LETRS Volume 1 Units 1–4 Posttest –
Complete and Verified Answers
Topic 1: Word Recognition and Decoding (Questions 1-13)
Focus: Orthographic mapping, phoneme-grapheme correspondences, and fluency
development.
1. Conceptual: Word recognition primarily relies on:
○ A) Guessing from context alone
○ B) Automatic orthographic mapping of phonemes to graphemes
○ C) Visual memory without phonics
○ D) Rote memorization of sight words Correct Answer: B) Rationale :
Orthographic mapping (Ehri, 2014) bonds spoken words to spellings via PA and
phonics, enabling instant recognition; LETRS Vol. 2 stresses this for 95% of
reading by grade 3. Classroom Application: In a 2nd-grade lesson, model
blending /k/ /a/ /t/ with "cat" on flashcards, then have students map to decodable
texts like Bob Books, tracking progress via nonsense word fluency probes to build
automaticity and reduce reliance on pictures.*
2. Applied: A student decodes "ship" as "shap." This error suggests a need for instruction
in:
○ A) Vowel-consonant-e patterns
○ B) Digraphs and blends
○ C) Multisyllabic division
○ D) Silent letters Correct Answer: A) Rationale : The "magic e" rule lengthens the
vowel (/ɪ/ to /i:/); LETRS emphasizes explicit phonics for irregular patterns.
Classroom Application: Use Elkonin boxes for "ship" (/sh/-/i/-/p/), contrasting with
"shap" (/sh/-/a/-/p/), then practice in controlled texts like Fundations Level 2,
followed by dictation to reinforce encoding/decoding reciprocity in small groups.*
3. Conceptual: Decoding fluency is best developed through:
○ A) Repeated reading of leveled books
○ B) Systematic phonics with decodable texts
○ C) Free voluntary reading without guidance
○ D) Sight word flashcards alone Correct Answer: B) Rationale : Decodable texts
align with taught GPCs, building accuracy to fluency (National Reading Panel);
LETRS Vol. 1 warns against mismatched materials causing frustration.
Classroom Application: Implement a 15-min daily routine with Sonday System
decodables, progressing from CVC words to blends, monitoring with DIBELS
ORF (oral reading fluency) benchmarks to adjust groups and celebrate 90%
accuracy thresholds.*
, 4. Applied: In a Tier 2 RTI group, a 1st-grader confuses "bat" and "bit." The teacher should
prioritize:
○ A) Short vowel discrimination drills
○ B) High-frequency word lists
○ C) Comprehension questions
○ D) Writing sentences Correct Answer: A) Rationale : Phoneme isolation (/æ/ vs.
/ɪ/) precedes blending; LETRS PA continuum places this in advanced blending.
Classroom Application: Use Heggerty PA curriculum for 5-min daily contrasts
(bat-bit sorting with mirrors for mouth shapes), then embed in phonics lessons
with Road to the Code, assessing via nonsense CVC probes to ensure mastery
before advancing to blends.*
5. Conceptual: The alphabetic principle is the understanding that:
○ A) Letters represent speech sounds
○ B) Words are wholes to memorize
○ C) Reading is visual guessing
○ D) Spelling follows pronunciation exactly Correct Answer: A) Rationale : Core to
decoding (NRP, 2000); LETRS links it to phonemic awareness for code-breaking.
Classroom Application: Introduce with letter tiles for sound mapping (e.g., "m-a-p"
for /m/-/æ/-/p/), extending to word sorts in literacy centers, using Dibels Letter
Naming Fluency to track progress and differentiate for ELLs with L1 interference.*
6. Applied: A 3rd-grader reads "knight" as "k-n-i-g-h-t." Intervention focuses on:
○ A) Irregular sight word instruction
○ B) Blending practice
○ C) Vocabulary expansion
○ D) Fluency timing Correct Answer: A) Rationale : Silent letters require exception
rules; LETRS Vol. 2 covers orthographic irregularities post-basic phonics.
Classroom Application: Create "tricky word" walls with mnemonics (e.g., "knight"
knight picture), practice in Fry list drills, and integrate into decodable readers like
Phonics Readers, reassessing with Multisyllabic Word Reading Assessment for
retention.*
7. Conceptual: Orthographic mapping efficiency improves with:
○ A) Frequent exposure to high-utility words
○ B) Isolated letter drills
○ C) Picture-based guessing
○ D) A phonics + morphology Correct Answer: D) Rationale : Ehri's phases
(pre-alphabetic to consolidated); LETRS integrates morphemes for advanced
decoding. Classroom Application: Teach "un-happy" as /un/-/hap/-/py/ with root
word webs in 4th-grade stations, using Words Their Way sorts to reinforce, and
track via Fry Sight Word assessments to shift from decoding to automaticity.*
8. Applied: A student substitutes /b/ for /d/ in "bed." This is a:
○ A) Phonological awareness deficit in place of articulation
○ B) Visual reversal error
○ C) Fluency issue
Complete and Verified Answers
Topic 1: Word Recognition and Decoding (Questions 1-13)
Focus: Orthographic mapping, phoneme-grapheme correspondences, and fluency
development.
1. Conceptual: Word recognition primarily relies on:
○ A) Guessing from context alone
○ B) Automatic orthographic mapping of phonemes to graphemes
○ C) Visual memory without phonics
○ D) Rote memorization of sight words Correct Answer: B) Rationale :
Orthographic mapping (Ehri, 2014) bonds spoken words to spellings via PA and
phonics, enabling instant recognition; LETRS Vol. 2 stresses this for 95% of
reading by grade 3. Classroom Application: In a 2nd-grade lesson, model
blending /k/ /a/ /t/ with "cat" on flashcards, then have students map to decodable
texts like Bob Books, tracking progress via nonsense word fluency probes to build
automaticity and reduce reliance on pictures.*
2. Applied: A student decodes "ship" as "shap." This error suggests a need for instruction
in:
○ A) Vowel-consonant-e patterns
○ B) Digraphs and blends
○ C) Multisyllabic division
○ D) Silent letters Correct Answer: A) Rationale : The "magic e" rule lengthens the
vowel (/ɪ/ to /i:/); LETRS emphasizes explicit phonics for irregular patterns.
Classroom Application: Use Elkonin boxes for "ship" (/sh/-/i/-/p/), contrasting with
"shap" (/sh/-/a/-/p/), then practice in controlled texts like Fundations Level 2,
followed by dictation to reinforce encoding/decoding reciprocity in small groups.*
3. Conceptual: Decoding fluency is best developed through:
○ A) Repeated reading of leveled books
○ B) Systematic phonics with decodable texts
○ C) Free voluntary reading without guidance
○ D) Sight word flashcards alone Correct Answer: B) Rationale : Decodable texts
align with taught GPCs, building accuracy to fluency (National Reading Panel);
LETRS Vol. 1 warns against mismatched materials causing frustration.
Classroom Application: Implement a 15-min daily routine with Sonday System
decodables, progressing from CVC words to blends, monitoring with DIBELS
ORF (oral reading fluency) benchmarks to adjust groups and celebrate 90%
accuracy thresholds.*
, 4. Applied: In a Tier 2 RTI group, a 1st-grader confuses "bat" and "bit." The teacher should
prioritize:
○ A) Short vowel discrimination drills
○ B) High-frequency word lists
○ C) Comprehension questions
○ D) Writing sentences Correct Answer: A) Rationale : Phoneme isolation (/æ/ vs.
/ɪ/) precedes blending; LETRS PA continuum places this in advanced blending.
Classroom Application: Use Heggerty PA curriculum for 5-min daily contrasts
(bat-bit sorting with mirrors for mouth shapes), then embed in phonics lessons
with Road to the Code, assessing via nonsense CVC probes to ensure mastery
before advancing to blends.*
5. Conceptual: The alphabetic principle is the understanding that:
○ A) Letters represent speech sounds
○ B) Words are wholes to memorize
○ C) Reading is visual guessing
○ D) Spelling follows pronunciation exactly Correct Answer: A) Rationale : Core to
decoding (NRP, 2000); LETRS links it to phonemic awareness for code-breaking.
Classroom Application: Introduce with letter tiles for sound mapping (e.g., "m-a-p"
for /m/-/æ/-/p/), extending to word sorts in literacy centers, using Dibels Letter
Naming Fluency to track progress and differentiate for ELLs with L1 interference.*
6. Applied: A 3rd-grader reads "knight" as "k-n-i-g-h-t." Intervention focuses on:
○ A) Irregular sight word instruction
○ B) Blending practice
○ C) Vocabulary expansion
○ D) Fluency timing Correct Answer: A) Rationale : Silent letters require exception
rules; LETRS Vol. 2 covers orthographic irregularities post-basic phonics.
Classroom Application: Create "tricky word" walls with mnemonics (e.g., "knight"
knight picture), practice in Fry list drills, and integrate into decodable readers like
Phonics Readers, reassessing with Multisyllabic Word Reading Assessment for
retention.*
7. Conceptual: Orthographic mapping efficiency improves with:
○ A) Frequent exposure to high-utility words
○ B) Isolated letter drills
○ C) Picture-based guessing
○ D) A phonics + morphology Correct Answer: D) Rationale : Ehri's phases
(pre-alphabetic to consolidated); LETRS integrates morphemes for advanced
decoding. Classroom Application: Teach "un-happy" as /un/-/hap/-/py/ with root
word webs in 4th-grade stations, using Words Their Way sorts to reinforce, and
track via Fry Sight Word assessments to shift from decoding to automaticity.*
8. Applied: A student substitutes /b/ for /d/ in "bed." This is a:
○ A) Phonological awareness deficit in place of articulation
○ B) Visual reversal error
○ C) Fluency issue
