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 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: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:  Letter-Name Alphabetic: Table 5-3 (pg. 140)  Within Word Pattern: Table 6-2 (pgs )  Syllables and Affixes: Table 7-3 (pg. 217)  Derivational Relations: Table 8-1 (pgs ) ◦ 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 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 2 nd 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. DinosBlind SortTest/New Sort Sorting/ Writing A-Spelling City B-Blind Sort A-Blind Sort B-Spelling City SharksA-Spelling City B-Blind Sort A-Blind Sort B-Spelling City Test/New Sort Sorting/ Writing Sorting Activities CowboysSorting Activities Blind SortSpelling 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 4 th Grade Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5Day 6Day 7Day 8Day 9 Group 1 Brain- storm Make new list Sort and write Start con- tract Inter- active writing Con- tract Buddy check Test Group 2 Brain- storm Make new list Sort and write Start con- tract Con- tract Inter- active writing Buddy check Test Group 3 TestBrain- storm Make new list Sort and write Start con- tract Inter- active writing Con- tract Buddy check Group 4 TestBrain- storm Make new list Sort and write Start con- tract Con- tract Inter- active writing Buddy check

Keeping It Organized! For the students: ◦ Word Study board ◦ Daily Power PointPower 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 Templates on your computer

Communicating with Parents Explaining the grouping Why are some of these words too easy? Keeping track of assignments and tests

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 )—kdg. & 1 st ◦ Within Word Pattern (Ch. 6, pgs )—1 st, 2 nd & 3 rd ◦ Syllables and Affixes (Ch. 7, pgs )—3 rd, 4 th & 5 th ◦ Derivational Relations (Ch. 8, pgs )—4 th & 5 th 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