letrs unit 1 case study

Required Bridge to Practice Activities

The completion of the Bridge to Practice Activities is required as participants work through the LETRS EC Course. These activities give participants the opportunity to put into practice what they learn in the course.

Unit 1 Bridge to Practice

Unit 1, Session 1

Select three case study students whom you believe struggle with oral language or class participation.

Create a folder for each student selected.

Complete the first column of the Daily Schedule Routines Worksheet. (The Daily Schedule Routines Worksheet can be found on page 10 of the LETRS EC book.)

Unit 1, Session 2

Complete the Early Literacy Checklist for each of your case study students. Include it in their folders.

In your journal, reflect on how you will use the information in this session to obtain the data you need to make instructional decisions.

Unit 2 Bridge to Practice

Unit 2 Session 3

Identify speech sounds that each of your case study students has not learned to say, and list example words on the Early Literacy Checklist for each student.

In your journal, write a paragraph about your ability to identify speech sounds in words.

Ask yourself what you are currently doing to build phonemic awareness with students. In your journal, describe 2–3 activities you could add to your daily routine to improve phonemic awareness.

Unit 2 Session 4

Select a children’s book that is unfamiliar to your students. Identify potentially unfamiliar vocabulary words and sort them into Tier 2 and Tier 3 categories.

Practice reading the book aloud using prosody to convey meaning.

Review each case study student’s level of oral language development, using the Early Literacy Checklist .

In your journal, record your impressions of these students’ levels of oral language development.

Unit 2 Session 5

Assess the stage of oral language development for each of your case study students, using the Early Literacy Checklist . Record your conclusions in their files.

Assess each child’s stage of narrative development. Record your conclusions in their files.

Unit 2 Session 6

Select a children’s book, plan the vocabulary, and use the Repeated Reading Worksheet to plan the first, second, and third reads.

Do the first, second, and third read.

In your journal, reflect on how the repeated reading of this book deepened your students’ understanding of the story.

Unit 3 Bridge to Practice

Unit 3 Session 7

In your journal, reflect on how phonological representation relates to vocabulary learning, and on ways you currently facilitate phonological development in your classroom.

Observe each child in your case study, and note something they said that illustrates their developing phonological processing system.

Create an activity that stimulates phonological awareness. Try it with your class and record the outcome and possible future adjustments in your journal.

Unit 3 Session 8

In your journal, reflect on how you may include phonological awareness activities in your daily routine.

In your journal, record your evaluation of your program’s assessment practices.

Use the Early Literacy Checklist to determine the level of phonological awareness for each of your case study students. Compare the results to the age-appropriate benchmarks.

Try one rhyming and one blending/segmenting activity introduced in this session with your class. Record the outcome and possible future adjustments in your journal.

Unit 4 Bridge to Practice

Unit 4 Session 9

In your journal, reflect on your current alphabet instruction, how the research discussion supports it, and what changes you will implement.

For each child in your case study, determine the number of uppercase and lowercase letter names the child knows, and compare it to the benchmarks.

Update the Print Awareness section of the Early Literacy Checklist based on where your students are now.

Add at least one visual enhancement to your classroom.

Choose a sequence that you are not using to present the alphabet, and prepare and present a lesson using that sequence. In your journal, record how it went and what you might change next time.

Unit 4 Session 10

In your journal, reflect on your current expectations and instruction on writing.

Collect a message-writing and name-writing sample from each child, and determine how each sample compares to the data, based on the child’s age.

Update the Print Development section of the Early Literacy Checklist based on where your students are now.

Summarize each student’s current literacy skills, strengths, and potential concerns.

Plan and use the Picture Story/Word Story Strategy with a small group. In your journal, write about what went well and what you might do differently next time.

Download the Early Literacy Checklist

Professional Learning for Early Childhood Educators

LETRS ® for Early Childhood Educators professional learning provides deep knowledge of literacy instruction for the youngest learners. The more children know about language and literacy before they begin kindergarten and first grade, the better equipped they are to succeed in reading and beyond.

Why LETRS for Early Childhood Educators?

Dr. Louisa Moats and Dr. Lucy Hart Paulson designed this course of study for early childhood educators because research shows the foundation of literacy begins at a young age. Early childhood educators need the same level of professional learning as K–3 educators to effectively teach the foundation of literacy. Studies show that pre-K and kindergarten prepare children to thrive in school and accelerate their learning. Even at this early stage of learning, independent experts agree that "a well-implemented, evidence-based curriculum" and an emphasis on the quality and continuous training of early childhood educators leads to success in the classroom.

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LETRS Applied! Conference 2024

Join LETRS Applied! by Lexia® for a transformative experience deepening your connection to Lexia® LETRS®. Featuring LETRS co-authors and keynote speaker Dr. Kymona Burk, senior policy fellow at ExcelinEd, this unique conference is dedicated to embracing the science of reading and boosting pre-K–5 literacy outcomes. Gain insights into the latest educational instructional strategies for enhanced student engagement and learning, delving into innovative literacy approaches outlined in LETRS. Register now to secure your spot at this enriching event, held July 17-19, 2024, at JW Marriott Chicago. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your teaching practices with LETRS insight!

Engaged Students

Early childhood educators gain new skills to help the youngest learners build a literacy foundation from the first step, even before learning to read and write. Educators learn best practices for developmentally appropriate, evidence-based routines and instruction impacting the delivery of playful, purposeful instruction essential for the development of early literacy skills.

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Empowered Educators

Lexia® LETRS® for Early Childhood Educators empowers educators to apply best-practice strategies to guide children’s early learning. Research-based knowledge and skills needed for successful early literacy instruction are taught throughout the course of study with opportunities for educators to practice strategies and routines to develop oral language, print knowledge, alphabet learning, and writing skills of early learners. Educators gain an understanding of age-appropriate assessments and how to use data to plan and implement instruction for the youngest learners.

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Improved Outcomes

Lexia LETRS for Early Childhood Educators provides deep knowledge and clarity of effective skills necessary to prepare the youngest learners for success in kindergarten and beyond by providing the “why” and “how” of early literacy instruction across all domains: language, literacy, cognitive, motor, social, and emotional.

Key Features

Based in the science of reading

Competent reading is dependent on being able to decode words (word recognition) and make meaning of what is read (language comprehension). The development of each of these components begins in the preschool years. Lexia LETRS for Early Childhood Educators describes the early literacy foundations and development that lead to a smooth transition to early reading and writing.

Why every educator needs to understand the science of reading:

Flexible, self-paced learning

Courses are self-paced and on-demand so educators can access and complete their professional learning anytime, anywhere. This flexibility allows Lexia LETRS for Early Childhood Educators to fit into the busy lives of teachers.

Adaptive Blended Learning

The Lexia LETRS for Early Childhood Educators course consists of the online learning platform and print manual. The online learning platform and print manual are aligned and work together to deepen educators’ understanding of the concepts. Additionally, facilitator-led professional learning sessions can be purchased.

Expert Authors

Written by leading experts and researchers Drs. Lucy Hart Paulson and Louisa Moats (pictured from left to right).

Graduate or Transcript Credit Available

Lexia is excited to partner with the American College of Education (ACE). This partnership allows you to earn graduate or transcript credit for Lexia LETRS for Early Childhood Educators.

The Four Units of the Program

Unit 1: Early Literacy Foundations

Unit 2: Oral Language Connections

Unit 3: Phonological “PH”oundations

Unit 4: Print Knowledge ABC to XYZ

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