An Overview of the Words Their Way Program Whitney Merriman, Reading Specialist Pam Bittner, Kindergarten Amy Johnson, 1st Grade Amy Adams, 2nd Grade

Why are we using Words Their Way? Traditional Spelling Instruction Students are given a list of words to memorize Students quickly forget words after the spelling test All students study the same words Words Their Way Students analyze words to discover the similarities and differences Students are able to apply the spelling patterns to similar words Investigation, hands-on, and oral activities help the students retain the new spelling patterns in their long-term memory Students are grouped according to their spelling skills and what they need to work on

What does it look like? Students sorting words or pictures according to sound or spelling pattern. Students applying skills taught by correctly spelling words in everyday writing. Students noticing spelling patterns in reading and through vocabulary practice. Weekly assessments. Students sharing with parents what sort they learned in school. Students noticing words that follow their spelling patterns in their nightly reading.

How are Spelling Stages decided? What is the student USING but CONFUSING? Qualitative Spelling Inventory (3 times a year) Weekly Assessments Daily Writing Samples Reading Observations Spelling stages are fluid; students can move ahead at differing paces. The classroom teacher and FLI teacher will work together to determine when students need to be moved to a different group.

Qualitative Spelling Inventory

Grade-Level Expectations: Kindergarten   2nd Six Weeks 3rd Six Weeks 4th Six Weeks 5th Six Weeks 6th Six Weeks On Target Consonants Short Vowel Beginning Digraphs Beginning Blends Mixed Vowel Word Families Below Grade-Level

Grade-Level Expectations and Grading Scale: First Grade   1st Six Weeks 2nd Six Weeks 3rd Six Weeks 4th Six Weeks 5th Six Weeks 6th Six Weeks On Target Short Vowel Beginning Digraph Beginning Blends Mixed Vowel Mixed Vowel with Blends/Digraphs Long Vowel Patterns Below Grade-level (-10) Final Consonant (-20) Initial Consonant (-30) (-40) (-50) (-60) Initial/Final Consonant

Grade-Level Expectations and Grading Scale: Second Grade   1st Six Weeks 2nd Six Weeks 3rd Six Weeks 4th Six Weeks 5th Six Weeks 6th Six Weeks On Target Common Long Vowel Patterns Less Common Long Vowels R-Influenced Vowels Diphthongs and other Ambiguous Vowels Complex Consonants Below Grade-level (-10) Mixed Vowel with Blends/Digraphs (-20) Mixed Vowel (-30) Beginning Blends (-40) Beginning Digraph (-50) Short Vowel (-60) Intitial/Final Consonant

Words Their Way Weekly Schedule Teacher introduces the words and sort to each small group. Student practices sorting words independently. Working independently or with a partner, students re-sort words, reading aloud to develop automaticity. Practice might include completing a Word Hunt or Word Game. Students will re-sort and glue the words/pictures as practice before their assessment.

Understanding Words Their Way Vocabulary Header = spelling patterns for the week. These look like CVC, CVCe, CVVC, and so on. V = vowel (a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y), C = consonant (ex. CVC word: fan) CVCe = consonant-vowel-consonant pattern with an e on the end. (CVCe word: space) Oddball = words in a word list that do not fall into the regular sorting categories for the week. (If the pattern is long a sound like paint, the word “said” would be an oddball because it has a short e sound, ‘sed’, even though it follows the “ai” spelling pattern.)

Practice Activities YOUR PILE, MY PILE WORD HUNT BUDDY SORT TEACH SORT Lay down the pattern headers and have a parent read the rest of the words aloud. You must say where the word goes without seeing it! Point to the header and your parent will lay down the word in the category you selected. Repeat if you make a mistake. TEACH SORT Teach your parents or a sibling the sort you learned in school. Read each word aloud as you are sorting. Explain why the words are sorted in a particular way. Sort the words a second time as fast as possible. WORD HUNT Hunt for words in a book that match the sound/pattern you are studying. Students can keep track of the words by recording them under the correct headers. YOUR PILE, MY PILE Put the word cards in a pile. Pull one card from the pile and say it out loud. Your child will have to spell it correctly and use it in a sentence. If your child does both correctly, he/she gets to keep the card, if not, the card goes back into the pile. When it is their turn, they can do the same to you!

Practice Activities (cont.) DRAWING SORT Sort the words in your word list and draw a quick picture to illustrate each one. WRITING SORT Copy words from your pile into the correct categories on paper with crayons, markers, pencils; on a chalkboard with chalk; on a whiteboard with dry erase marker (make the practice fun!) BLIND SORT Student listens as a parent calls out the words one at a time and writes the word in the correct category. The parent shows student the word card so he/she can check for correct spelling.

Benefits of Using Words Their Way SPELLING Differentiated spelling word lists for students to best meet individual needs. Hands-on approach to learning the word sounds, patterns, and meanings. WRITING Improved spelling in writing. High frequency words mastery. READING Improved decoding in reading. Improved vocabulary comprehension.

Helpful Websites: Word Study article written for parents: www.literacyconnections.com/WordStudy.php More information on why word study is helpful and many great activity ideas, written by a mom: www.themeasuredmom.com/category/word-study/ More Word Their Way glossary terms can be found at this site: quizlet.com/608866/study-guide-words-their-way-glossary-of- terms-flash-cards/ Word lists and games can be found at: spellingcity.com (you can enter the words from your child’s sort to practice and play games). Word sort PowerPoint activities for each sort: educationextras.com/wordstheirway.html

What further questions do you have? Feedback & Questions What further questions do you have? If you have any more questions as we go through the year, please contact your child’s teacher or email our Reading Specialist at whitney.merriman@lifeschools.net.