| Time | Activity | Action | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 2 min | Phoneme Review | Say /s/, /t/, /p/, /l/, /r/. Students write the letter. | | 3 min | Auditory Sorting | Say "stop," "spot," "top," "pot." Students stand up for /st/ words, sit for /sp/ words. | | 5 min | Word Reading | Display 5 words from List 5.3 (stop, spot, spin, step, skip). Students decode aloud, tapping fingers for each phoneme. | | 3 min | Dictation | Teacher says "step." Students map it: /s/ /t/ /e/ /p/ → s-t-e-p. | | 2 min | Transfer | Students read a sentence: "The frog can stop on the log." (uses words from List 5.3 and known high-frequency words). | Q: Can I use Resource List 5.3 with English learners (ELs)? A: Yes, but be cautious. Some words (e.g., fern , pup ) may be unfamiliar. Pre-teach the meaning quickly. The decoding skill transfers across languages, but meaning does not.
By systematically moving students from continuous CVC words through complex blends and vowel patterns, List 5.3 allows you to answer the most important question in reading instruction: Does this child have a decoding problem or a language comprehension problem? resource list 5.3 of the letrs manual
In this article, we will dissect what Resource List 5.3 is, why it was designed the way it was, how to implement it across K-5 classrooms, and the common pitfalls teachers face when using it. To understand List 5.3, you must first understand the context of LETRS Unit 5. This unit focuses heavily on Phonics and Word Recognition , specifically moving students from phoneme awareness (sounds) to grapheme-phoneme correspondence (letters and spellings). | Time | Activity | Action | |
A: LETRS recommends 90% accuracy for decoding on List 5.3 before advancing to the next column. For encoding (spelling), aim for 80-85% with self-correction. | | 5 min | Word Reading | Display 5 words from List 5
Resource List 5.3 (blends column), whiteboards, markers.
A: Only if they are decoding below grade level. For older struggling readers, use the list but remove the "childish" context. Frame it as "code-breaking" or "syllable surgery."