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Shane Templeton is Foundation Professor Emeritus of Literacy Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno. A former classroom teacher at the primary and secondary levels, Shane did his graduate work at the University of Virginia, receiving his M.Ed. and Ph.D. degrees in Education there. Shane’s research has focused on developmental word knowledge in elementary, middle, and high school students. He has published in a number of research and practitioner journals, and is co-author of «Words Their Way»; «Vocabulary Their Way: Word Study for Middle and Secondary Students»; «Words Their Way with Struggling Readers, Grades 4-12»; and «Words Their Way with English Learners.» His other books include «Teaching the Integrated Language Arts,» «Children’s Literacy: Contexts for Meaningful Learning,» and with Kristin Gehsmann, «Teaching Reading and Writing: The Developmental Approach (K-8).» Shane has contributed chapters to a number of research handbooks, including the «Handbook of Reading Research (Vol. III)», «Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts,» «Handbook of Literacy and Technology,» and «The Encyclopedia of Education (2nd ed.).»
Since 1987, Shane has been a member of the Usage Panel of the «American Heritage Dictionary.» He is educational consultant on «The American Heritage Children’s Dictionary.» He is also consultant on and wrote the foreword to the recently published «Curious George’s Dictionary.»
These FREE word study activities for Words Their Way have made my word study program a huge success in my 4th grade and 5th grade classrooms! The resources are aligned to the 2nd Edition word sort books (published 2009) or the 3rd Edition word sort books (published 2018). Each PDF will open in your web browser for easy downloading or you can have all of the word study activities sent straight to your inbox. Read on to see what word study activities and resources are available to you to try for free!
SEND ME ALL FREE WORD STUDY RESOURCES!
Get ready to makeover your word study routines! Share your email below and I’ll send you all of the word study resources listed here in one easy download. You’ll also be subscribed to the Tarheelstate Teacher newsletter for upper elementary teachers!
If you are familiar with Words Their Way, then you know that a «blind sort» is an activity where students sort the words from their word lists into categories (and write them down) as they hear the words called out. It’s called BLIND because students are not looking at the words.
One year, the idea of «blind searching» using a word search that does not contain the students’ word sort word list came to my mind. By «blind searching» through a word search without having a list of the words contained in the word search, students have a fun way of discovering the word patterns for their upcoming word sort/word study list.
Discovery Word Searches are an engaging, fun way for students to sharpen their ability to recognize words that ARE spelled correctly (which I’ve found is a major key to spelling improvement). In a discovery word search, when students find words in their word search, they sort the words into categories based on the look of the word and/or the sounds in the word (just like when sorting words with word sort activities!).
FREE UNIT 1 WORD SEARCHES FOR WORDS THEIR WAY WORD SORTS
1) Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers Word Searches
2) Within Word Pattern Spellers Word Searches
3) Syllables and Affixes Spellers Word Searches
4) Derivational Relations Spellers Word Searches
👉 Click the button below to grab your FREE Word Searches. The PDF will open in a new window where you can download and print the file!
These word study notebook activities are meant to give students more structure as they delve into building a deeper understanding of the words and spelling patterns on their word list. For a number of the sorts, extension activities are also included. While the activity sheets are designed for independent exploration, students often need support in learning how to complete the activity pages. I recommend a gradual-release approach to using these word study notebook activities. Incorporate the pages as extension activities or use to guide your small group lessons.
Here’s an idea of the activities students may be asked to complete:
In the Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers activities, students may be asked to distinguish between beginning consonant sounds, create words by matching a beginning sound to same-vowel and mixed-vowel word family endings (onsets +rimes), identify and represent initial sounds in words beginning with digraphs and blends, separate individual phonemes and blend them together to create CVC words, compare and contrast how preconsonantal nasals change the spelling and pronunciation of a word, sort words with r-controlled vowels from CVC words containing an r before the vowel, match contractions to their expanded form, and more!
In the Within Word Pattern Spellers activities, students may be asked to identify short- and long- vowel sounds, create words given a beginning sound or blend + an ending (onsets + rimes), choose the correct beginning letters, vowels, or rime to complete a word, write «silly sentences» to apply the meanings of homophones, create contractions, make words plural, and more!
In the Syllables and Affixes Spellers activities, students may be asked to describe spelling and sound changes when suffixes are applied, derive word meanings from prefixes and base words, identify parts of speech, describe how long vowel sounds are formed, brainstorm words that contain a given word part, add correct endings, choose correct blends, apply the meanings of homophones and homographs, and more!
In the Derivational Relations Spellers activities, students may be asked to derive word and prefix meanings from prefixes and base words, generate words by adding suffixes, brainstorm words that contain a given word part, describe spelling and sound changes when suffixes are applied, identify parts of speech, write «silly sentences» with different versions of a base word, research the etymology of Greek and Latin word parts, and more!
FREE WORD STUDY NOTEBOOKS FOR WORDS THEIR WAY WORD SORTS (PAPER-BASED)
👉 Click each button below to grab your FREE Word Study Notebooks. The PDFs will open in a new window where you can download and print the files!
5) Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers
6) Within Word Pattern Spellers Notebook Activities
7) Syllables and Affixes Spellers Notebook Activities
Derivational Relations Spellers Notebook Activities
DIGITAL GOOGLE SLIDES VERSION — ALSO AVAILABLE FOR WORD STUDY NOTEBOOKS
I’ve formatted each set of word study notebook for Google Slides. This allowed me to include colorful images and tables. All textboxes and moveable pieces are included for students’ ease of use.
Contained in the download below, you’ll find links to three levels of word study notebook activities. Click those links to make a copy of the Google Drive activities for you to see them for yourself!
👉 Click the button below to grab your FREE Digital Word Study Notebooks. The PDF will open in a new window where you can download and print the file!
If you love the Unit 1 freebies and want more, you can find all my Words Their Way Word Study Notebook Activities here (printable + digital)!
FREE WORD STUDY TEACHER GUIDE
9) When I send you your mega-file of free word study resources, you’ll also receive a word study guide where I share a peek into how I implement my upper-elementary word study routine using the Words Their Way word sort books. You’ll learn how and why I broke away from the Monday-Friday scheduling cycle and the activities in the 7, 8, or 9 day routine that I use instead. I share tips for differentiating your word study program for different groups, creating a schedule, and organizing your word study materials.
You can find much of this information by hopping around my word study blog series, but I’ve turned it into an e-book to make it printable and easy to refer to as you plan for and implement your own word study program. If you’ve downloaded the Guidebook in the past, you’ll want to download it again, as it received a huge update in the summer of 2022!
FREE SAMPLE SCHEDULE FOR A 7, 8, or 9 DAY WORD STUDY CYCLE/ROUTINE
Would you like to customize your own word study schedule using the template above?
I’ve created a schedule that you can customize in Google Slides. Just click here or the button below to grab your own copy of this schedule. The link will prompt you to make a copy for yourself. (Freebie #10 if you’re counting, 😊.)
WRITER’S NOTEBOOK DAY STUDENT TRACKING & PERSONAL WORDS CHART
I include a day that I call “writer’s notebook day” into my students’ word study cycle. This means that within a 7-Day cycle, students spend one session going through a page of writing in their writer’s notebook to look for misspelled words. This activity is one of the biggest ways that I help students see the connection between their work during word study and their ACTUAL WRITING and USE OF THEIR SPELLING ABILITIES. While I have sometimes abandoned having students keep up with and record their misspelled words and corrections, this chart is a great way to teach students what to do for writer’s notebook day. It is especially beneficial if you have time to analyze common patterns that students are misspelling or want data on the transfer of «word study» to authentic spelling during writing.
11) The personal words chart contains sections for each letter of the alphabet. Students can record words that they commonly misspell on this chart. These can be incorporated into personal words for them to learn to spell or the chart can simply be used as a reference like a personal word wall.
WORD STUDY SPELLING INVENTORY
In order to truly implement Words Their Way, you will want to assess your students’ spelling abilities at the start of the year. I use the Words Their Way spelling inventory for elementary students to sort my students into 5-6 differentiated spelling groups.
12) This PDF includes the printable Spelling Inventory with a feature scoring guide that helps me understand my students’ developmental spelling levels and sort them into groups. The PDF includes more helpful details about assessing your students!
🌟 If you are looking for a self-scoring spreadsheet for Words Their Way or to assess your students with, I had to mention this resource created by my friend Daniel of Helix Forms. (I very rarely highlight products like this on my blog, but I firmly believe this product is top-notch and will save you TONS of time as you implement differentiated word study/Words Their Way Groups.) The Automatic Scoring Spreadsheet analyzes the spelling inventory, giving you a quick score and the recommended spelling stage for students to begin their word study program.
TRY THE UNIT 1 WORD SEARCHES, NOTEBOOKS, AND GET ALL OF THESE RESOURCES SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX IN ONE EASY DOWNLOAD BY JOINING THE TARHEELSTATE TEACHER EMAIL COMMUNITY!
SEND ME ALL FREE WORD STUDY RESOURCES!
Get ready to makeover your word study routines! Share your email below and I’ll send you all of the word study resources listed here in one easy download. You’ll also be subscribed to the Tarheelstate Teacher newsletter for upper elementary teachers!
Note: This post contains affiliate links to the word study resources that I recommend. This means that I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Read my full disclosure here.
If you would like to cross-check the Words Their Way word study books that you have with the editions that these free resources are aligned to, you can take a look at the Words Their Way 2nd Edition word sort books and the 3rd Edition word sort books.
OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR UPPER ELEMENTARY WORD STUDY
xxiii, 438 pages : 28 cm
«Words Their Way® is a hands-on, developmentally-driven approach to word study that illustrates how to integrate and teach children phonics, vocabulary, and spelling skills. Building on its best-selling approach, this edition of Words Their Way continues the phenomenon that has helped thousands of children improve their literacy skills. The keys to this successful, research-based approach are to know your students’ literacy progress, organize for instruction, and implement word study. This Sixth Edition lists the Common Core State Standards for each activity and features enhanced discussions, activities, and content.»—Publisher’s website
Revised edition of: Words their way / Donald R. Bear [and others]
Includes bibliographical references (pages 419-428) and index
Developmental word knowledge — Getting started : the assessment of orthographic development — Organizing for word study : principles and practices — Word study for learners in the emergent stage — Word study for beginners in the letter name-alphabetic stage — Word study for transitional learners in the within word pattern stage — Word study for intermediate readers and writers : the syllables and affixes stage — Word study for advanced readers and writers : the derivational relations stage
Obscured text on back cover due to sticker attached.
Word Study Activities from Words Their Way
The following activities come from what many consider to be the bible of word study, Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction by Donald Bear, Marcia Invernizzi, Shane Templeton, and Francine Johnston.
If you like these exercises, you might consider purchasing this book–it”s packed with even more great ideas. We thank Prentice-Hall, Inc. for their permission to link to the following lessons from the Words Their Way web site.
Lesson for the Letter Name-Alphabetic Stage
(Pre-Kindergarten to the middle of first grade)
Alphabet Sort for Different Fonts of “A” and “B”
As students identify letters in differing cases and fonts, they become better able to recognize letters in new contexts. Should you decide to continue this exercise with other letters in the alphabet, it”s quite easy to print similar pages using different fonts in your word processing program.
Lessons for the Letter Name-Alphabetic Stage
(Reading Level of Kindergarten to the middle of Grade Two)
Picture Sort for Initial F and T
Picture Sort for ch, sh, and th Digraphs
I”ve seen for myself how well “picture sort” activities help students make connections between spoken sounds and their corresponding letters or letter groups. The student will pick up a card picturing an object such as a shoe, and try to determine if it begins with “ch”, “sh”, or “th.” This simple game may supply the missing link that your student needs to “crack the code” of written language!
Word Sort for the it, ip and ill Families
Word sorts are highly effective in teaching students to find patterns that make decoding easier. Word sorts are used extensively to teach concepts from elementary word families to more sophisticated language concepts. Exercises such as this word sort enable students to more easily recognize word families, which helps in decoding new words with similar patterns.
Lessons for the Within-Word Pattern Stage
(First Grade to the middle of Fourth Grade Reading Levels)
Word Sort for Long-a Patterns, Compared to the Short Vowel Pattern
Diphthongs and Other Vowels
Lessons for the Syllables and Affixes Stage
(Reading levels of grades three through eight.)
Word Sort for Doubling Before -ed
Word Sort for Prefixes
Lessons for the Derivational Relations Stage
(Reading levels of grades five through twelve.)
Prefix Sort for astro-, photo-, bio-, chlor-, eco-, hydro-, and hypo-
Millennium Word Study and Sort
Supplementary Sort: -um, -ium
I”ve included these exercises to demonstrate how word study may be used to teach even more advanced concepts in spelling and vocabulary. But if your student is in a literacy program, he or she is likely to need practice in the earlier reading levels, above.
Click here to return to the “Working and Playing With Words” Page
Words Their Way Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, And Spelling Instruction
Developmental Reading Stages
1. Emergent Stage Characteristics: • 1. Scribbles letters and numbers • 2. Lacks concept of word • 3. Lacks letter-sound correspondence or represents most salient sounds with single letters • 4. Pretends to read and write
Emergent Stage Reading and Writing Activities • 1. Read to students and encourage oral language activities • 2. Model writing using dictations and charts • 3. Encourage pretend reading and writing
Emergent Stage Word Study Focus • 1. Develop concept sorts • 2. Play with speech sounds to develop phonological awareness • 3. Plan alphabet activities • 4. Sort pictures by beginning sound • 5. Encourage finger point memory reading of rhymes, dictations, and simple pattern books • 6. Encourage invented spelling
2. Early Letter Name. Alphabetic Stage Characteristics: • 1. Represents beginning and ending sounds • 2. Has rudimentary/ functional concept of word • 3. Reads word by word in beginning reading materials
Letter Name-Alphabetic Stage Reading and Writing Activities • 1. Read to students and encourage oral language activities • 2. Secure concept of word by plenty of reading in patterned trade books, dictations, and simple rhymes • 3. Record and reread individual dictations one paragraph long • 4. Label pictures and write in journals regularly
Letter Name – Alphabetic Stage Word Study Focus • 1. Collect known words for word bank • 2. Sort pictures and words by beginning sounds • 3. Study word families that share a common vowel • 4. Study beginning consonant blends and digraphs • 5. Encourage invented spelling
Middle to Late Letter Name -Alphabetic Stage Characteristics: • 1. Correctly spells initial and final consonants and some blends and digraphs • 2. Uses letter names to spell vowel sounds • 3. Spells phonetically representing all salient sounds in a one-to-one linear fashion • 4. Omits most silent letters • 5. Omits pre-consonantal nasals in spelling (Bop or Bup for bump) • 6. Finger points and reads aloud • 7. Reads slowly in a word-by-word manner
Middle to Late Letter Name-Alphabetic Stage Reading and Writing Activities • 1. Read to students • 2. Encourage invented spellings in independent writing but hold students accountable for features and words • 3. Collect two-to-three-paragraph dictations which are reread regularly • 4. Encourage more expansive writing and consider some simple editing such as punctuation and high frequency words
Middle to Late Letter Name-Alphabetic Stage Word Study Focus • 1. Sort pictures and words by different short-vowel families • 2. Sort pictures and words by short-vowel sounds and CVC patterns • 3. Continue to examine consonant blends and digraphs • 4. Begin simple sound sorts comparing short-and long-vowel sounds • 5. Collect known words for word bank (up to 200)
3. Within Word Pattern Stage Characteristics: • 1. Spells most single-syllable short-vowel words correctly • 2. Spells most beginning consonant digraphs and two-letter consonant blends • 3. Attempts to use silent long-vowel markers (nale for nail) • 4. Reads silently and with more fluency and expression • 5. Writes more fluently and in extended fashion • 6. Can revise and edit
Within Word Pattern Stage Reading and Writing Activities • 1. Continue to read aloud to students • 2. Plan self-selected silent reading of simple chapter books • 3. Write each day, writers’ workshops, conferencing, and publication
Within Word Pattern Stage Word Study Focus • 1. Complete daily activities in word study notebook • 2. Sort words by long-and short-vowel sounds and by common long-vowel patterns • 3. Compare words with r-controlled vowels • 4. After mastering common long vowels, explore less common vowels and diphthongs (oi, ou, au, ow) • 5. Review blends and digraphs as needed and examine triple blends and complex consonant units such as thr, str, dge, tch, ck • 6. Examine homographs and homophones
4. Syllables and Affixes Characteristics: • 1. Spells most single-syllable words correctly • 2. Makes errors at syllable juncture and in unaccented syllables • 3. Reads with good fluency and expression • 4. Reads faster silently than orally • 5. Writes responses that are sophisticated and critical
Syllables and Affixes Stage Reading and Writing Activities • 1. Plan read-alouds and literature discussions • 2. Include self-selected or assigned silent reading of novels of different genres • 3. Begin simple note taking and outlining skills, and work with adjusting reading rates for different purposes • 4. Explore reading and writing styles and genres
Syllables and Affixes Stage Word Study Focus • 1. Examine consonant doubling and inflected endings • 2. Focus on unaccented syllables such as er and le • 3. Join spelling and vocabulary studies; link meaning and spelling • 4. Explore grammar through word study • 5. Sort and study affixes (prefixes and suffixes • 6. Study stress or accent in two-syllable words
5. Derivational Relations Stage Characteristics: • 1. Has mastered high frequency words • 2. Makes errors on low frequency multisyllabic words derived from Latin and Greek combining forms • 3. Reads with good fluency and expression • 4. Reads faster silently than orally • 5. Writes responses that are sophisticated and critical
Derivational Relations Stage Reading and Writing Activities • 1. Include silent reading and writing, exploring various genres as interests arise • 2. Develop study skills, including textbook reading, note taking, reading rates, test taking, report writing, and reference work • 3. Focus on literary analysis
Derivational Relations Stage Word Study Focus • 1. Focus on words that students bring to word study from their reading and writing • 2. Join spelling and vocabulary studies; link meaning and spelling • 3. Examine common and then less common roots, prefixes, and suffixes • 4. Examine vowel alternations in derivationally related pairs • 5. Explore etymology, especially in the content areas • 6. Examine content-related foreign borrowings
Primary Spelling Inventory
Error Guide for Primary Spelling Inventory
Presentation on theme: «Word Study Instruction Using Words Their Way»— Presentation transcript:
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Word Study Instruction Using Words Their Way
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How do you teach spelling words?
Many teachers teach spelling by giving students a list on Monday and a test on Friday with practice in between. This type of drill and practice has earned traditional spelling instruction a reputation for being boring. That there is no big picture and no ultimate goal makes it all the more tedious – as soon as one spelling list is tested, another list takes its place. Luckily, there is an alternative to traditional spelling instruction called «Word Study» which is not based on the random memorization of words. A word study program is a cohesive approach that addresses word recognition, vocabulary, and phonics as well as spelling.
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Getting to Know Words Their Way
What is word study? Purpose of Word Study Basics of Word Study Stages of Spelling Development How to Assess and Group Students Typical 5-Day Lesson Plan
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What is Word Study?
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Purpose of Word Study The authors of Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction determined that the purpose of word study is twofold. First, students develop a general knowledge of English spelling. They learn how to examine words through active exploration using a hands-on, manipulative approach. Students also discover generalizations about spelling, instead of just spelling rules. They learn the regularities, patterns, and conventions of English orthography needed to read and spell. Second, word study increases students’ specific knowledge of words. Specific knowledge relates to the spelling and meaning of individual words.
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Basics of Word Study Word study evolved from over three decades of research that explored the developmental aspects of spelling. These researchers examined the three layers of English orthography—alphabet, pattern, and meaning. In their research, they found that each layer builds on a previous layer. Alphabet: The alphabet layer is based on the relationship between letters and sounds. For example, in the word cat, a single letter represents each sound. Students blend the sounds for /c/, /a/, and /t/ to read the word cat. In the word chip, students still hear three sounds even though there are four letters, because the first two function as one sound. These examples show how to create words by combining letters, either singly or in pairs, to form sounds from left to right.
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Basics of Word Study Pattern:
The pattern layer overlies the alphabet layer because there’s not always a single sound for each letter. In the English language, single sounds are sometimes spelled with more than one letter or are affected by other letters. When students look beyond single letter and sound match-ups, they must search for patterns. For example, a final e will often make the preceding vowel stand for the long vowel sound, like in the word cape (cap vs. cape, gap vs. gape). It follows a pattern of consonant-vowel-consonant-silent e (CVCe Pattern). Meaning: The meaning layer focuses on groups of letters that represent meaning directly. Examples of these groups or letters include prefixes and suffixes. Here is a specific example of how meaning works in the spelling system. Take the prefix re–. Whether students pronounce it as ree like in rethink or ruh as in remove, its spelling stays the same because it directly represents meaning.
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Stages of Spelling Development
When implementing word study in the classroom, it is important to understand the progression of the stages of spelling development. It will help teachers determine which word study activities are most appropriate for students. The methodology of Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction is based on the progression of these developmental stages. The stages of spelling development are Emergent Letter Name-Alphabetic Spelling Within Word Pattern Syllables and Affixes Derivational Relations These stages describe students’ spelling behavior as they move from one level of word knowledge to the next.
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Synchrony of Literacy Development
Alphabet Pattern Meaning Emergent Pre-K to middle of 1st Emergent Beginning K to middle of 2nd Letter Name — Alphabetic Transitional Grade 1 to middle of 4th Within Word Pattern Intermediate Grades 3 to 8 Syllables & Affixes Reading Stages Advanced Grade Range Grades 5 to 12 Spelling Stages Derivational Relations
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Emergent Stage Emergent Stage (Pre-K to middle of 1st):
In the Emergent Spelling stage students are not yet reading conventionally. Spellers in the emergent stage may write with scribbles, letter like forms, or random letters and numbers. In most cases, they have not been exposed to formal reading instruction. During this stage, children learn to recognize and write the letters of the alphabet. They play with the sounds in letters and words. By the end of the level, students understand the concept of words and begin to match picture cards to the words that represent their names. Alphabet Sort for Different Forms of A and B Picture Sort for Initial F and T
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Letter Name-Alphabetic Stage
LNA Stage (K to middle of 2nd): Students in the Letter-Name Alphabetic Spelling stage have been instructed formally in reading. Spellers in this stage use letter/sound matches to spell the most obvious sounds in words. Often, beginning and ending consonant sounds are in place before vowels begin to appear. At the beginning of this stage, students apply the alphabet principles to consonants. By the end of the stage, they are able to correctly represent most short-vowel patterns, consonant digraphs, and consonant blends. Picture Sort for ch, sh, and th Digraphs Word Sort for the it, ip and ill Families
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Within Word Pattern Stage
WWP Stage (Grade 1 to middle of 4th): At the beginning of the Within Word Pattern Spelling stage students spell most single-syllable, short vowel words correctly. Throughout this stage, they move away from the sound-by-sound approach of the letter name and begin to include patterns or chunks of letter sequences that relate to both sound and meaning. Spellers in the within-word pattern stage know a great deal about short vowels and the short vowel pattern, the consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern. In this stage, students begin by exploring the common long vowel patterns. Word Sort for Long-a Patterns, Compared to the Short Vowel Pattern Diphthongs and Other Vowels
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Syllables and Affixes Stage
SA Stage (Grade 3 to 8th): By the Syllables and Affixes Spelling stage students can spell most one-syllable, short and long vowel words correctly. So, the focus for instruction in this stage is multisyllabic words and patterns. Students also learn to sort by specific vowel combinations, inflected endings, and vowel patterns in accented syllables. In the Middle-Late and Affixes Spelling stage students begin with the study of how syllables divide in words with open syllables, such as cli/mate and re/act, and closed syllables like sup/ply and hun/dred. The level also includes a thorough study of patterns of unaccented syllables. It ends with the study of less common prefixes and suffixes such as fore– and –ness and two-syllable homophones like cellar and seller. Word Sort for Doubling Before -ed Word Sort for Prefixes
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Derivational Relations Stage
DA Stage (Grade 5 to 12th): At the beginning of the Derivational Relations Spelling stage students spell most words correctly. The focus in this stage is on the meaning connection. In this stage, they learn how to sort words by pattern and meaning with an emphasis on meaning and related word parts. They will discover how spelling preserves meaning even when there are changes in sound. Students will also learn common prefixes and suffixes, examine the meaning of bases and roots, and learn about the classical origin of polysyllabic words. Prefix Sort for astro-, photo-, bio-, chlor-, eco-, hydro-, and hypo- Millennium Word Study and Sort Supplementary Sort: -um, -ium
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What spelling stage are your students in?
The first step in implementing Words Their Way is a Developmental Spelling Analysis. This is an assessment of students’ knowledge of word features. Based on these results, students are grouped according to ability. Instruction begins at the students’ ability level, which falls into one of the five spelling stages. Once students have been placed in their appropriate stage, instruction begins for the students at what is termed “using but confusing” which are the spelling features they are beginning to use but confuse.
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Developmental Spelling Analysis
The Primary Spelling Inventory, or PSI, can be used in kindergarten through third grade. The Upper-Level Spelling Inventory, or USI, can be used in upper elementary, middle school, high school, and postsecondary classrooms. If a school system wants to use the same inventory across all elementary grades, they can use the Elementary Spelling Inventory, or ESI. This surveys a range of spelling features throughout the elementary grades, specifically first through sixth grade.
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Administering the Spelling Inventories
These inventories are administered like traditional spelling tests, but there are some significant differences. Unlike traditional spelling tests, students should not study the words before the assessment. They should also be reassured that they are not graded on the activity. To begin a spelling inventory, students are asked to number their paper. If students are in kindergarten or early first grade, teachers can prepare a numbered paper for students. Each word is called aloud and repeated once. The words are spoken naturally, without emphasis on phonemes or syllables. If necessary, teachers can also use a sentence with the word in it to make sure the students know the exact word. If students struggle with the inventory, teachers can administer a lower-level inventory. The inventory can be given to students as a whole group or in small groups. The results of the inventory can be used to get a general picture of each student’s spelling development.
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Scoring and Analyzing Results and Forming Groups
Scoring and Analyzing Results Once the appropriate inventory has been administered, you need to set aside time to complete the feature guide for each student. These guides are found in Appendix A of Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction. The feature guide helps analyze and classify student errors, confirm the developmental stages, and pinpoint specific areas for instruction. Forming Groups Students can be grouped for instruction according to the spelling developmental stages or by specific grade level. Student groups can be further differentiated by the three additional stages within each developmental stage or grade level. These stages are early, middle, and late.
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Word Study in Action Word sorts are the heart of the program. Students use word sorts to group words into specific categories. As students complete the sorts, they compare and contrast word features, make discoveries, and form generalizations about the conventions of English orthography or spelling. Video of Word Sort: PowerPoint Presentations of Word Sorts:
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5 Types of Sorts
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Typical Week of Word Study
Monday Students receive words to cut out and write their initials. Students will complete a written “open sort” Teacher introduces words, demonstrates sort in a small group. Students explain why words are being sorted that way. Students take their own words back to their seats and independently replicate the sort. They will then write the sort in their word study notebooks. Tuesday Students re-sort words. They will pick 6 words to draw and label. Wednesday Students will sort words with a partner. They will check each other’s work and discuss any difficulties. Thursday Students sort words. They might have a speed sort against the teacher or with a classmate. Students perform a word hunt using literature currently being read. Friday Review game or activity using words of the week. Spelling Test and Word Sort Assessment.
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Typical Sort Introduction
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Words Their Way Homework Explanation
Monday: Sort the word cards into categories (this type of sort has been taught at school). For example you might sort out all of the words that have “short a” in them or “long a.” Ask your child to explain to you why the words are sorted in a particular way. Sort the cards a second time as fast as possible (you may want to time them). Tuesday Do a blind sort with your child. Lay down the category cards in a row. For example you would lay down the cards that indicate “long a” or “short a.” Then read a word card aloud, without showing it to your child. Without seeing the word, your child should point to the category that it goes in. Lay down the card. Your child should move it to the correct category if it is wrong. Wednesday Do a word hunt. Look for their words or words with the same sound pattern in books, magazines, or newspapers.. Thursday Have a practice test!
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Spelling City Spelling city is a free online environment where students can practice and study spelling words. Instead of handing out a paper spelling list at the beginning of each week, give your students a link to Spelling City where they can find the weeks spelling words. Sign up as a Spelling City teacher (free) and enter spelling lists. Students can get onto Spelling City and find spelling lists by searching the teacher name. Spelling city will teach your students the spelling words by saying the word and then using it in a sentence. Students can practice their spelling words by playing games with the words, there are several games to choose from. Spelling city will even give practice spelling tests to students. For a small fee, teachers can set up record books and give the final spelling test online. Put an end to copies of spelling lists and send your kids online. You will save trees and students will get great practice with their words. Spelling City
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Cool Sites Words Their Way Resources: Vocabulary Ideas and Videos:
PowerPoint Presentations for Word Sorts Companion Website for Words Their Way Words Their Way Online Tutorials Word Sorts Vocabulary Ideas and Videos: Spelling City:
712 reviews465 followers
I began using this program during my last year of teaching before retiring and wished I had more time with it! This multi-grade program provides step-by-step instructions for initial testing of common spelling patterns, assessing individual spelling abilities, to the use of various strategies in order to help students learn spelling rules of common English words. I could set up a successful word study/spelling program to meet each student’s individual needs!
Highly recommend!
- professional-reading
554 reviews13 followers
I’ve used this every year for at least 12 years now. I learned about it in my graduate courses and haven’t looked back. Donald Bear is one of my go-to authors.
- education nonfiction
4 reviews
I read this book for a literacy class in college. My professor told me, if there was any book I wasn’t going to sell back or throw away, it should be this one. She was right. This book has everything you need to know about word study and the resources to help you teach it. This book not only tells you the reasoning and logic behind teaching word study, it tells you what to teach and how to teach it. All of the word sorts I use in my classroom come from this book and other Words Their Way resources. I gave the book a 4 out of 5 because it isn’t the most entertaining or interesting read, but it is an essential tool for an early childhood classroom. I am definitely glad I kept it.
- professional
10 reviews
Anyone studying to be an elementary teacher, this book can help you target your the audience (the children).
I read this book in college as I was studying and learning how to help children better read in schools across America. I praise all teachers for what they do everyday.
I still study at the University level; overall, great book for future teachers in specific or any parent that homeschools their child and wants to teach them the fundamentals of phonics. . . .
I hope this helps. . . .
J.R. Fitzgerald
71 reviews2 followers
The Words Their Way system itself is acceptable, but this book is not very practical for ease-of-use. As I understand it, the other books in the series that are broken down by the different levels are a bit more pragmatic. It’s also worth noting that access to the website is limited after the first year of activation. I have basically made my own binder of word sets and activities over the years, that follow the program, but did require a lot of legwork.
Author 2 books10 followers
For a teaching textbook, it really is pretty good. I am quite an opinionated teacher, and even I agreed with most of what was said.
I would recommend this read to anyone who teaches. Too bad it is published by Pearson, the devil company.
- non-fiction textbooks
104 reviews5 followers
This was a book required for a class, but again, I was able to find useful strategies and activities that could be adapted for my students at the high school level.
1,132 reviews18 followers
A bit overwhelming at first, but once you wrap your head around the program as a whole…it’s pretty much awesome.
- teaching-resources
59 reviews3 followers
This is the first book I suggest to families starting to homeschool, no matter what ages
Great resource — if I ever have time to make all the lessons, I’ll use it.
7 reviews2 followers
I’ve just cracked open the book, so my rating is subject to change, but I do really enjoy it. It’s a wealth of information and full of resources that I will no doubt be using as a teacher. It gives helpful information such as key terms, what research shows works, and extremely detailed walk throughs on how to carry out assessments or programs. I really liked how it treats the subject realistically — for example — when talking about introducing spelling groups, it knows that teachers might be hesitant to start the big undertaking. It gives a great timeline and walkthrough of how it could easily be implemented so that it is manageable by the teacher and the students. It’s detailed, easy to read, and extremely helpful. Chock full of resources as well. So far I can’t complain about the book.
- professional
5 reviews
Read
November 15, 2013
Words Their Way has helped me to understand the importance of word study and why it needs to be done in the classroom. However, what I love about this book is it not only tells you why you need to do it but also how. It explaining how to find the students instructional level but then what is specifically needed for that child. I will use this book to do a spelling inventory with my students then to find activities that fit my students needs during center time and small group. This can also be a great resource to help find activities children can do at home for more practice with parents and by themselves. I really like these activities because they are interactive and mostly really fun games for students to play.
- professional
593 reviews25 followers
This is a fantastic resource and I recommend that all teachers read it. The book discusses literacy instruction and how to specifically implement a phonics and spelling «program» for readers at all levels.
The five stages of spelling development—emergent level, letter-name, within-word pattern, syllables and affixes, and derivational relations—follow learners from pre-kindergarten to college. Words their Way advocates instruction at the students’ reading level with a hands-on, active approach that involves higher level thinking and plenty of games.
Plus, this new version comes with an interactive DVD!
- teacher-resources
72 reviews5 followers
Before coming to the conclusion that I am not wired for working with large groups of small children, I briefly entertained the idea that I might want to become a special ed teacher. I entered a graduate program that offered a dual MS in Literacy and Special Ed, and of the hundreds of dollars I spent on books, this was by far the most useful. Although I sold most of my textbooks after my stealthy departure from the program, I did keep this one: I find it very useful when tutoring adult students who are learning to read.
- literacy
202 reviews22 followers
Loved the pedagogy in this text and I’m excitedly beginning to implement the program in my classroom this year. The inventory assessment was enlightening and I used the resources on the DVD to score it and begin getting materials ready for my groups. I am also using the spin-off books with the word sorts ready for the two stages I’m working with (within word spellers & suffixes/affixes) with my kiddos.
- professionalbooks
115 reviews
I love the strategies given throughout this book, but the text drags on and on and contains a lot of information that could have been left out. It is assumed that the reader already has basic experience and knowledge of the classroom structure so be prepared to feel unprepared at times while reading. Overall this book is extremely helpful but I would only recommend purchasing if you can find it at a discounted price.
Words Their Way is an excellent resource for teachers. It allows teachers to use a word list assessment to plan for instruction for students. The online PDtoolkit gives resources to help create and plan word study instruction and games. There are also online tutorials to help any teacher get started! This text tells you what to teach and how to teach it depending on the students individual level. What a great resource to individualize instruction for all students.
285 reviews3 followers
see more here: http://www.sierrasview.com/2016/04/bo…
I am thinking of changing my spelling for my sixth graders and this is something that I am debating on doing with my students. After reading this book, I may be convinced. It is so much work, but it is the perfect differentiation for students of all levels. And since I have so many levels (from 3rd to 10th grade reading) in sixth grade, this may be exactly what I need to do.
47 reviews2 followers
This books has the Bear Spelling Inventoy which is a useful diagnostic tool. It also has fun activities. I currently have been using the ‘Jeep In a Sheep’ book and game to teach within word vowel patterns (it could be adapted to include more than ‘ee’ and ‘ea’). My student loves to play this. And I love watching my student have fun while learning phonics.
- literacy-teacher-resources
31 reviews
I wish someone would have taught me to spell using this method. I think I’ve personally become a better speller just because I’ve started teaching my students with this method. This book has so many great reasources for creating inviting and useful spelling activities to enhance the word study proccess.
891 reviews11 followers
Raise your hand if you learned spelling like this Day 1 the whole class gets a pretest of 24 unrelated words Day 3 hand in homework of writing 24 sentences Day 5 test on the words. This was boring and not useful — Words their Way is Word Study and looks at the relationships between consonant/vowel chunks. More useful and fun!
- professional-writing
Author 4 books2 followers
This is an excellent book for teachers who work to plan and implement instruction on reading and writing. It helps you learn to identify the areas a specific reader needs to improve on and actually create lessons that build those skills while engaging the student. This is the best book I have read for teachers of reading and writing.
154 reviews1 follower
This resource might be considered very helpful if you DON’T own the original Words Their Way book. If you do, most of this one is redundant. That’s not to denigrate the program in any way — it’s a lifesaver for many struggling readers and writers. However, this edition is not needed if you have the original.
21 reviews
This is an excellent spelling and reading program. I used it my first year teaching and we sort of struggled our way through it. After reading it again I definitely have a clearer view of the program and the procedures.
This is a great resource book for teachers of all grade levels. It demonstrates how to conduct «word study» lessons, rather than spellng lessons, at developmentally appropriate levels. It has given me many many great ideas for the upcoming schoolyear!
55 reviews3 followers
If you are a teacher you have this book or have heard of this book. It is worth the read or to purchase just for reference. It has great ideas. The Bear Inventory is a useful tool and can give you an idea of where your children need to start with phonics instruction.
- education
1,487 reviews102 followers
This book focuses on word study for phonics, vocab and spelling. It’s a very specific book, so if you need help doing ELA stuff, this will give you some ideas how to incorporate word study to help your students.
- 2009 teaching-related
8 reviews
Read
August 20, 2016
This book is great resource for assessing spelling (and consequently reading) and figuring out what is the next step for your students. The book includes a multitude of strategies to help your students progress to the next developmental level.
- mat-program-books
Fantastic! Highly recommended for elementary AND secondary teachers who want to help their students have a better understanding of how words work so they will have more tools to approach unfamiliar words when reading.
- teaching
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Word Study Instruction Using Words Their Way
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Presentation Transcript
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Word Study Instruction Using Words Their Way
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How do you teach spelling words? Many teachers teach spelling by giving students a list on Monday and a test on Friday with practice in between. This type of drill and practice has earned traditional spelling instruction a reputation for being boring. That there is no big picture and no ultimate goal makes it all the more tedious – as soon as one spelling list is tested, another list takes its place. Luckily, there is an alternative to traditional spelling instruction called «Word Study» which is not based on the random memorization of words. A word study program is a cohesive approach that addresses word recognition, vocabulary, and phonics as well as spelling.
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What is Word Study?
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Purpose of Word Study The authors of Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction determined that the purpose of word study is twofold. First, students develop a general knowledge of English spelling. They learn how to examine words through active exploration using a hands-on, manipulative approach. Students also discover generalizations about spelling, instead of just spelling rules. They learn the regularities, patterns, and conventions of English orthography needed to read and spell. Second, word study increases students’ specific knowledge of words. Specific knowledge relates to the spelling and meaning of individual words.
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Stages of Spelling Development • When implementing word study in the classroom, it is important to understand the progression of the stages of spelling development. It will help teachers determine which word study activities are most appropriate for students. The methodology of Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction is based on the progression of these developmental stages. • The stages of spelling development are • Emergent • Letter Name-Alphabetic Spelling • Within Word Pattern • Syllables and Affixes • Derivational Relations • These stages describe students’ spelling behavior as they move from one level of word knowledge to the next.
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Synchrony of Literacy Development Alphabet Pattern Meaning Emergent Pre-K to middle of 1st Emergent Beginning K to middle of 2nd Letter Name — Alphabetic Transitional Grade 1 to middle of 4th Within Word Pattern Intermediate Grades 3 to 8 Syllables & Affixes Reading Stages Advanced Grade Range Grades 5 to 12 Spelling Stages Derivational Relations
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Emergent Stage Emergent Stage (Pre-K to middle of 1st): In the Emergent Spelling stage students are not yet reading conventionally. Spellers in the emergent stage may write with scribbles, letter like forms, or random letters and numbers. In most cases, they have not been exposed to formal reading instruction. During this stage, children learn to recognize and write the letters of the alphabet. They play with the sounds in letters and words. By the end of the level, students understand the concept of words and begin to match picture cards to the words that represent their names. Alphabet Sort for Different Forms of A and BPicture Sort for Initial F and T
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Letter Name-Alphabetic Stage LNA Stage (K to middle of 2nd): Students in the Letter-Name Alphabetic Spelling stage have been instructed formally in reading. Spellers in this stage use letter/sound matches to spell the most obvious sounds in words. Often, beginning and ending consonant sounds are in place before vowels begin to appear. At the beginning of this stage, students apply the alphabet principles to consonants. By the end of the stage, they are able to correctly represent most short-vowel patterns, consonant digraphs, and consonant blends. Picture Sort for ch, sh, and th DigraphsWord Sort for the it, ip and ill Families
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Within Word Pattern Stage WWP Stage (Grade 1 to middle of 4th): At the beginning of the Within Word Pattern Spelling stage students spell most single-syllable, short vowel words correctly. Throughout this stage, they move away from the sound-by-sound approach of the letter name and begin to include patterns or chunks of letter sequences that relate to both sound and meaning. Spellers in the within-word pattern stage know a great deal about short vowels and the short vowel pattern, the consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern. In this stage, students begin by exploring the common long vowel patterns. Word Sort for Long-a Patterns, Compared to the Short Vowel PatternDiphthongs and Other Vowels
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Syllables and Affixes Stage SA Stage (Grade 3 to 8th): By the Syllables and Affixes Spelling stage students can spell most one-syllable, short and long vowel words correctly. So, the focus for instruction in this stage is multisyllabic words and patterns. Students also learn to sort by specific vowel combinations, inflected endings, and vowel patterns in accented syllables. In the Middle-Late and Affixes Spelling stage students begin with the study of how syllables divide in words with open syllables, such as cli/mate and re/act, and closed syllables like sup/ply and hun/dred. The level also includes a thorough study of patterns of unaccented syllables. It ends with the study of less common prefixes and suffixes such as fore– and –nessand two-syllable homophones like cellar and seller. Word Sort for Doubling Before -edWord Sort for Prefixes
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Derivational Relations Stage DA Stage (Grade 5 to 12th): At the beginning of the Derivational Relations Spelling stage students spell most words correctly. The focus in this stage is on the meaning connection. In this stage, they learn how to sort words by pattern and meaning with an emphasis on meaning and related word parts. They will discover how spelling preserves meaning even when there are changes in sound. Students will also learn common prefixes and suffixes, examine the meaning of bases and roots, and learn about the classical origin of polysyllabic words. Prefix Sort for astro-, photo-, bio-, chlor-, eco-, hydro-, and hypo-Millennium Word Study and SortSupplementary Sort: -um, -ium
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Developmental Spelling Analysis The Primary Spelling Inventory, or PSI, can be used in kindergarten through third grade. The Upper-Level Spelling Inventory, or USI, can be used in upper elementary, middle school, high school, and postsecondary classrooms. If a school system wants to use the same inventory across all elementary grades, they can use the Elementary Spelling Inventory, or ESI. This surveys a range of spelling features throughout the elementary grades, specifically first through sixth grade.
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Administering the Spelling Inventories These inventories are administered like traditional spelling tests, but there are some significant differences. Unlike traditional spelling tests, students should not study the words before the assessment. They should also be reassured that they are not graded on the activity. To begin a spelling inventory, students are asked to number their paper. If students are in kindergarten or early first grade, teachers can prepare a numbered paper for students. Each word is called aloud and repeated once. The words are spoken naturally, without emphasis on phonemes or syllables. If necessary, teachers can also use a sentence with the word in it to make sure the students know the exact word. If students struggle with the inventory, teachers can administer a lower-level inventory. The inventory can be given to students as a whole group or in small groups. The results of the inventory can be used to get a general picture of each student’s spelling development.
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Word Study in Action Word sorts are the heart of the program. Students use word sorts to group words into specific categories. As students complete the sorts, they compare and contrast word features, make discoveries, and form generalizations about the conventions of English orthography or spelling. Video of Word Sort: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOwexUqN0pI PowerPoint Presentations of Word Sorts: http://educationextras.com/wordstheirway.html
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Cool Sites Words Their Way Resources: PowerPoint Presentations for Word Sorts http://holderbaum.educationextras.com/WordStudy.html Companion Website for Words Their Way http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_bear_words_3/9/2470/632571.cw/index.html Words Their Way Online Tutorials http://www.mypearsontraining.com/products/wordstheirway/tutorials.asp Word Sorts http://forpd.ucf.edu/strategies/stratword_sorts.html Vocabulary Ideas and Videos: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/Reading/ms_vocabulary_videos/ Spelling City: http://www.spellingcity.com
Edited to add: Please see the NEWER POST about WTW that has all this information + much, much more!
After all that prep work it’s finally time for the kids to do some learning! With Words Their Way, the focus is on sorting the words. It’s a great way for the children to learn about spelling patterns, but it can be tedious doing it day after day. The book has lots of different sort suggestions and I’ve tried most of them. Over the years my system has evolved, it always seems to be “in-progress,” but this is how it’s been going this year.
Monday—a part of their morning work, the kids glue last week’s sort into their notebooks. In the afternoon they cut out their new sort. They write their initials on the back of each word card and store them all in a zipper pocket.
Tuesday—During morning work, I call each group back to the rug and introduce their sort for the week. They highlight the category cards and one exemplar for each category. I think it helps them remember their categories better. Then they take their words back to their desks to sort and write.
Wednesday—Students sort, draw, and label as part of their morning work.
Thursday—Students sort and graph as part of their morning work. A couple years ago I had a student who HATED word sorts. He invented sort & graph as a shortcut. The students sort their words and then draw a graph in their notebooks. I let them choose what kind of graph
to draw. Sometimes they do tallies, most of them choose bar graphs, and occasionally someone will make a pictograph.
Later in the morning, the kids play a game using the words in their sort or a recent sort. I have files of the games and made enough copies for a group of 8 to play each one. Some of the games come from the WTW book. Most are games I made up. You can find some of them in our Etsy shop (Terrific Teeth, Ghosts in the Cemetery, …) . While the kids play games, I do any assessments.
You can download a free game for your students here (and the rules for playing here). It’s a crazy-8 style card game called Bonkers to help practice vowel patterns (CVVC, CVC, CVCe, CVCC) in single syllable words.
Fridays—As part of their morning work, kids look through books to find examples of words that fit their categories.
That’s what works for me these days. I’m sure there will be some tweaking to it next year. There’s no denying that it takes a lot of work to get this program up and running. Some years I haven’t been diligent in following this program and it shows in when my children show a weak understanding of vowels. Even the good spellers don’t really understand why words follow particular patterns.
It’s been 6 years of trial and error, but Words Their Way has helped me be a better spelling teacher. I love the power of knowing how my children think about spelling. Being able to help them progress as readers and writers is worth all the effort.
