Words Their Way

1
Words Their Way

• Word Study for Phonics, Spelling and Vocabulary
  Instruction

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• A study by Clarke (1988) found that first graders
  who were encouraged to use invented spellings
  wrote more and could spell as well at the end of
  the year as first graders who had been told how
  to spell the words before writing.
• Many teachers wonder when they should make the
  shift from allowing children to write in invented
  spelling to demanding correctness. The answer is
  from the start. Teachers must hold students
  accountable for what they have been taught.
• p. 81 Words Their Way
• Because the sequence for phonics and spelling
  instruction is cumulative and progresses linearly
  and there will always be some features that have
  not yet been taught, children will always invent
  a spelling for what they do not yet know.

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Why word study?

• Literacy is like a braid of interwoven threads.
• Reading
• Oral Language
• Writing
• Words Their Way demonstrates how exploration of
  orthographic knowledge can lead to the
  lengthening and strengthening of the literacy
  braid.

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Synchrony of Literacy Development
Alphabet Pattern
Meaning
Reading Stage Grade Range Spelling Stage
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(No Transcript)
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Lexiles the Synchrony of Literacy Development

• Lexile Framework for Reading
• http//www.lexile.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?viewed
  tabindex1tabid49tabpageid545
• Lexile Framework for Writing
• http//www.lexile.com/pdf/MyWritingWeb.pdf
• The Reading-Writing Connection
• A students writing ability typically is 350L
  lower than his or her reading ability.
  Interpreted within the context of The Lexile
  Framework for Reading, students write where they
  have 95-percent comprehension. Thus, students
  should work on activities designed to improve
  convention ability where their expected
  comprehension rate is high and the reading
  demands are low enough so that the cognitive
  demands can be devoted to writing.
• The Lexile Framework for Writing and MyWritingWeb
  show promise for helping to improve writer
  ability, convention knowledge and keyboarding
  fluency. An important feature of MyWritingWeb is
  its ability to integrate automatic scoring of
  these key abilities while promoting writing
  across the curriculum.
• For more information,call 1888LEXILES or email
  mywritingweb_at_Lexile.com.

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Word study, as described in Words Their Way,
occurs in hands-on activities that mimic basic
cognitive learning processes Comparing and
contrasting categories of word features and
discovering similarities and differences within
and between spelling features.

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• During word study, words and pictures are sorted
  in routines that require students to examine,
  discriminate, and make critical judgments about
  speech sounds, word structures, spelling
  patterns, and meanings. The activities build on
  what students can do on their own.
• Concrete pictures and words are used to
  illustrate principles of similarity and
  difference.

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• The power of the Words Their Way model for word
  study lies in the diagnostic information
  contained in the students spelling inventions
  that reveal their current understanding of how
  written English words work.
• By using students invented spellings as a guide,
  teachers can differentiate efficient, effective
  instruction in phonics, spelling and vocabulary.

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Brain research suggests that students gain
greater long term memory when they are

• Actively engaged
• Manipulating ideas and objects
• Using language to clarify and cement learning
• Interacting with peers in directed academic
  conversations

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Brain research suggests that students gain
greater long term memory when they are

• Investigating
• Testing hypothesis/making predictions
• Recording and constructing their own learning

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Word Study can be accomplished in as little as 15
minutes a day!

• 1. Through active exploration, word study teaches
  students to examine words to discover the
  regularities, patterns and conventions of
  English orthography needed to read and spell.
• 2. Word study increases specific knowledge of
  words the spelling and meaning of individual
  words.
• The better our knowledge of the system, the
  better we are decoding an unfamiliar word,
  spelling correctly, or guessing the meaning of a
  word.

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• Word Study has evolved from 3 decades of
  developmental aspects of word knowledge with
  children and adults
• The research has documented the convergence of
  certain reoccurring orthographic principles.
• These principles have been described in
  relationship to the types of errors noted,
  specifically
• 1. Errors dealing with the alphabetic match of
  letters and sound (BAD for bed).
• 2. Errors dealing with letter patterns (SNAIK
  for snake,) and
• 3. errors dealing with words related in meaning
  (INVUTATION for invitation).

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3 Layers of English Orthography

• 1. Alphabet
• Our spelling system is alphabetic because it
  represents the relationship between letters and
  sounds.
• Letter sound relationships occur from left to
  right.
• Either single letters or groups of letters
  produce single sounds example
• Cat /c/, /a/, /t/ Chin /ch/, /i/, /n/

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• 2. Pattern
• The pattern layer overlies the alphabetic layer.
• Patterns help talk efficiently about the
  alphabetic layer as well. Words of more than one
  syllable also follow spelling patterns.
• Overall, knowledge about patterns within words,
  will be of considerable value to students in both
  their reading and writing.
• Two of the most common patterns are
• -VCCV robber
• -VCV radar, pilot, limit

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• 3. Meaning (layer of information)
• This is when students learn that groups of
  letters can represent meaning directly, that they
  will become much more less puzzled when
  encountering unusual spellings.
• Ex photo in photograph, photographer, and
  photographic
• By building connections between meaning parts and
  their derivations, we enlarge our
• vocabulary.
• Alphabet, pattern, and meaning represent
  three broad principles of written English and
  form the layered record of orthographic history.

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The Role of Word Sorting

• Word sorting offers the best of both
  constructivist learning and teacher-directed
  instruction.
• Picture and word sorting differ from other
  phonics programs in some important ways.
• They are interesting and fun because they are
  manipulative.
• The process of sorting requires students to pay
  attention to words and to make logical decisions
  about their sound, pattern, and /or meaning as
  they place each in its group.
• Sorting is analytic, whereas many phonics
  programs take a synthetic approach. (In both
  approaches, students are taught letter-sound
  correspondences however in a synthetic approach
  they are expected to sound out unknown words
  phoneme by phoneme, sometimes every word in a
  sentence which can make reading tedious and
  detract from meaning and engagement.
• Analytic phonics supports the synthetic skill
  necessary to decode new words when reading and
  encode words when writing.
• Sorting does not rely on rote memorization, or on
  the recitation of rules prior to an understanding
  of the underlying principles.
• Memorization does have a place and is necessary
  to master the English spelling system. As in an
  animal is spelled bear the adjective is spelled
  bare.

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Role of Word Sorting (cont.)

• Sorts are more efficient because they offer more
  concentrated practice than most phonics programs
  by doubling or tripling the number of examples
  children study, and they study them for a shorter
  amount of time.
• Finally, because of the simplicity of sorting
  routines, teachers find it easier to
  differentiate instruction among different groups
  of learners because
• Sorting is infinitely adaptable and the process
  involved in categorizing word features lends
  itself to cooperative learning.
• One central goal of WTW / Word Study is to teach
  students how to spell and decode new words and to
  improve their word recognition speed and
  understanding in general.

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• Hands-on experience comparing and contrasting
  words by sound so that they can categorize
  similar words and associate them consistently
  with letters and letter combinations. The heart
  of the alphabetic principle.
• Hands-on experience comparing and contrasting
  words by consistent spelling patterns.
• Hands-on experience categorizing words by
  meaning, use , and parts of speech.

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Types of Word Sorts

• Sound Sorts
• Picture sorts- can be used to develop
  phonological awareness and also phonics when used
  with letters/words.
• Word sorts- not all word sorts involve a sound
  contrast, but most do.
• Blind sorts- A key word or picture for each sound
  is established the teacher or partner shuffles
  the word cards, and then calls the words aloud
  without showing them. The student indicates the
  correct category by pointing to or naming the key
  word that has the same sound. (can also be used
  as a blind writing sort)

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Types of Sorts (cont.)

• Pattern Sorts
• When students use the printed form of the word
  they can sort by the visual patterns formed by
  groups of letters or letter sequences.
• Sometimes a new feature is best introduced with a
  pattern sort to reveal a related sound
  difference.
• Word sorts are the mainstay of pattern sorts and
  use key words containing the pattern under study
  to label each feature category.

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Types of Sorts (cont.)

• Meaning sorts
• Spelling Meaning sorts
• homophone and homograph sorts, and
• (b) roots, stems, and affix sorts.
• Concept sorts using pictures or words is a good
  way to link vocabulary instruction to students
  conceptual understanding and are appropriate for
  all ages, stages of word knowledge and should be
  used regularly in all content areas. ( Good for
  building background knowledge before a story or
  new unit of study. Use for advanced organizers
  for anticipating new reading and then revisited
  and refined after reading, organize ideas before
  writing and even for teaching grammar by sorting
  parts of speech)

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Approaches to Sorting

• Teacher-directed closed sorts
• Student-centered open sorts
• Variations of Sorts
• Guess My Category
• Writing sorts (p.57- Writing words as a study
  technique for spelling is well established.
  Undoubtedly the motoric act reinforces the memory
  for associating letters and patterns with sounds
  and meanings. However the practice of assigning
  students to write words five or more times is of
  questionable value because it can become simply
  mindless copying. Where there is no thinking,
  there is no learning. Writing words into
  categories demands that students attend to the
  sound and/ or the pattern of letters and to think
  about how those characteristics correspond with
  the established categories cued by the key word,
  picture, or pattern at the top of the column.
  Writing sorts encourage the use of analogy as
  students use the key word as a clue for the
  spelling of words that have the same sound,
  pattern, or meaning.)

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Sorting Variations (cont.

• Word Hunts- Students do not automatically make
  the connection between spelling words and reading
  words. Word hunts (finding additional words that
  are examples of the sound, pattern, or meaning
  unit they are studying) help students make that
  connection between spelling words and reading
  words.
• These words should be added to writing sorts. It
  is important that students not confuse skimming
  for word patterns with reading for meaning,
  therefore students should use familiar text,
  already-read text or text that they are currently
  reading for word hunts.

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Sorting Variations (cont.)

• Repeated individual and buddy sorts- one of the
  best ways to build fast, accurate recognition of
  these spelling units. Fluency shows mastery.
  Words should be read aloud as they are sorted.
• Speed Sorts motivating and develop fluency and
  automaticity (Samuels,1988) Students should
  record times. Also, beat-the-teacher sorts.
• Draw Label / Cut paste sorts- variation to a
  drawing sorts.
• Modeling the categorization procedure you want
  your students to use is important, so think about
  how you will do this. P. 63 Preparing your Sorts

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Words Their Way / Word Study is Developmental.

• WTW is not a one size fits all program of
  instruction that begins in the same place for all
  students within a grade level.
• By interpreting what students do when they spell,
  educators can target a specific students zone
  of proximal development
• (Vygotsky, 1962) and plan word study instruction
  that this student is conceptually ready to
  master.

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Stages of Reading / Spelling Development

• Emergent
• Beginning Reader / Letter Name Alphabetic
• Transitional Reader / Within Word Pattern
• Intermediate Reader / Syllables and Affixes
• Advanced Reader / Derivational Relations
• By conducting regular spelling assessments, about
  3 times a year, you can track students progress
  and development. The spelling assessment will
  also inform us about the students reading
  development.

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Stage 1 Emergent Spelling Stage

• Emergent Spelling is a period of prereading and
  pretend writing.
• Pretend to read by rehearsing and reciting
  well-known poems and jingles to heart.
• Pretend to write. Writing is based on language
  and can be talked about.
• Gradually acquire directionality.

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Sorts for the Emergent Stage

• Must aim toward the development of five main
  components of the learning-to-read process
• 1.Vocabulary growth and concept development
• 2.Phonlogical awareness
• 3.Alphabet knowledge
• 4. Letter-sound knowledge
• 5. Concept of word in print

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Stage 2 Letter Name - Alphabetic Stage

• Letter Name Alphabetic Stage is the beginning
  of conventional reading and writing.
• They use the sound/letter match to write..
• Initially in this stage, the students spell
  beginnings sounds and ending sounds. By the
  middle of the stage, students begin to use a
  vowel in each syllable, and begin to spell short
  vowel patterns conventionally.
• Finger-pointing.
• Some sight words.

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Middle and Late Letter Name-Alphabetic Spelling

• Differentiation between consonants and vowels
• Clear letter sound relationships
• Frequently occurring short vowel words.

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Stage 3 Within Word Pattern Spelling

• Students build on their knowledge of the sound
  level of English orthography and explore the
  pattern level.
• Students are in the transitional reading/literacy
  stage. Transitional readers read most
  single-syllable words accurately and with
  increasing fluency. They can read some
  multi-syllable words when there is enough
  contextual support.
• Students in the within word pattern stage use but
  confuse vowel patterns. They no longer spell boat
  sound by sound to produce BOT, but BOTE, BOWT,
  BOOT, or even boat as they experiment with
  possible patterns for the long o sound.

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Within Word Stage (cont.)

• The study of prefixes and suffixes is explored in
  the next stage, syllables and affixes.
  Increasingly, however, the reading and language
  arts content standards of many states are
  requiring that of students developmentally in the
  Within Word Pattern phase.
• These words should be explored first as
  vocabulary words students encounter in their
  reading, and are not treated as spelling words
  until students know how to spell the base word on
  which they are built.
• The sequence of word study in the Within Word
  Pattern stage begins by taking a step back with a
  review of short vowels as they are compared with
  long vowels then shifts to common and then less
  common and r-influenced long vowel patterns.

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What about high frequency words?

• A number of spelling programs feature
  high-frequency or high-utility words and focus on
  a small core of words students need the most such
  as said, because, there, etc.
• In many cases, this reduces spelling to a matter
  of brute memorization and offers students no
  opportunity to form generalizations that can
  extend to the reading and spelling of thousands
  of unstudied words.
• Many of these high-frequency words do not follow
  common spelling patterns, but can be included in
  within word pattern sorts as oddballs. Ex. Said
  is usually examined with other words that have
  the ai pattern, such as paid, faint, and wait. It
  becomes memorable because it stands alone in
  contrast to the many words that follow both the
  sound and spelling pattern feature.
• Most of the top 200 most frequently occurring
  words according to Dolch and Fry are covered by
  the end of the Within Word Pattern Stage.

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Guidelines for Creating Word Sorts

• Sorts that contrast sounds and patterns are the
  key to effective word study in these stages.
  Sequence of Instruction Possible contrasts are
  suggested in
• Table 5-4 (p.145) Letter Name/Alphabetic
• Table 6-2 (pages 180-181) Within Word
• Table 7-3 (p.217) Syllables Affixes
• Table 8-1 (p. 234) Derivational Relations
• Notice the three levels of pacing at the top of
  each table.

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Intermediate Readers / Syllables Affixes Stage

• Beginning in 2nd and 3rd grades for some
  students and in 4th for most students, cognitive
  and language growth allows children to make new
  and richer connections among the words they
  already know and the words they will learn.
• Teachers can establish a firm foundation in
  spelling and vocabulary development as they
  facilitate students move into understanding the
  role of structure and meaning in the spelling
  system.

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Syllables Affixes Stage

• One of the most important responsibilities for
  word study instruction at this stage is to engage
  students in examining how important word
  elements- prefixes, suffixes, and base words
  combine this structural analysis is a powerful
  tool for vocabulary development, spelling, and
  figuring out unfamiliar words during reading.
  (See p.205)
• P.214-215 Exploring New Vocabulary
• P. 220 Guidelines- It is fine to select a few
  words that students might not know the meaning
  of, or words that they only know tenuously, but
  do not overburden sorts with these words.
  (Looking a few words up in a dictionary as a part
  of the initial demonstration lesson is a good way
  to encourage regular dictionary use for an
  authentic reason.

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Features - Syllables Affixes Stage

• 1. How consonant and vowel patterns are
  represented in polysyllabic words
• 2. What occurs when syllables join together
  (syllable juncture)
• 3. How stress or lack of stress determines the
  clarity of the sounds in syllables
• 4. How simple affixes (prefixes and suffixes)
  change the usage, meaning, and spelling of words

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Syllables Affixes Sequence and Pacing

• Table 7-3 (p.217)
• P. 219 Word Study Lesson Plan and Extensions for
  Word Study Notebooks.
• 1. Find words that have base words and underline
  the base word.
• 2. Break words into syllables and underline the
  accented syllables.
• 3. make appropriate words on your lists plural or
  add ing or ed.
• 4. Circle any prefix and /or suffix, when
  possible, to words on your list.
• 5. Add a prefix and /or suffix, when possible, to
  words on your list.
• 6. Select five words and use them in sentences.
• 7. Sort your words by parts of speech or subject
  areas and record your sort.
• 8. Go for speed. Sort your words three times and
  record your times.
• 9. Select five words to look up in the
  dictionary. Record the multiple meanings you find
  for each word.

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Activities / Syllables Affixes Stage

• Many of the suggested games and activities
  provided in the text (p.220-229)
• are related to vocabulary.

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Advanced Readers/ Derivational Relations Stage

• The term, derivational relations, emphasizes how
  spelling and vocabulary knowledge at this stage
  grow primarily through processes of derivation-
  from a single base word or word root, a number of
  related words are derived through the addition of
  prefixes and suffixes which students began to
  explore in the Syllables Affixes Stage.
• There is reciprocity between growth in vocabulary
  and spelling knowledge and the amount of reading
  and writing in which students are engaged
  (e.g.,Carlisel, 2000 Cunningham Stanovich,
  2003 Mahony, Singson, Mann, 2000 Smith, 1998).

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Words that are related in meaning are often
related in spelling as well.

• Ex. COMPISITION for composition
• Word related in meaning would provide spelling
  clue. - compose

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Characteristics / Derivational Relations Stage

• Specific spelling errors characteristic of this
  stage fall into 3 main categories.
• 1. In polysyllabic words, there are often
  unstressed syllables in which the vowel is
  reduced to the schwa sound, as in the second
  syllable of opposition. Remembering the root from
  which this word is derived (oppose) will often
  help the speller choose the correct vowel.
• 2. Suffixes like the -tion in opposition also
  pose challenges for spellers because they are
  easily confused with ian (clinician) and sion
  (tension), which sound the same.
• 3. Other errors occur in the feature known as an
  absorbed or assimilated prefix. The prefix in
  opposition originally was ob, but because the
  root word starts with the letter p (pos), the
  spelling changed to reflect an easier
  pronunciation (obposition or opposition?)

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Spelling Meaning Connection

• The spelling meaning connection is another way
  of referring to the significant role that
  morphology plays in the spelling system.
• A number of sound changes may occur in a group of
  related words whose spelling remains the same,
  and so we guide students first ot notice
  particular changes that represent an increasing
  order of difficulty and abstractness. Templeton
  (1979, 1983,1989, 1992) and Templeton and
  Scarborough-Franks (1985) originally identified
  this order of difficulty and abstractness, recent
  work by Leong (2000) further substantiates this
  sequence.
• Sequence of Word Study / Derivational Relations
  Stage
• Table 8-1 (p.234-235)
• Consonant Alternation, Vowel Alternation, Adding
  ion to Words, Greek and Latin Elements, Advanced
  Suffix Study, Absorbed Prefixes, Content Area
  Vocabulary, and Word Origins

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Activities / Derivational Relations

• Pages 246-261

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Getting Started The Assessment of Orthographic
DevelopmentChapter 3

• There are 3 steps in the assessment processes
• Step 1 Collect a spelling sample that includes
  several invented spellings by using the
  appropriate Spelling Inventory.
• Step 2 Analyze the spelling sample to determine
  the stage of orthographic development.
• Look for what the student is using but
  confusing.
• Step 3 After completing a spelling-by-stage
  assessment you will need to plan and organize
  their instruction and then monitor the students
  growth.

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Spelling Inventories

• The spelling inventories are not to be used as
  part of students grades.
• Should be given 3 times a year (or more)
• September, January, and May
• As the students advance, more advanced spelling
  inventories should be administered.
• Spelling inventories are located in the appendix
  of the WTW textbook and are also available on the
  accompanying CD. (Alternate inventories are also
  included.)

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(No Transcript)
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Spelling Inventories (cont.)

• The words in the spelling inventories are
  arranged from easiest to hardest.
• The inventories should be as easy as a spelling
  test to administer and take no more than 15
  minutes. Can be given to whole groups.
• Should be given in a relaxed atmosphere.
• Explain to students why they are taking the
  inventory.
• If you are having trouble reading the students
  handwriting, ask them to help you instead of
  guessing.
• See specific inventories to determine how many
  words to call/ students should be asked to spell.
  (This may vary by age group and inventory.)
• Note scoring directions.

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Analyzing Students Assessment Papers

• Use the checklist, error feature guides (that
  show the most common errors).
• Feature guides assist teachers to determine
  students orthographic stage by using some of the
  features in orthographic development.
• Note how many words the student spelled correctly
  out of the possible number of words.( A raw score
  of the number of words spelled correctly will
  give you a rough estimate of the students
  spelling stage. )
• In planning for instruction, analyze the features
  he uses but confuses (his instructional level)
  this is generally in the first feature category
  where the student misses 2 or more.
• Reversals should be noted, but not counted as
  incorrect features. (Static reversals / ex. b/d)
  They should not get the extra point for the word
  being spelled correctly.
• Kinetic reversals when the letters are present
  but out of order, as with beginning spellers, (
  Ex. FNA for fan) should be noted but not counted
  incorrect as features. They should not get credit
  for having the word spelled correctly. (Students
  should get credit for what they have used.) Such
  errors offer interesting insights into their
  developing word knowledge.
• See scoring the Feature Guides pages 34-38
• Spelling Inventories are valuable artifacts to
  add to students portfolios and can be used in
  parent conferences to discuss individual needs
  and progress.

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Using Classroom Profiles to Group for Instruction

• Use feature guide scores to complete a Classroom
  Composite which helps you to create instructional
  groupings.
• On the classroom composite, students and scores
  should be listed from the highest total score to
  the lowest. (P.33-37)
• Spelling by-Stage Classroom Organization Chart
  can further assist in building developmental
  spelling groups. (Grouping p.38-43)
• Groups should be fluid / flexible so that
  students can move-on when necessary.

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Class Composite
53
Word Study Lesson Plan Format

• Demonstrate introduce sort, using key
  words or pictures
• sort and check individually or with a
  partner
• reflect declare, compare, contrast
• extend activities to complete at seats, in
  centers, or at home sorts, games, cut and paste,
  expand word study notebook, make word charts

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Types of Sorts

• Sound sorts
• Picture sorts
• Word sorts
• No-peeking sorts
• Pattern sorts
• Speed sorts
• Writing sorts
• Meaning sorts (helps build vocabulary)

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Organization of Word Study Instruction

• 1. Develop a familiar weekly routing with daily
  activities.
• 2. Schedule time for group work with the teacher.
• 3. Keep it short.
• 4. Plan time for students to sort independently
  and with partners.

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3 week plan for Introduction

• Chapter 3 pages 76-78
• Dont SKIP THIS STEP
• DONT TRY TO START EVERYTHING AT ONCE
• ORGANIZATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

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Word Study Notebooks

• Provide a built-in, orderly record of activities
  and progress.
• May include written sorts , draw and label,
  sentences and new words from word hunts. (see
  page 74, Figure 3-18)

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10 Principles Of Word Study

• 1. Look For What Students Use But Confuse
• 2. A Step Backward Is A Step Forward
• 3. Use Words Students Can Read
• 4. Compare Words That Do with Words That
  Dont
• 5. Sort By Sounds and Sight

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10 Principles Of Word Study

• 6. Begin With Obvious Contrasts
• 7. Dont Hide Exceptions
• 8. Avoid Rules
• 9. Work For Automaticity
• 10.Return To Meaningful Text

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Weekly and Review Spelling Tests

• Weekly tests at most grade levels are
  recommended.
• Students should be accountable for learning to
  spell the words they have sorted and worked with
  in various activities all week and will ideally
  be very successful on these weekly tests.
• If students miss more than a few words, it may
  mean that they need to spend more time on a
  particular feature/contrast or that they are not
  ready to study the feature and should work on
  easier features first.
• Periodically, review tests should be given
  without asking students to study in advance to
  test for retention.
• Weekly spelling test grades should NOT be their
  only spelling grades. Students should be held
  accountable for features already mastered in
  their daily writing.
• Be creative with spelling tests. ( if there are
  25 words in the weekly sort use a random
  drawing for 10 and then use a couple of words
  found in their word hunts that follow the
  patterns for the sort but were not included in
  the given word list for the weekly sort)

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• Jackie Richardson, M.Ed., NBCT
• NC Reads Coach
• Sunset Park Elementary
• jrichar1_at_nhcs.k12.nc.us