Word Study Instruction

Using Words Their Way

How do you teach spelling words?

Many teachers teach spelling by giving students a list on Monday and a test on Friday with practice in between.

This type of drill and practice has earned traditional spelling instruction a reputation for being boring. That there is no big picture and no ultimate goal makes it all the more tedious – as soon as one spelling list is tested, another list takes its place.

Luckily, there is an alternative to traditional spelling instruction called "Word Study" which is not based on the random memorization of words. A word study program is a cohesive approach that addresses word recognition, vocabulary, and phonics as well as spelling.

What is Word Study?

Purpose of Word Study

The authors of Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction determined that the purpose of word study is twofold.

First, students develop a general knowledge of English spelling. They learn how to examine words through active exploration using a hands-on, manipulative approach. Students also discover generalizations about spelling, instead of just spelling rules. They learn the regularities, patterns, and conventions of English orthography needed to read and spell.

Second, word study increases students’ specific knowledge of words. Specific knowledge relates to the spelling and meaning of individual words.

Stages of Spelling Development

When implementing word study in the classroom, it is important to understand the progression of the stages of spelling development. It will help teachers determine which word study activities are most appropriate for students. The methodology of Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction is based on the progression of these developmental stages.

The stages of spelling development are

• Emergent• Letter Name-Alphabetic Spelling• Within Word Pattern• Syllables and Affixes• Derivational Relations

These stages describe students’ spelling behavior as they move from one level of word knowledge to the next.

EmergentPre-K to middle of 1stEmergent

BeginningK to middle of 2nd

Letter Name - AlphabeticTransitional

Within Word PatternGrade 1 to middle of 4th

Syllables & Affixes

Intermediate Grades 3 to 8

AdvancedGrades 5 to 12

Derivational Relations

Reading StagesGrade RangeSpelling Stages

Synchrony of Literacy Development

Alphabet Pattern Meaning

Emergent Stage

Emergent Stage (Pre-K to middle of 1st):

In the Emergent Spelling stage students are not yet reading conventionally. Spellers in the emergent stage may write with scribbles, letter like forms, or random letters and numbers. In most cases, they have not been exposed to formal reading instruction. During this stage, children learn to recognize and write the letters of the alphabet. They play with the sounds in letters and words.

By the end of the level, students understand the concept of words and begin to match picture cards to the words that represent their names.

Alphabet Sort for Different Forms of A and B

Picture Sort for Initial F and T

Letter Name-Alphabetic Stage

LNA Stage (K to middle of 2nd):

Students in the Letter-Name Alphabetic Spelling stage have been instructed formally in reading. Spellers in this stage use letter/sound matches to spell the most obvious sounds in words. Often, beginning and ending consonant sounds are in place before vowels begin to appear. At the beginning of this stage, students apply the alphabet principles to consonants.

By the end of the stage, they are able to correctly represent most short-vowel patterns, consonant digraphs, and consonant blends.

Picture Sort for ch, sh, and th Digraphs

Word Sort for the it, ip and ill Families

Within Word Pattern Stage

WWP Stage (Grade 1 to middle of 4th):

At the beginning of the Within Word Pattern Spelling stage students spell most single-syllable, short vowel words correctly. Throughout this stage, they move away from the sound-by-sound approach of the letter name and begin to include patterns or chunks of letter sequences that relate to both sound and meaning. Spellers in the within-word pattern stage know a great deal about short vowels and the short vowel pattern, the consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern. In this stage, students begin by exploring the common long vowel patterns.

Word Sort for Long-a Patterns, Compared to the Short Vowel Pattern

Diphthongs and Other Vowels

Syllables and Affixes Stage

SA Stage (Grade 3 to 8th):

By the Syllables and Affixes Spelling stage students can spell most one-syllable, short and long vowel words correctly. So, the focus for instruction in this stage is multisyllabic words and patterns. Students also learn to sort by specific vowel combinations, inflected endings, and vowel patterns in accented syllables.

In the Middle-Late and Affixes Spelling stage students begin with the study of how syllables divide in words with open syllables, such as cli/mate and re/act, and closed syllables like sup/ply and hun/dred. The level also includes a thorough study of patterns of unaccented syllables. It ends with the study of less common prefixes and suffixes such as fore– and –ness and two-syllable homophones like cellar and seller.

Word Sort for Doubling Before -ed

Word Sort for Prefixes

Derivational Relations Stage

DA Stage (Grade 5 to 12th):

At the beginning of the Derivational Relations Spelling stage students spell most words correctly. The focus in this stage is on the meaning connection. In this stage, they learn how to sort words by pattern and meaning with an emphasis on meaning and related word parts. They will discover how spelling preserves meaning even when there are changes in sound. Students will also learn common prefixes and suffixes, examine the meaning of bases and roots, and learn about the classical origin of polysyllabic words.

Prefix Sort for astro-, photo-, bio-, chlor-, eco-, hydro-, and hypo-

Millennium Word Study and Sort

Supplementary Sort: -um, -ium

Developmental Spelling Analysis

The Primary Spelling Inventory, or PSI, can be used in kindergarten through third grade.

The Upper-Level Spelling Inventory, or USI, can be used in upper elementary, middle school, high school, and postsecondary classrooms.

If a school system wants to use the same inventory across all elementary grades, they can use the Elementary Spelling Inventory, or ESI. This surveys a range of spelling features throughout the elementary grades, specifically first through sixth grade.

Administering the Spelling Inventories

These inventories are administered like traditional spelling tests, but there are some significant differences. Unlike traditional spelling tests, students should not study the words before the assessment. They should also be reassured that they are not graded on the activity.

To begin a spelling inventory, students are asked to number their paper. If students are in kindergarten or early first grade, teachers can prepare a numbered paper for students.

Each word is called aloud and repeated once. The words are spoken naturally, without emphasis on phonemes or syllables. If necessary, teachers can also use a sentence with the word in it to make sure the students know the exact word.

If students struggle with the inventory, teachers can administer a lower-level inventory. The inventory can be given to students as a whole group or in small groups. The results of the inventory can be used to get a general picture of each student’s spelling development.

Word Study in Action

Word sorts are the heart of the program. Students use word sorts to group words into specific categories. As students complete the sorts, they compare and contrast word features, make discoveries, and form generalizations about the conventions of English orthography or spelling.

Video of Word Sort:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOwexUqN0pIPowerPoint Presentations of Word Sorts:http://educationextras.com/wordstheirway.html

Cool Sites

Words Their Way Resources:

PowerPoint Presentations for Word Sortshttp://holderbaum.educationextras.com/WordStudy.html

Companion Website for Words Their Wayhttp://wps.prenhall.com/chet_bear_words_3/9/2470/632571.cw/index.html

Words Their Way Online Tutorialshttp://www.mypearsontraining.com/products/wordstheirway/tutorials.asp

Word Sortshttp://forpd.ucf.edu/strategies/stratword_sorts.html

Vocabulary Ideas and Videos:http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/Reading/ms_vocabulary_videos/

Spelling City:http://www.spellingcity.com