Word Study
Words Their Way:
The Word Study approach to spelling allows for students to learn words at their individual level of instruction and teaches students how words work. We will be calling this portion of our day Word Study.
What is Word Study?
Word study is just what it sounds like – a study of words. Students are assessed through out the year and place into small groups based on their current spelling ability. Students move through weekly word study patterns and activities during the week. Students lists will be on a word study PATTERN (example – all long a words, words with CH, CVCe words, or vowels in multi-syllabic words). The quiz will be on the word PATTERN they have been studying, NOT necessarily on that set list of words.
Why Word Study instead of traditional spelling?
Research studies clearly indicate that memorization of lists of "spelling words" does not promote the development of spelling skills. In the past when we’ve used this traditional approach of "everyone gets the same weekly list and test on Friday", many students who got a 100% on their spelling test could not spell most of the words in their writing! Memorizing a list of words and getting 100% on weekly tests does not necessarily mean your child is a good speller. It may just mean that he or she is good at memorizing words for a test.
The Word Study approach to spelling allows for students to learn words at their individual level of instruction and teaches students how words work. We will be calling this portion of our day Word Study.
What is Word Study?
Word study is just what it sounds like – a study of words. Students are assessed through out the year and place into small groups based on their current spelling ability. Students move through weekly word study patterns and activities during the week. Students lists will be on a word study PATTERN (example – all long a words, words with CH, CVCe words, or vowels in multi-syllabic words). The quiz will be on the word PATTERN they have been studying, NOT necessarily on that set list of words.
Why Word Study instead of traditional spelling?
Research studies clearly indicate that memorization of lists of "spelling words" does not promote the development of spelling skills. In the past when we’ve used this traditional approach of "everyone gets the same weekly list and test on Friday", many students who got a 100% on their spelling test could not spell most of the words in their writing! Memorizing a list of words and getting 100% on weekly tests does not necessarily mean your child is a good speller. It may just mean that he or she is good at memorizing words for a test.
Homework and Class Work
For each word study session, I will send home a copy of your child's words/pattern. Expect a new list approximately every two weeks. Your child should cut out the word study cards and use them to complete a minimum of two activities below. Keep the cards and this information at home to practice the pattern sorts and prepare for the spelling assessment.
Recommended activities (each will be taught and practiced in class before children will be expected to do them at home):
•Sort the Words- Your child should read each word aloud during this activity. Ask your child to explain to you why the words are sorted in a particular way. Ask your child to sort them a second time as fast as possible.
•No Peeking Sort- Lay down a word from each category as a header and then read the rest of the words aloud to your child. Your child must indicate where the word goes without seeing the word. Lay it down and let your child move it if he or she is wrong. Repeat if your child makes more than one error.
•Word Hunt- Assist your child in doing a word hunt, looking for words in a familiar book that have the same sound, pattern or both. Try to find 2 or 3 for each category.
•Blind Writing Sort- As you call the words in a random order your child should write them into the sorting categories. Call out any words your child misspells a second or even third time.
Practice Sort, November
Sample Two Week Word Study Schedule
SPELLING CITY--check out this link! Click on your list to practice your spelling words/patterns.
For each word study session, I will send home a copy of your child's words/pattern. Expect a new list approximately every two weeks. Your child should cut out the word study cards and use them to complete a minimum of two activities below. Keep the cards and this information at home to practice the pattern sorts and prepare for the spelling assessment.
Recommended activities (each will be taught and practiced in class before children will be expected to do them at home):
•Sort the Words- Your child should read each word aloud during this activity. Ask your child to explain to you why the words are sorted in a particular way. Ask your child to sort them a second time as fast as possible.
•No Peeking Sort- Lay down a word from each category as a header and then read the rest of the words aloud to your child. Your child must indicate where the word goes without seeing the word. Lay it down and let your child move it if he or she is wrong. Repeat if your child makes more than one error.
•Word Hunt- Assist your child in doing a word hunt, looking for words in a familiar book that have the same sound, pattern or both. Try to find 2 or 3 for each category.
•Blind Writing Sort- As you call the words in a random order your child should write them into the sorting categories. Call out any words your child misspells a second or even third time.
Practice Sort, November
Sample Two Week Word Study Schedule
SPELLING CITY--check out this link! Click on your list to practice your spelling words/patterns.