To build reading fluency, students must master "Heart Words"—high-frequency words with irregular parts that must be learned by heart. These words often appear in Resource List 5.3 and are essential for early literacy. 🧠 The Instructional Approach Don't rely on rote memorization alone. Use orthographic mapping to connect the sounds we hear to the letters we see: Identify the Regular Parts:
Veteran LETRS facilitators often say: "If you photocopy Resource 5.3 and hand it out, you’ve missed the point. If you model Resource 5.3 with a whiteboard and magnetic letters, you’ve mastered the point." resource list 5.3 of the letrs manual
Don't just "cover" List 5.3. Use it. Photocopy it. Laminate it. Put it on your lanyard for quick phonics drills. Because in the end, the LETRS manual gives you the research, but Resource List 5.3 gives you the words. And words are where the magic happens. To build reading fluency, students must master "Heart