What is LETRS? How One PD Program is Dominating ‘Science of Reading’ Efforts

00:03:18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6GR34-X5Qw

摘要

TLDRThe video explains the LETRS program, which trains elementary school teachers in the science of reading. LETRS aims to equip educators with effective reading instruction techniques, focusing on phonics, vocabulary development, and comprehension strategies. The program's popularity has increased significantly, with many states requiring it. Evidence shows LETRS can change teaching practices, particularly with coaching support, but improvements in student reading scores are inconsistent. Mississippi serves as an example where LETRS was implemented alongside other reforms, showing mixed results. Ultimately, while LETRS provides foundational knowledge, lasting improvements in reading instruction require more comprehensive changes.

心得

  • 📘 LETRS = Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling
  • 📈 LETRS training is growing in popularity among states
  • 🔍 Focus on the science of reading is crucial for effective teaching
  • 👩‍🏫 Teachers learn to teach phonics and vocabulary foundations
  • ⚙️ Coaching enhances the application of LETRS principles
  • 📊 Improving reading scores varies and is affected by multiple factors
  • 🌟 Mississippi's LETRS experience showed positive changes but with other reforms
  • ❌ No single training can be a magic bullet for lasting change
  • 📅 Almost half of states offer or require LETRS training
  • 💡 More comprehensive changes are needed for effective reading instruction.

时间轴

  • 00:00:00 - 00:03:18

    The LETRS program, designed for elementary school teachers to enhance their reading instruction skills, has gained significant popularity, with nearly half of US states adopting it since 2017. It emphasizes the 'science of reading' which focuses on effective, research-backed strategies for teaching reading. This method involves explicit instruction on the foundations of written language, helping students understand letter-sound connections while also enriching their vocabulary and comprehension through discussions on various topics. Despite its promise, the effectiveness of LETRS is mixed, with evidence suggesting that while it can influence teaching practices, this change often requires additional support, such as coaching. Even with this support, improvements in student reading scores are not guaranteed. Studies show successful outcomes, like in Mississippi, where LETRS was implemented alongside other educational reforms, making it difficult to determine the program's individual impact. Essentially, while LETRS provides valuable insights into effective reading instruction, comprehensive change in reading education necessitates more than just a single training program.

思维导图

视频问答

  • What is LETRS?

    LETRS stands for Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, a professional development program for teachers.

  • Why is LETRS popular?

    LETRS is popular because it aligns with the science of reading, which many states are adopting to improve literacy instruction.

  • What does the science of reading focus on?

    The science of reading focuses on evidence-based methods for teaching reading, especially phonics and vocabulary.

  • Does LETRS improve student reading scores?

    Research shows mixed results; while LETRS can change teacher practices, student score improvements are not guaranteed.

  • What role does coaching play in LETRS effectiveness?

    Coaching is crucial as it helps teachers apply what they learned in LETRS more consistently.

  • What can teachers learn from LETRS?

    Teachers learn how to teach foundational skills of written language and reading comprehension strategies.

  • Has LETRS been implemented in many states?

    Yes, nearly half of all states are offering or requiring LETRS for teachers.

  • What is the bottom line regarding LETRS?

    LETRS provides a foundation for understanding the science of reading, but lasting changes need more than just one training.

  • What was the impact of LETRS in Mississippi?

    Mississippi saw improved student scores after implementing LETRS, but this was alongside other educational changes.

  • Where can I find more information?

    Visit the referenced website for more on shifting reading instruction approaches.

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  • 00:00:00
    - If you're an elementary school teacher right now,
  • 00:00:02
    you may have heard about a program called LETRS,
  • 00:00:04
    short for Language Essentials for Teachers
  • 00:00:06
    of Reading and Spelling.
  • 00:00:08
    It's a professional development program
  • 00:00:10
    that's designed to teach teachers what they need
  • 00:00:12
    to know to teach students how to read.
  • 00:00:15
    And it's suddenly become wildly popular,
  • 00:00:17
    nearly half of all states are offering LETRS,
  • 00:00:20
    or requiring that teachers take it.
  • 00:00:22
    The number of educators participating in the program
  • 00:00:25
    has increased eight-fold since 2017.
  • 00:00:29
    So what's going on?
  • 00:00:31
    Why are so many schools doing this training,
  • 00:00:33
    and will it help students become better readers?
  • 00:00:36
    To answer these questions, we have to first talk
  • 00:00:39
    about something called the science of reading.
  • 00:00:41
    It refers to an approach to teaching
  • 00:00:43
    that more and more states are asking schools to adopt.
  • 00:00:46
    The idea behind this approach
  • 00:00:48
    is that instruction should be based on
  • 00:00:50
    what research tells us are the most effective ways
  • 00:00:52
    to help kids learn to read.
  • 00:00:54
    In a science of reading approach,
  • 00:00:56
    teachers explicitly teach beginning readers the foundations
  • 00:00:59
    of written language, like how letters represent sounds,
  • 00:01:03
    and how students can use that knowledge
  • 00:01:05
    of letter sound connections to read new words.
  • 00:01:09
    Teachers go through all of these combinations in sequence.
  • 00:01:12
    At the same time,
  • 00:01:13
    teachers are helping students build their vocabulary,
  • 00:01:16
    and their knowledge about the world through read alouds
  • 00:01:19
    and conversations about rich topics,
  • 00:01:21
    such as art, culture and science.
  • 00:01:24
    As soon as kids master these basics,
  • 00:01:26
    they start applying all of these skills together in more
  • 00:01:29
    and more complex texts.
  • 00:01:32
    Their ability to recognize the words on the page
  • 00:01:34
    and their knowledge of language weave together,
  • 00:01:37
    and reinforce each other.
  • 00:01:39
    But a lot of teachers weren't trained this way,
  • 00:01:41
    and that's why states are turning to this PD program, LETRS.
  • 00:01:45
    LETRS is aligned to the science of reading approach.
  • 00:01:48
    It shows teachers
  • 00:01:49
    the research that's behind the science of reading,
  • 00:01:52
    and it's also designed to give teachers guidance on
  • 00:01:54
    how to use it in their classrooms. But does it work?
  • 00:01:58
    Once teachers take LETRS,
  • 00:02:00
    do they start applying the science of reading
  • 00:02:01
    in their classrooms? And do their kids become better readers?
  • 00:02:06
    The evidence is mixed.
  • 00:02:08
    Research into the effects of the program shows
  • 00:02:11
    that it can change teachers' practice,
  • 00:02:13
    but only under certain circumstances.
  • 00:02:16
    Coaching seems to be key.
  • 00:02:18
    When teachers have support like someone showing them
  • 00:02:21
    how to apply what they've learned,
  • 00:02:23
    they're able to apply it more consistently.
  • 00:02:25
    But even in studies
  • 00:02:26
    where teachers had that additional support,
  • 00:02:29
    student scores didn't always improve.
  • 00:02:32
    LETRS advocates point to Mississippi as a counter example,
  • 00:02:36
    the state began LETRS training in 2014
  • 00:02:39
    and student scores went up, but Mississippi also made a lot
  • 00:02:43
    of other changes at the same time – to curriculum,
  • 00:02:46
    coaching and reading interventions.
  • 00:02:48
    So it's hard to know precisely
  • 00:02:50
    what factors produce better scores.
  • 00:02:52
    What's the bottom line?
  • 00:02:54
    The content in LETRS can give teachers a foundation
  • 00:02:57
    in the science of reading, but many researchers
  • 00:02:59
    and school system leaders say that no one training is going
  • 00:03:04
    to be a magic bullet, lasting change requires a lot more.
  • 00:03:08
    For more on what it takes to shift a school's approach
  • 00:03:10
    to reading instruction, visit our website.
  • 00:03:14
    (soft music)
标签
  • LETRS
  • science of reading
  • reading instruction
  • teacher training
  • phonics
  • vocabulary
  • Mississippi
  • education reform
  • student outcomes
  • professional development