Written words represent speech and language. This fundamental truth explains why reading and spelling skill depend on language abilities; why explicit teaching of sounds, words, and discourse is the most effective way to ensure that all students learn to read and write; and why we have been persistent advocates for teachers’ knowledge of language—which is the focus of Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS®). Within that big idea is a less settled question: How should instruction in beginning reading and writing proceed?