read. It's powerful. The importance of learning these foundational skills is too much to say--we have to get this right, by third grade, at the latest, or readers will likely struggle with reading, to varying degrees, for the rest of their lives.
It definitely sparked my interest--do I want to go back to learn more? Hmmm...
While all that was interesting, I feel I am more able to support new readers and teachers teaching K-3 kids how to read. It's powerful. The importance of learning these foundational skills is too much to say--we have to get this right, by third grade, at the latest, or readers will likely struggle with reading, to varying degrees, for the rest of their lives.
It definitely sparked my interest--do I want to go back to learn more? Hmmm...
July 22, 2022
If you are a teacher of reading at the elementary level you need this book! There are so many insights into how to best teach students to read and spell using the code system that the human brain needs because our brains are not wired to read. Our job as teachers is to create those wires within our students brains! This book will open your eyes to things you never would have know about teaching reading!
April 15, 2023
I’ve been teaching for about 25 years and this hands down is the BEST and most impactful training in which I have ever participated. If you have the opportunity to take the course, DO IT! I can’t wait for Volume 2.
May 12, 2024
This is a great class/resource for learning how to implement instruction on phonemic awareness in the classroom. This taught me a lot about why words are spelled/pronounced the way they are and how to decode words when reading.
May 21, 2024
Yes I actually read this giant textbook haha. It was part of the professional development program for my district. I learned so much about how brains and words are connected and how students connect their learning in different contexts.
July 20, 2022
This should be required in all teacher prep programs, hands down.
December 29, 2022
So amazing
December 29, 2022
Excellent resource for educators.
May 18, 2023
This is a great course for teachers. I learned so much about reading, spelling and how the brain works.
July 4, 2023
“All of this information points to the importance of a multicomponent approach to reading instruction that deliberately develops all critical language skills.�
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October 29, 2023Terrible professional development book with all the extra work with it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
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