1. Webinar #5 Literacy Collaborative 2011-2012
The Buddy Study System
Webinar #5
Literacy Collaborative
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

2. “A goal of the word study curriculum is to help children develop a deep knowledge of powerful principles that they can apply in flexible ways…we aim to help students develop the effective strategies they need to solve any word they meet” (Word Matters, pl. 14).

3. Chapter 3, Word Matters
Let’s look at pages 23 and 24. What are you thinking about this idea of “word solving?”

4. Goals of Word Study
To examine a systematic way of teaching children how words work
To teach children how to become independent word solvers
To teach children to be flexible in determining how words work

5. Let’s think about good spellers…
Word Matters
Read page (the first 2 paragraphs)
Highlight the “big ideas” that are new for you, validate your beliefs, or might cause some dissonance for you. .
What in this section
is new
validates your thinking
or you are still grappling with.
Good spellers:
Dev. Strategies that allow them to learn to spell a large number of words
They have internalized a network of word-solving strategies, a few important principles, and many basic spelling patterns.
Teaching that emphasizes these strategies is significantly more effective than instruction that targets memorizing lists of words.
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

6. “An effective word study system is part of a strong literacy program…
Word Matters
Read page 168 – top of 169
Highlight the ‘big ideas’
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

7. A comprehensive word study program (Word Matters, pp. 174-175)
A class lesson on a strategy, principle, or pattern followed by a whole class experience or small group rotation to a word study center and ending with a sharing opportunity. {mini-lesson, application, share}
A buddy study system that engages students in daily activities for studying and learning specific words.
Briefly review #1. Talk about how this has been in place for them through their phonics lessons.
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

8. The Process of Buddy Study
One word study principle is introduced for each 5 day cycle.
Children choose words to study for the week.
Throughout the 5 days children learn effective ways to study the words they have chosen.
Assessment is on-going by children and a buddy test is graded by the teacher.
Remind LCs that they should be placing an exemplar from the word study principle on their word walls.
This is the framework of Buddy Study or the process in a “nutshell.”
We’ll be reading and talking about the two major sources of words for study in just a bit.
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

9. Selecting Buddies
Use assessment information to pair children with similar achievement at a particular point in time.
Need to be able to read each other’s spelling words.
Children will learn from each other’s lists.
Rotate partners monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly.
Word Matters, page 169.

10. Buddy Study Cycle
Day 1: Lesson & Choose, Write, Build, Mix, Fix (30 – 40 minutes)
Day 2: Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check (20 minutes)
Day 3: Buddy Check (20 minutes)
Day 4: Make Connections (20 minutes)
Day 5: Buddy Test (15 minutes)
See chapter 14 in Word Matters, or pages 433 – 452 in Word Study: Grade 3, for detailed instructions on the Buddy Study System.
Also have LCs note that daily components are described in Word Matters, pages
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

11. Chapter 14 Prerequisites: p. 169 – 172: Launa and Amy
Selection of spelling words: p. 172 – 174, Renee
Minilesson and Day 1: p. 174 – 176: Stephanie
Days 2 and 3: p. 176 – 178: Nell
Days 4 and 5: p. 178: Susan
Making connections: p. 151, and 152: Kasey
Word making and word sorts: p. 155 – 156 and figure 13 – 7 on page 158: Jen

12. Day 1: Minilesson & Choose, Write, Build, Mix, Fix
Where will you get your ideas for your mini-lessons?
Your students’ writing:
Error Analysis Sheet
Observations
Anecdotal notes (taken when looking at their writing)
The Continuum of Literacy Learning
Word Study Lessons: Grade 3
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

13. Day 1 Word Matters pg
Rationale: Students notice details and patterns when forming words with concrete, visual tools of magnetic letters.

14. Day 1: Minilesson & Choose, Write, Build, Mix, Fix
Students choose 10 – 12 words
from those that illustrate the spelling principle (core words).
from their words to learn list (personal words), and/or
from a spelling assessment of high frequency words (personal words).
Students then make the words using magnetic letters…3 times, mix and fix.
Word Matters, pg
To maximize time, have LCs work in partners. One reads the “Core Words” description and the other reads the “Personal Words” description. Then they tell each other about what they read.
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

15. Choose Your Words Spelling Principle:
Some adjectives end with the letters “ous,” which sound like “us.”
fabulous
magnanimous
stupendous
sanctimonious
Words to Learn:
yesterday
mostly
finally
High Frequency:
although
because
their
while

16. Day 2 Word Matters – p
Rationale: This routine helps students learn how to look at and study words. It helps them learn what parts to notice.
Refer to figure14-8 and 14-9 on pages 182 and 183 in Word Matters

17. Day 3
Rationale: Students learn how to notice and correct spelling errors.
Refer to figure 14 – 10 on page 184 in Word Matters

18. Day 4
Watch video of Day 4.
Rationale: This task helps students think about how words are related. They learn how to use what they know to write new words.
Refer to figure on page 185
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

19. Making Connections
Similarities in spellings (beginning, middle, or end)
Similarities or differences in meaning (synonyms or antonyms)
Similarities in sound: rhyming, homophones,
Relationships: analogies, root words, affixes
see pages 151 – 152 in Word Matters)
Heinemann video – 4 minutes with children
30 seconds with teacher
You can begin by asking all children to find words that start like their spelling word
Keep a running list of the ways they can make connections
Add to it as time goes on
Sometimes tell them which connection to make
Other times allow them to choose
Have LCs try it with their words.
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

20. What connections can you make to each of these words?
straight transportation unreachable

21. Making connections more challenging
unreachable …find five words that end in “able,” begin with “un,” and have a base word that could be a noun or a verb, like reach. Ex. unapproachable

22. Word Sorts and Word Making
Pages 155 and 15 and figure 13 – 7 on p. 158
Many other kinds of applications can be done on making connections day…be creative, and switch things up a bit on this day…it’s your chance to really play with words.

23. Day 5
Rationale: Students are tested to document their learning and provide evidence for evaluation and accountability.

24. Day 5: Buddy Test Word Matters – p. 178
The buddy test is written in the word study notebook, or on a piece of paper.
Children give each other the test providing a sentence for each word given.
The word study notebook and card are given to the teacher.
The teacher checks the test.
Heinemann video – 5 minutes with children
1 minute with teacher
If time, have LCs do. May have to skip this for time’s sake.
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

25. Prerequisites for initiating the buddy study system
Create word study board for lists
Create buddy study board /icons
Make materials (folders, sheets needed for each day)
Gather spelling cards, word study notebooks, highlighters, colored pencils, magnetic letters)
Administer the Schlagal Spelling Assessment
Later, administer a pretest of high frequency words
Form spelling buddies
Begin, with students, to create Words to Learn sheets
Word Matters pg

26. Buddy Study
Each day of buddy study focuses on a different way of learning or studying words.
The days are done in sequence in order to support students’ developing understanding of the word study principle, and to give them ways to study words.

27. Tools for Word Study Word to Learn Word Study Board Spelling Cards
Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check Sheets
Study Flaps
Buddy Check Sheets
Make Connections Sheets
Buddy Study Work board
Magnetic Letters
Word Study Folder
Icons

28. Putting it All Together
Administer the spelling assessment
Complete an error analysis on a representative number of students
Summarize what you have discovered from the error analysis
Decide on several word study principles that will be helpful to your students at this time
Prepare materials for buddy study
Begin teaching your first word study principle.

29. Scheduling Buddy Study usually happens on a five or six day rotation.
You should plan for about a 30 minute period of time, although once students are familiar with the process, it could be more like 20 minutes on some days.
Your students will be more likely to participate appropriately if you are a moving presence in the room and take this time to confer with students about their work.

30. Frequently Asked Questions About Buddy Study
These can be gone over together or they can read them and refer to chapter 14 in Word Matters if time runs short.
Gather materials – word study book
Phonics lessons
Video
Folders – Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check
Ask Sarah to make everyone a folder
Buddy study boards
Icons
High Frequency word lists – some highlighted
Elmo machine - ??? To show word study book, look say, cover… and the other pages
Error analysis sheet – from DP’s presentation or the hard copy
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

31. What kind of modifications can we make to support the needs of individual students?
Some need fewer words
Some need more challenging words
Shorter/longer times to complete activities
Teaching/re-teaching systems/routines
Word Matters, pg. 178
Emphasize that the essentials to Buddy Study are:
Teaching the routines
Placing an emphasis on learning effective spelling strategies
Independent learning of the students (They learn how to learn about words.)
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

32. How can we ensure understanding of the routines?
Nothing is too small to teach!
Be clear and explicit in the teaching of routines.
Observe how things are going and make adjustments as necessary.
Provide additional mini-lessons on the routines of the buddy study system.

33. How do I know which words they need to learn?
Look at their writing.
Do a spelling inventory using the high frequency word list and highlight the words the child knows. The child then chooses un-highlighted words for the spelling card.
As new words are learned, they can be highlighted (by the teacher or child).
Word Matters, pg. 179

34. How do I keep track of all the words they are learning?
By checking their word study notebook
Highlighting high frequency word lists
Checking off words on the “words to learn" sheet

35. What day do I have to begin on?
It is entirely up to you. You just need a 5 day cycle.
Some teachers have the mini-lesson on one day (maybe even on the day 5 of the previous cycle) and then begin with choose, build, mix, and fix on the next day.

36. What about shortened weeks?
You might decide to make the buddy study cycle run over two weeks.
On occasion, (not often) you might skip buddy study on a short week but continue to have a word study mini-lesson and an application activity during that week.
This might be a good time to focus on vocabulary work.

37. Who corrects the buddy test?
The classroom teacher corrects the buddy test.
This allows you to keep track of their progress.

38. How do I send home a copy of the buddy test and still keep one for record of progress?
Send home the word study notebook and ask that it be brought back the next day.
Make a copy of the test to send home.

39. How do I hold students accountable for these words in their writing?
Be sure students know that saying words slowly when they don’t know how to spell a word is absolutely okay, BUT if it is a principle they have studied in word study and/or buddy study you will ask them to check those words for correct spelling.

40. When should I ask children to edit their writing for spelling?
After they have completed a piece of writing.
You will need a minilesson on how to go back into the piece of writing and check the spelling.
Some children may need additional support for this during a conference or guided writing lesson.

41. When do students do the buddy study activities?
During a word study block in your classroom
In some cases, making connections can be started in the classroom and completed as homework.

42. Reflection
What are the values of this approach compared to traditional spelling programs?
What strategic actions are supported across the five days?
Have LCs write in their journals. Then share out.
Literacy Collaborative Webinar #5, 2011/cd/tc

43. Children are seekers of pattern.
Moustafa, 1997.
The more they know about how the language works and the more they manipulate it in different ways, the more flexible and efficient they become as word solvers.
- Fountas & Pinnell