Words Their Way

PD Institute

Presented by

Jackie Brownell

What is spelling and is it necessary to teach?

Purpose of Word Study

• “To examine words in order to reveal consistencies within our written language system…”

• “…To help students master the recognition, spelling, and meaning of specific words.”

Words Their Way

“Braid of Literacy”

• Oral Language

• Writing

• Reading

• Orthography

See WTW, page 2

Three Layers of English Orthography

Meaning

Pattern

Alphabet

Terms

• Graphemes

• Phonemes

• Onsets

• Rimes

• Morphemes

The Reading Process

Literacy Development

• Emergent

• Early

• Early Fluent

• Self-Extending Fluent

• Advanced Fluent

Word Study Development Synchrony of Literacy DevelopmentSynchrony of Literacy Development

(p. 19)(p. 19)

WTWWTW Reading Reading• Emergent Emergent p. 11

• Letter Name Early p. 12 • Within Word Pattern Early Fluent p. 13

• Syllables & Affixes Self Extending p. 14

• Derivational Relations Advanced p.15

See WTW, pages 22-24; front inside cover

Letter Name Spellers Use and Confuse:

– Names of letters to spell• GP for jeep• YEN for when• Pg. 135

– How words are formed in mouth• Jip, chip, trip, drip (affricates)• Fan, van (voiced)• BAT for bet (letter names closest to short vowel articulation)• Pg. 136-138

– Preconsonantal nasals• Say bad, ban, band • Sound passes through nose

End of Year Spelling Goals Per Grade Level

• K Middle Letter Name• 1 Early Within Word• 2 Late Within Word• 3 Early Syllable and Affixes• 4 Middle Syllable and Affixes• 5 Late Syllable and Affixes• 6+ Derivational Relations

Informed Assessment

What students:

• can do and do know

• use but confuse

Developmental Spelling Inventories

• Primary Spelling Inventory K-3, pg. 266

• Elementary Spelling Inventory 1-6, pg. 270

• Upper Elementary Spelling Inventory 5-12, pg. 273

Reflect on each one and discuss characteristics noted.

Feature Guides

• Primary-pg. 268

• Elementary-pg. 271

• Upper Elementary-pg. 274-275

What are we analyzing?

Feature Guide Directions• Match each word spelled by student with real

word in list. • In each column, check or circle each feature that

the student used correctly. • Count number of features used correctly and

record in Feature Points column. • If student spelled word correctly, one extra point is

added in last column for Words Spelled Correctly. • Reversals are counted as correct but record them

on feature guide for reference.• Staple spelling inventory to feature guide.• Use information to group students according to

needs.

Scores

• Power Score– Number of words spelled correctly– Indicates developmental stage, pg. 34

EM. L.N. W.W. S.A. D.R

• PSI 0 0 2 6 8 13 17 22 N/A

• ESI 0 0 2 3 5 7 9 12 15 18 20 22

• USI 0 2 6 7 9 11 18 21 23 27

• Feature Analysis– Find first column with 5/7 or less.– This column determines the feature at which to begin

instruction.– Circle stage and whether in Early, Middle, or Late part

of stage.– Group like students together.– Go to that leveled book and the corresponding unit to

begin sorting activities with group.

Practice

1. Choose spelling inventory sample.

2. Review and discuss with peers.

3. Complete Feature Guide and share results.

Sorting Activities• Sight Words• Sound

– Picture sorts– Word sorts– Blind sorts

• Pattern– Word sorts– Can use key pictures

• Meaning– Concepts sorts

• Content area words/pictures• Pre-reading/pre-writing/grammar

– Spelling-meaning sorts• Homophones (buy, by)• Homographs (record (v), record (n))• Greek/Latin elements ( spec = spectator, inspect, speculate)

Spelling-Word Study

Orthography

Encoding Decoding

Literacy J. Brownell, 2011

Word Study Websites

• Huneycutt.biz/english/wordstudy

• Literacyconnections.com/wordstudy

• Readingrockets.org