11/12/2024

Boosting Bilingual Literacy: Gaston ISD’s Testimonial on Lexia LETRS

In this testimonial video, educators from Gaston Independent School District, a rural district in New Mexico near the Texas-Mexico borders, share their transformative experiences with Lexia® LETRS® professional learning. These educators faced the challenge of helping Emergent Bilingual students learn academic content in English, often through reading.

Faced with a decision between balanced literacy and more evidence-based instruction, district leaders chose LETRS, which teachers describe as the "Cadillac" of professional learning. LETRS empowered these educators with the skills they never received in college, particularly in supporting their large population of Emergent Bilingual students.

Teachers emphasize how LETRS has helped them improve phonics instruction, making it easier for students to decode sounds not present in their native language. They also discuss the flexibility of LETRS strategies, which can be applied in any language. Beyond literacy instruction, the program has provided teachers with tools to make better, data-driven decisions about what each student needs for success.

For Gaston ISD’s teachers, LETRS has proven to be the most impactful professional learning they’ve received, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to support students at all levels. The testimonial video offers a compelling look at how LETRS is driving real, positive changes in classrooms and inspiring educators to advocate for similar training in their own schools.