When you are looking for reading help, you will see a lot of credentials. One worth understanding is LETRS. It signals that a tutor has done serious training in how reading actually works — and that matters for your child.
What LETRS is
LETRS stands for Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling. It is a rigorous professional training program grounded in the science of reading. Rather than teaching a single product or curriculum, it teaches the underlying knowledge: how children learn to read, why some struggle, and how to deliver instruction that works. Completing it takes many months of study and practice.
Why it matters for a struggling reader
A tutor can follow a workbook without understanding why a child is stuck. A LETRS-trained tutor understands the mechanics of reading well enough to diagnose the real problem — whether it is weak phonemic awareness, gaps in decoding, or fragile fluency — and to adjust instruction accordingly. For a child who has already tried general tutoring without progress, that diagnostic skill is often the difference.
What it looks like in practice
A LETRS-informed approach is explicit and systematic. Skills are taught directly, in a logical sequence, with continual checking for understanding. Instruction is multisensory and paced to your child rather than to a fixed lesson plan. Progress is measured, not assumed.
Reading support you can trust in Gresham
Debbie Sexton, M.Ed., is LETRS-trained and UFLI-qualified, with more than 25 years helping students become confident readers — in person around Gresham and East Portland, and online across Oregon. The first step is a free 20-minute consultation. Book a free consult or call (503) 809-4120.