LETRS Training

Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS)

LETRS Modules 1, 2 & 3 (of 12)

Module 1 - Monday, July 15, 2013
Module 2 - Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Module 3 - Wednesday, July 17, 2013

8:30am to 5:00pm (6 CEU hours/day)
Fee: $295/day or $750 for all three

LETRS Modules 4, 6 & 5 (of 12)

Module 4 - Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Module 6 - Thursday, August 15, 2013
Module 5 - Friday, August 16, 2013

8:30am to 5:00pm (6 CEU hours/day)
Fee: $295/day or $750 for all three

The LETRS courses will be held at AIM Academy located at 1200 River Road, Conshohocken, PA 19428. Click here for driving directions to the school.

Module Descriptions:

Module 1 - The Challenge of Learning to Read
When teachers are knowledgeable about what the brain does when reading, they are better able to appreciate and implement components crucial to reading instruction. With this goal in mind, LETRS Module 1 provides the foundational information so necessary for all those who interface with students’ reading skills. Key concepts include the discovery of how difficult reading really is, including reviews of MRIs to illustrate what physically happens in the brains of good and poor readers. Additionally, the stages of word reading will be reviewed, pairing this knowledge with student writing samples to illustrate how this information translates into the classroom setting. Discussions involving essential components of reading instruction beyond the “core five components” will be included, along with interactive illustrations of what might be happening for our poor reading students. Foundational information for all grade levels!

Module 2 - The Speech Sounds of English: Phonetics, Phonology, and Phoneme Awareness
While the term “phonemic awareness” is continually mentioned in reading instruction, exactly what this means often differs within reading programs and classroom instruction. LETRS Module 2 delves in detail into the workings of phonology and its importance in reading instruction for young readers and poor older readers. A progression of skills to teach and assess is clearly outlined, complete with interactive examples at all skill levels. The 44 specific speech sounds of the English language are detailed, along with “allophonic variants”, or what happens to students when sounds are not represented as they should be. Issues of dialect and English language learners (ELL) are addressed as they impact reading instruction. Principles of effective phonology instruction are demonstrated. Student spelling samples from all grade levels are reviewed to help participants make connections between students’ phoneme awareness and their reading and spelling skills. For grades K-3, and all professionals involved with older poor readers.

Module 3 - Spellography for Teachers: How English Spelling Works
Is the spelling of the English language really as unpredictable as we think? LETRS Module 3 outlines five major rules that govern the spelling patterns of the English language, dispelling the notion that our spelling is truly unpredictable. Once armed with this information, professionals will be better able to understand the “what” and “why” of teaching the orthography of the English language and its connections to reading. The continuum of spelling skills addressed spans the individual phoneme-grapheme connection to multi-syllable patterns and types to teach, including work at the morpheme and word origin levels. For grades K-3

Module 4 - The Mighty Word: Building Vocabulary and Oral Language
Vocabulary instruction differs from other areas of reading. This module addresses varied approaches to instruction, including indirect (contextual) and direct methodologies, and stresses techniques for fostering word use, knowledge of word relationships, and awareness of word structure and its connection to meaning. Participants apply what they have learned about vocabulary instruction to several examples of narrative and expository text. For all grades.

Module 5 - Getting Up to Speed: Developing Fluency
Comprehensive reading instruction includes deliberate fluency-building at subword, word, phrase, and text levels for those students who are too slow. This module reviews the rationale for a fluency component in lesson design. Participants learn and practice techniques for speed drills, repeated readings, simultaneous and alternate oral reading, calculating reading fluency, and charting the results of exercises. For all grades.

Module 6 - Digging for Meaning: Teaching Text Comprehension
Comprehension instruction is one of the most researched areas in reading education, yet one of the most challenging. This module addresses the research base for teaching comprehension, the reasons why children have difficulty with comprehension, and approaches for teaching comprehension at the phrase, sentence, paragraph, and passage levels. Questioning techniques and strategies useful before, during, and after reading are reviewed. Exercises include text analysis for planning instruction. For all grades.

Frequently Asked Questions About LETRS

What is LETRS?

LETRS was developed by Dr. Louisa Moats and is published by Sopris West. The goal of the LETRS professional development program is to help teachers from grades K-12 understand the language structures they are teaching, how students learn to read and write, and the best reasons why some children fail to learn. LETRS helps teachers gain in-depth, useful instructional information that complements their everyday teaching practices. It is not a "reading program", nor is it a replacement for core reading programs; rather, it is designed to bring deeper insight and knowledge to reading instruction, provide answers that instructional materials cannot, and allow teachers to reach, through explicit, scientifically-based methods, students who might otherwise fail.

How is LETRS organized?

Various components of reading instruction are addressed in 12 stand-alone modules. Each module requires approximately one day of professional development. As part of the fee, a LETRS module book is provided for you to have and use during the training session. Participant books include copies of presentation slides, handouts, activities, and related text.

Who is it for?

LETRS training is beneficial for reading coaches/specialists, speech/language professionals, special educators, general education teachers, administrators, and any professionals who are involved with the teaching of reading and related subjects.

PAYMENT AND REGISTRATION

Register for LETRS by clicking on the "Register" button and filling out the form. Payment can be made online by secure credit card transaction. Due to limited space, your place can only be guaranteed once payment or P.O. Number is received. After filling out the registration form, you will have the option of paying by credit card. If you prefer to pay by Purchase Order, please make payable to "AIM" and mail to: 

AIM Academy
1200 River Road
Conshohocken, PA 19428