Transcript Words Their Way: Making Word Study Work in Your Classroom

Words Their Way:
Making Word Study Work in Your
Classroom
Jennifer Syrett and Sarah Valter
May 2010
It All Begins with Assessment . . .

Let’s test our word knowledge . . .
◦ Please number a paper from 21-31

Leveled assessments (see Appendix A,
starting on pg. 264)
◦ Primary (K-2)
◦ Elementary (3-5)
◦ Upper level (students who need more advanced
instruction than the elementary assessment
shows)
◦ Look at each assessment carefully—individual
students may need a harder or easier assessment.
Analyzing Assessments

Let’s score our assessment!
◦ Is the whole word spelled correctly?
◦ Are parts of the word spelled correctly?

Scoring
◦ Add total words spelled correctly (right hand
column) out of 11
◦ Add total features DOWN each column, then
ACROSS for a total out of 22
Scoring: Computer vs. Paper


Download the Word Study Resource CD:
Assessment Planning to your desktop
Open the program shortcut:
◦
◦
◦
◦
Enter your information
Add your students to the database
Create a class and add your students to the class
Click on “Feature Guide” to start scoring your
assessments
◦ If in doubt, click the ‘USER GUIDE’ on the
left side of the screen!
I Have a Score . . . Now What?


Determining the Developmental Stage
Creating a Classroom Composite
◦ On paper: put your students scores in order
from HIGHEST total score to LOWEST total
score
◦ On the computer: Click “Classroom
Composites” and choose the inventory you gave

Use your Classroom Composite to form
flexible groups of students (4 works well, but
choose what works for you!)
Planning for Instruction

Pacing and sequence
◦ Use your assessments as a guide
◦ Sequencing for developmental levels:
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Letter-Name Alphabetic: Table 5-3 (pg. 140)
Within Word Pattern: Table 6-2 (pgs. 180-181)
Syllables and Affixes: Table 7-3 (pg. 217)
Derivational Relations: Table 8-1 (pgs. 234-235)
◦ Look to their writing for “inspiration”
◦ You know your students best—Use your own
judgment to plan for their needs!
Getting Started
After you assess, introduce your routines
over the first few weeks of school
 See Chapter 3, pages 76-78 for ideas
about setting up routines
 Model the activities you want to use in
your classroom
 After students have learned the routines,
begin your instruction

An Example Word Study Cycle in
2nd Grade
Day 1: Test and new words
 Day 2: Sorting and writing
 Day 3: Sorting Activities
 Day 4: Spelling City Activities
 Day 5: Blind Sort

Three groups staggered to start the cycle
on different days.
An Example of a Word Study Cycle
in Second Grade
Mon.
Tues.
Wed.
Thurs.
Fri.
Dinos
Blind Sort
Test/New
Sort
Sorting/
Writing
A-Spelling
City
B-Blind
Sort
A-Blind
Sort
B-Spelling
City
Sharks
A-Spelling
City
B-Blind
Sort
A-Blind
Sort
B-Spelling
City
Test/New
Sort
Sorting/
Writing
Sorting
Activities
Cowboys
Sorting
Activities
Blind Sort
Spelling
City
Test/New
Words
Sorting/
Writing
An Intermediate Example
Brainstorming
 Sorting
 Word study contracts
 Interactive writing
 Assessment

Brainstorming and Starting a New
List
Day 1: Students think of words that fit a
pattern introduced by the teacher and
write them in their word study notebook
(independent)
 Day 2: Students meet in groups with the
teacher and share the words that fit the
pattern being studied (similar to Fountas
and Pinnell model). Students also
determine patterns they see in the lists
for application in their own writing.

Sorting and Starting Contract
Day 3: Give students a prepared sort page
and have them cut the words out, SORT
THEM, write them in their notebook on a
new page, and store them in their “word
pocket”
 Day 4: Students sort their words again,
write them on a “take home” list, and
start the contract

Interactive Writing
Days 5 through 7: Students meet with the
teacher in their small groups to
specifically target writing and grammar
skills and apply spelling strategies through
authentic writing experiences. Students
who are working independently complete
a spelling contract.
 See article “Interactive Writing Beyond
the Primary Grades” by Heather Wall

Completing the Study
Day 8: Students do a buddy check using
the words in their “word pockets”
 Day 9: Students take a test on Spelling
City and are assessed over Mystery
Words

An Example Word Study Cycle in 4th Grade
Day
1
Day
2
Day
3
Day
4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Group
1
Brain- Make Sort
storm new and
list
write
Start
contract
Interactive
writing
Contract
Contract
Buddy
check
Test
Group
2
Brain- Make Sort
storm new and
list
write
Start
contract
Contract
Contract
Interactive
writing
Buddy
check
Test
Group
3
Test
Brain- Make Sort Start
storm new and
conlist
write tract
Interactive
writing
Contract
Contract
Buddy
check
Group
4
Test
Brain- Make Sort Start
storm new and
conlist
write tract
Contract
Contract
Interactive
writing
Buddy
check
Keeping It Organized!

For the students:
◦ Word Study board
◦ Daily Power Point
◦ Word Study notebook

For the teacher:
◦ Word Study schedule of lessons
◦ Expanding file (filed by group)
◦ Binder of lessons and sorts (filed by group or
stage)
◦ Files of sorts (filed by stage)
◦ Templates on your computer for parent
communication
Communicating with Parents
Explaining the grouping
 Why are some of these words too easy?
 Keeping track of assignments and tests
 www.spellingcity.com

Assessing What You’ve Taught: Did
they get it?
Traditional spelling tests
 Spellingcity.com
 “Mystery” words

Questions?
Preparing to Use Words Their Way:
Closing Activity

Choose the developmental level most appropriate
to what you teach:
◦ Letter-Name Alphabetic (Ch. 5, pgs. 129-168)—kdg. &
1st
◦ Within Word Pattern (Ch. 6, pgs. 169-201)—1st, 2nd &
3rd
◦ Syllables and Affixes (Ch. 7, pgs. 202-229)—3rd, 4th &
5th
◦ Derivational Relations (Ch. 8, pgs. 230-261)—4th & 5th
Find ONE idea or activity in the chapter you
would like to try and share it with your PLC
 Each PLC choose one idea or activity to share
with the whole group
