Word Study Notebooks An Overview

Word study notebooks are not typically introduced and used until students enter the within word stage of spelling.

What is a word study notebook? An organized collection of words that students have examined. Students should be encouraged to use their notebooks during writing (i.e. their personal word dictionary).

Organizing the Notebook Notebooks can be divided into sections according to feature study. Ex. You may have a section on the long -o sound. You may have several pages on the patterns and sorts that make this sound.

Organizing the Notebook (cont.) You may have a section on concept sorts or content area sorts. There may be a vocabulary section, especially in the later spelling stages. Sections can be divided with post-it notes to make it easier to find specific categories.

The following slides offer suggestions of activities for the word study notebook.

Buddy Writing Sort Students work with a buddy for this activity. Headers with the sort for the week are placed or written in the notebook. The words for the week are called out to the student and they spell them in their notebooks and place them in the correct header column. This sort involves using words that the student is working with during the week.

Draw and Label This activity is often used with the letter name speller, but can be adapted for within word spellers. The student will draw a picture of the word being studied and label it.

Blind Writing Sort Students list the sort categories they are studying in the notebook. A partner or the teacher will call out words that the student must then attempt to spell correctly and place in the appropriate category. These are typically new words that follow the same pattern being studied for the week.

Written Reflections Students can write about their sorts. Ask students to explain why they sorted in a particular way. Students can then share their reflections with others in their group. This can help teachers assess students’ understanding of a sort.

Word Hunts Students use text to find words that are in the same sort as the one they are studying. These words are added to their notebook.

Word Sorts All sorts need to be recorded in the word study notebook. This can be done in written form or by gluing the sort into the notebook at the end of study. DO NOT glue the sort in the notebook until you are finished. Students need to be able to manipulate the sort while studying it throughout the week. You may want to staple a ZipLock bag in the front of the notebook so students can keep words in a safe place until they can be glued at the end of the week.

Homework Activities All homework activities can be recorded in the notebook. (Please note that students should not be asked to write words multiple times for practice.) SUGGESTIONS FOR HOMEWORK: Select 2-3 words and use them in a sentence. Choose several words on your list and change at least one letter to create a new word. Sort your words into feature category and then into ABC order. Record your sort in your notebook. Time yourself sorting the words three times. Record times in your notebook. More suggestions (page 233 of Words Their Way)

Derivational Constancy Stage In this stage word meaning is key. Use this to your advantage when creating a notebook. Students can use their notebook for vocabulary study as well as sorting. Have students define unknown words. Have students circle suffixes/prefixes. Underline base words. Be creative! The notebook can be used for any activity that will enhance the students’ understanding of words.