Resource List 5.3 Of The Letrs Manual May 2026

Two teachers can look at the same word ( compromise, consequence, tradition ) and disagree violently on whether it is Tier 2 or Tier 3. Resource 5.3 provides criteria, but not a definitive dictionary. I have watched entire PLC meetings derail over atmosphere – is it Tier 2 (academic, figurative: "classroom atmosphere") or Tier 3 (science: "Earth's atmosphere")? The answer, per 5.3, is both , but the list doesn't resolve the ambiguity.

| Tier | Description (per LETRS 5.3) | Examples | Instructional Priority | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Basic, everyday words. Rarely need instruction for native speakers. | clock, baby, happy, run | None (except for ELLs) | | Tier 2 | High-frequency, cross-curricular academic words. Mature language users. The sweet spot . | coincidence, absurd, fortunate, analyze, establish | Highest Priority | | Tier 3 | Low-frequency, domain-specific words. Best taught in context of a lesson. | photosynthesis, isthmus, pentameter, amortization | Contextual / Just-in-time | resource list 5.3 of the letrs manual

—often titled "Considerations for Selecting Words for Explicit Instruction" or a similar variation depending on the LETRS edition (1st vs. 2nd)—is the Rosetta Stone between research and reality. It answers the dreaded teacher question: "Which words do I actually have time to teach?" Two teachers can look at the same word

is arguably the single most practical tool in the entire LETRS manual for improving reading comprehension. It moves vocabulary instruction from "look it up" to strategic, cognitive science-based triage. If every teacher in America used this list to select their weekly vocabulary words, the gap in academic language between advantaged and disadvantaged students would narrow significantly. The answer, per 5

Resource 5.3 is not just a list; it’s a process. It explicitly reminds teachers to check for morphemes (roots, prefixes, suffixes). For example, before teaching unfortunate , the list prompts: Can students use 'un-' (not) + 'fortunate' (lucky)? If yes, move that word to incidental instruction and save explicit time for absurd .

Below is a detailed, long-form review written from the perspective of an experienced literacy coach and LETRS facilitator. Review by: A Literacy Coach & LETRS Facilitator Introduction: Why Resource 5.3 Matters Anyone who has completed LETRS (Louisa Moats, Ed.D., & Carol Tolman, Ph.D.) knows that the "resource lists" are not mere appendices; they are the tactical field guides for the classroom. After the theoretical heavy lifting of Units 1-4 (phonology, phonics, fluency), Unit 5 arrives with a sobering fact: Vocabulary is the single best predictor of reading comprehension. Yet, it is often the most poorly taught component.