MTA or MULTISENSORY TEACHING APPROACH
is the OG-based method used by LTK
- A multisensory approach to self-directed learning.
- Teaches the same decoding and phonemic awareness skills as provided by professional tutors.
- Students can complete all 87 lessons in 3 to 6 months.
The Language Tune-up Kit (LTK®) is a multisensory remedial reading software program that teaches skills in phonemic awareness and phonics. It is appropriate for children age 7 and older, teens, and adults who currently read between Grade 0 and 4. The LTK is particularly suited to those with learning challenges. This successful method has given excellent results for millions of kids around the world
Phonemic awareness is pre-phonics. It is the understanding that words are made up of different sounds. Phonics builds on that skill and teaches students to associate letters with those sounds and string them together to form words. A student with a severe phonemic awareness problem may not grasp phonics.
The LTK curriculum takes advantage of the Orton-Gillingham method of explicit, direct, systematic, intensive, and sequential phonics. This technique focuses on building skills in phonemic awareness. Correlations taught include comparing the number of letters in a word to the number of sounds, syllable divisions, word building skills, and decoding skills.
The LTK uses repeated drills on nonsense words to be sure students are decoding words properly and not just relying on memorization or guessing.
At the conclusion of the LTK’s 87 lessons, a student will have the skills needed to decode 85 to 90 percent of all words in the English language and read at an 8th grade level.
LTK Activities, Games, and Quizzes
New Concepts and Words
An instructional segment begins each lesson. Then concepts and phonemes are introduced. Phonemes are provided for reinforcement in a lesson activity named Build Words.
There are 7 variations of Build Words, each presenting an initial set of 10 words. The student records the letter and word sounds and compares them to the pre-recorded versions. The student then enters the phoneme and number of sounds and letters for the word. If 80% mastery is achieved, the next lesson activity is performed. If not, an additional set of 10 words is presented.
Card Deck
An LTK Card Deck, consisting of 108 phonemes, is integrated within the software. It is used by the student to follow along with the LTK and can be used as a reference tool when away from the program.
The Card Deck lesson activity displays a phoneme, its keyword, and an associated graphic. The LTK pronounces the phoneme and keyword. The student is asked to record his or her pronunciation of the keyword and compare it to the pre-recorded version. The student is then asked to write a sentence using the keyword.
The student performs various tasks to reinforce how letters, letter combinations, and sounds form words.
Next within each lesson is an audio recognition activity. It emphasizes the correlations between letter sounds, letter combinations, and word formations.
Audio Recognition Lesson Activity
Oral Reading
Each lesson contains oral reading activities that provide the student with practice in reading words, sentences, and stories.
Dictation
Two forms of dictation lesson activities appear within the first 58 lessons—Dictate Words and Dictate Sentences. In Dictate Words, the student types a word in response to auditory instructions. In Dictate Sentences, the student enters up to five words in response to auditory instructions.
Words are spell-checked as each letter is typed. Immediate feedback is provided when an incorrect letter is typed. If the student correctly responds to 60 percent of the words displayed, the next activity appears. If not, an additional group of words is presented and the 60 percent criterion is again evaluated.
Quizzes/Games
LTK Quizzes are depicted as game-like activities. They present five to ten words representative of skills covered within the lesson.
There are 14 unique quiz types within the LTK. The example shown is for a syllable lesson. In this quiz, the student is asked to separate the syllables by clicking the mouse pointer between the letters. After the student responds, the program pronounces and presents the word in its separate syllables.
Sight Words
The LTK presents sight words at the end of most lessons. In all, there are 292 sight words presented throughout the program. The order of presentation is similar to the order of phonemes presented within the lesson sequence. Some sight words are presented as needed for oral reading lesson activities.
The sight word is presented on the screen and the student is asked to record his or her pronunciation of the word and compare it to the pre-recorded version. A Sight Word Notebook button is available on all student lesson screens, allowing the student to click on any word to hear it pronounced by the LTK.
Tracking Student Progress
The LTK records all errors made as students progress through the lesson activities and quizzes. Multisensory teaching methods are provided within each lesson. Groups of ten words are provided and 80 percent mastery is measured. If additional instruction is warranted, another group of ten words is presented, and so on. Quizzes at the end of each lesson assess the student’s mastery of the skills presented.
Four levels of reports are available to assess student progress—Summary, Progress, Detail, and Placement. They are viewable by both the students and parents/tutors/teachers.
Progress Report
The Progress Report, shown below, provides a quick assessment of student progress. Areas requiring additional practice or instruction are highlighted. Time on task and skills taught are summarized by lesson number.
Classroom Implementation of the LTK for Schools
A key challenge for those who teach remedial reading to learning-challenged students is that it is almost impossible to teach them all using the same level of instruction in a classroom environment. Each student is at a different skill level, has unique needs, and learns at his or her own pace.
The Language Tune-up Kit is a self-directed approach to the development of phonetic skills. Each student performs at his or her own rate and automatically receives the appropriate amount of practice needed for mastery. Teachers are then able to focus on specific needs and exceptions, thus becoming more productive in the process. The extensive reporting and student management system allows teachers and administrators to easily and effectively monitor student progress.
LTK For Schools—Instructor Reports Menu
Automatic Student Placement
A primary planning requirement is to assess the student’s current reading skills before using the program. The LTK provides a placement test to measure a student’s current reading level. It automatically assigns the appropriate beginning lesson, based on the results of this test. Reports provide the tools needed by teachers to evaluate student progress and mastery.
The LTK Placement Test is available in all family and school versions.
Language Tune-up Kit Packages™ and Pricing
LTK at Home USB/Download (Windows)
The LTK at Home contains 87 lessons and will take your student from a Grade 0 to a Grade 8.5 reading level.
The program supports 2 students at a time and can be used by more students when one has completed the program.
This is a download package. The printable LTK at Home User Guide and printable LTK Card Deck are included in PDF format.
Works on all and Windows 7/8/10 computers.
Price from $249.00
LTK for Schools (K to HS) – Online Virtual School (Kids/Youth)
OG-based multisensory Foundational Literacy Platform (Remedial, Special Ed/IEP, ESL) that systematically teaches:
- Phonemic awareness and decoding
- Sight word recognition
- Spelling
- Reading fluency
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension
The Virtual School for K to HS helps each student achieve their grade-level reading proficiency. The LTK is a highly effective set of tools used by teachers in over 600 schools to teach students with learning and behavior difficulties struggling with reading proficiency. Available for 25+ years, the LTK is constantly being enhanced and improved.
The online version can be used on all modern devices, including MAC and Windows computers and laptops, iPads, tablets, iPhones and Android Phones, and Chromebooks, from home, in school, and on the go.
Monitor students’ progress and adjust teaching processes via our easy to use online Teacher’s Portal. The Portal includes assessment results (given regularly) and comprehensive reports enabling teachers to find the gaps in their students’ foundational skills and easily adjust the learning process.
The LTK is highly effective as a main Web-based literacy platform — a key part of a supplemental tool for students from the ES to MS and HS level.
Card deck and manuals provided in Adobe® PDF format.
Price from $598.00
LTK for Educators (Online Virtual School)
Online version accessible anywhere, anytime on any device! Monitor students’ progress and adjust the teaching process via our easy to use online Teacher’s Portal.
The LTK is a comprehensive course that teaches skills in the most essential Basic Literacy areas (initial reading and decoding skills acquisition, Remediation and Intervention (Dyslexia/ LD), and English as a Second Language (ESL). It consists of 87 lessons in 5 levels, each lesson lasting on average from 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on settings and student abilities. The LTK will take your students to a 5th grade reading level.
The LTK for tutors is for all educators (tutors, parents, and teachers) who work with multiple students. The system is web-based and supports any modern browser, (mobile phones, tablets, Chromebooks, desktop computers, and MACs).
Price from $478.00
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