Download Word Study - Montgomery ISD

Word Study and Spelling through
Active Investigation of Words
Beliefs and Research
Instructional Strategies
Assessment
Instructional Resources
MISD Vital Word Lists
Parent Communication
Glossary of Terms
Sources
Beliefs and Research
MISD Belief Statement
Students need time to learn about how words work so that they may decode as well
as encode written text. Word study and the active investigation of words (spelling) is
a complex, life-long process that must be mastered over time. The purpose of
learning about spelling is to develop ability in writing. Writing provides an authentic
purpose for learning about words and how to spell them. For students to become
proficient spellers focused, explicit instruction is required. Kindergarten through
Fifth Grade students are engaged in a variety of opportunities to manipulate words,
parts of words, finding connections in written word, and other engaging spelling
strategies that are embedded in word study, reading and writing.
Students become spellers through writing for real reasons in
which spelling matters and through explicit instruction, word
study and extended reading.
The goals for students in MISD are to:
know that their writing is valued regardless of the stage of development of
their spelling;
understand that the primary purpose of spelling is so that others can read
their writing;
develop ownership of their writing and spelling and strive to do their best;
learn how to apply spelling strategies;
learn specific words that they use frequently and be able to spell these
words automatically; and
know how to use a variety of resources to help their spelling.
(Snowball, Diane, 1999)
Five General Guidelines for teaching word-specific
knowledge successfully in MISD:
Follow a curriculum
Use research-based techniques
Focus on the right words and patterns at the right time
Differentiate Instruction
Connect spelling and word study to reading and writing.
(Gentry, J. Richard, 2004)
Educational research has identified five developmental stages of spelling that
most children proceed through as they make progress in their awareness of the
relationships of meaning to sound and symbols (Gentry & Gillett, 1993). The rate
of progress differs with individuals and some children may progress through
some stages quickly and others may regress and seem to repeat earlier stages.
Students move fluidly back and forth between stages as their development
progresses.
Pre-communicative Stage:
The child uses both number symbols and letters when writing but shows no
knowledge of letter-sound correspondence. The child may lack knowledge of the
knowledge of the entire alphabet, the distinction between upper and lower case
letters, and the left-to-right directionality of our written language.
Semi-Phonetic Stage:
In this stage, the child begins to understand letter-sound correspondence. They
are aware sounds are assigned to letters and the child often employs
rudimentary logic, using one or two letters to represent words, sounds, syllables
(e.g. “u” for “you,” “m” for “my,” and “bt” for “boat.”)
Phonetic Stage:
In this stage, the child has an understanding of phonemes and uses a letter or
group of letters to represent every speech sound they hear in a word. Although
some of the choices do not conform to conventional English spelling, they are
systematic and understood (e.g. “kom” for “come,” “skool” for “school,” “hape” for
“happy.”)
Transitional Stage:
The speller begins to assimilate the conventional alternative for representing
sounds, moving from dependence on phonology (sound) for representing words
to a reliance on visual representation and an understanding of the structure of
words (e.g. “egul” for “eagle,” and “highked” for “hiked.”
Conventional Stage:
In the correct/conventional stage, the speller knows the English orthographic
system and its basic rules. The correct speller fundamentally understands how to
deal with such things are prefixes and suffixes, silent consonants, alternative
spellings, and irregular spellings. A large number of learned words are
accumulated, and the speller recognizes incorrect forms. The child’s
generalizations about spelling and knowledge of exceptions are usually correct.
As students explore how language works and develop as writers, they “invent”
spelling based on the strategies students use as they write words they do not
automatically know. These “errors” are developmentally appropriate and can tell
us what students know, what strategies they are “using but confusing” and what
they are ready to learn next. Invented spelling is usually associated with young
writers, but also appears when older writers begin using more complex
vocabulary in their writing.
Instructional Strategies
A successful spelling program should not exist as a separate entity but is fluidly
incorporated within a comprehensive literacy program that consistently includes
various opportunities for authentic writing for real audiences.
To
Word Study- Spelling- Vocabulary
Read Aloud
With
Read
Shared Reading
By
Ongoing Assessment
Guided Reading
Independent
Reading
Children listen for words related to a spelling
focus. For example, children may listen for
words that rhyme or words that are plurals or
possessives.
Children listen and look for words related to a
spelling focus. For example, children may listen
for words with a specific sound, or may find
words with a particular spelling pattern or
prefix/suffix.
Children return to the text to find examples or
words related to a class spelling exploration or
teachers focus on spelling needs of a particular
group. For example, beginning readers may be
asked to locate high frequency words, and
more experienced writers may be asked to find
examples of homophones from a particular text.
Children notice examples of words related to
the class exploration or particular words they
are personally interested in.
Modeled Writing
With
Guided Writing
By
Write
Shared Writing
Independent
Writing
Spelling strategies are demonstrated by the
teacher and suggested by the children
Teacher writes with groups of children with
common spelling needs.
Children use all strategies they have learned in
other reading and writing experiences.
Teachers assess children’s spelling strengths
and needs and plan suitable spelling work for
the other literacy experiences.
Phonemic Awareness-Alphabetic Principal
-Phonics
Oral Language
To
Spelling strategies are modeled by the teacher.
Students must know:
How words work
That most words follow a pattern, and
The ones that don’t follow a pattern (the “tricky” ones) just have to be
learned.
If they know a word in reading, they know it in writing and vice versa
It is not enough to just teach our students words; we must also teach how to
learn words.
Setting up a “Speller’s Classroom”
Students have many opportunities to write and talk about words
Students have many opportunities to read and talk about words.
Spelling references that are easily accessible, including:
o Wall charts
o Personal dictionaries
o Classroom dictionaries
o Print displayed in the classroom
o Word walls
Students have time to write daily and editing spelling is discussed in
conferencing.
Students know strategies for spelling unfamiliar words and for “fixing up”
misspellings
Students have time to play around with language.
Brain research indicates that students gain more in long term memory (they
remember more, longer) when they are:
o actively engaged
o manipulating ideas and objects
o using language to clarify learning
o interacting with peers in academic conversations
o investigating
o testing hypotheses
o making predictions
o recording and constructing their own learning
…. This goes for word study and spelling, too!
Instructional Strategies
Spelling by
Analogy
Look-SayCover-WriteCheck
Word Sorts
Use onsets (the letters before the vowel) and rimes (the vowel
and the letters that follow it) to analyze words by breaking them
in to meaningful chunks. Meaningful pattern making—If you
know “bake” than you know “take” and “lake”
Prompts include:
o What do you know that you can use to help you?
o What do you notice?
o What do you hear?
o What stays the same?
o What letters do you need to change to make a new word?
o How many words do you know that fit this pattern?
o If you know _____, what other words do you know?
** Using rimes to teach word patterns is very different than
having students learn “word families” by memorization. Teaching
words by analogy should be a thinking, meaning-making
process.
Look- Notice shapes patterns, visual features, and tricky or
surprising parts of the word. Try to visualize the word. Ask,
“What do you notice about this word?” “Does anything surprise
you? If so, what/why?” Get discussions/investigations going.
Say- Say the word to yourself. Say the word slowly. Break it into
syllables.
Cover- Visualize the word.
Write- Say the sounds as you write the word.
Check- If the spelling is incorrect, note confusion and correct.
Repeat process until word is learned.
** Be sure to model this sequence and engage students in the
thinking that needs to accompany the process. It should be rich
and interactive, not dry and boring.
Sort words written on individual cards into piles based on some
criterion or contrast. Typical word sorts foster thinking and
discussion about how words are alike or different and can be
used to help students make generalizations about how words
work. Word sorts also focus students’ visual attention on words.
Sorts can be open or closed. In an open sort, students decide
how to categorize and sort the words. In a closed sort, the
teacher determines how the words are sorted.
Create sorts for rimes, patterns, Phonetic Skills, and any
generalizations you want kids to know.
Word Hunts
** Students should be able to read all words in the sorts so that
deeper meaning and connections can be made.
Use for reinforcing phonics or spelling patterns. Select a pattern
from a shared reading or writing you have done or from a guided
reading lesson. Students, working individually or with partner,
record words that fit a pattern that has been studied. They
should notice how the words are alike or different and record
Word Work
with Tiles
Word Work in
Guided
Reading
In the MarginWord Work
during Writing
Conferences
Partner Work
and Peer
Editing
Spelling
Strategy
Poster
these findings in some way (sticky notes on a class chart, or in a
Word study notebook). To extend this activity, students can then
sort the words collected.
Use ceramic tiles, laminated letter cards, or other moveable
letters. Choose a pattern or rule that the class has been working
on and ask students to spell a word with that pattern. All students
in the group must agree on the spelling) Walk between groups
guiding and prompting (Ex: for a focus on the r-controlled vowel
combination “ar” begin with the word “part”, move to “party”, then
to “parting”, “partner” and/or “apartment.” Students may also
enjoy challenge words such as “varnish,”“sardine,” or “tarpaulin.”
When groups disagree about spelling, they should use the
necessary resources to determine the correct spelling. You can
do this activity in a large group (about 10 min) or a small guided
reading group. For better transfer, have the students also write
the words they create on a whiteboard.
At the end of a guided reading group, plan a few minutes for
word work, choosing words from the text that focus on a sound
(e.g. aw in lawful and claw). For reinforcement, have students do
a word hunt or word sort for the identified sound. Students may
also locate high frequency words in guided reading text.
Once students have read and understand a text, use sentence
strips to help them look closely at words and their meaningful
sequence. Sentence strips are made by copying a sentence
(from a story or the child’s own writing) onto paper and cutting it
up (first in phrases and later into words or word parts—
depending on your purpose and the students’ needs)
During a writing conference, the teacher may notice that a child
is ready to spell a particular word. Work through the spelling of
the word with the student in the margin or on a sticky note. The
teacher may say, “I think you’re ready to spell this word. Let’s
write it here so that next time you’ll know where to find it.”
When students interact and talk with each other about words,
they think harder about their points of view. Peers at comparable
developmental levels, as well as older students paired with
younger students, can help each other while at the same time
reinforcing important concepts
Build a spelling strategy poster as students discover different
strategies good spellers use when they want to spell a word
correctly. Strategies may include:
o Circle the misspelled word and come back to it.
o Try writing the word another way until it “looks” right.
o Put check marks over the letters in the word you know are
right, and insert other letter combinations that fit the
sounds you think are incorrect.
o Use what you already know (spelling rule, pattern, small
word within a bigger word, or word meaning)
o Stretch out the word slowly and listen for all the sounds.
o Picture the word in your mind and think about the order of
the letters.
Proofreading
Strategies
o Ask a friend.
o Look around the room—in a book or on a chart or word
wall—or anywhere you remember seeing the word.
o Check the dictionary --if you are sure about the first few
letters.
o Start at the end of a piece of writing and read backward
toward the beginning, circling words that you believe are
misspelled or do not “look right.”
o Make a dot or a check in the margin of a piece of writing if
the student has misspelled a word wall word, indicating
that the student needs to go proof read that line of text to
locate the misspelled word and “fix it up.”
o MODEL, MODEL, MODEL how to reread for different
purposes. One purpose is to make sure words are spelled
correctly for the reader.
o Have-A-Go Sheet- Choose misspelled words from writing.
Write the misspelled word two or more different ways. If
student is still not sure, check with another person or
classroom resource to determine spelling.
MISD’s Vital Word List
K-5 Continuum of High Frequency Words
Students need to have a core foundation of words that they can read and write
automatically. Typically, many of these high-frequency words do not follow a
pattern. The first one hundred most common words in English make up about
half of all written material. It is imperative that students learn to recognize these
words instantly and be able to spell them correctly.
Spend several minutes a day doing “fast writes” of high frequency words. Have
students work alone, with partners or with a group to agree on a given word’s
spelling. If the group disagrees, discuss the reasons. Then have the students
repeatedly write the word and check for the proper spelling. “Write it, say it, erase
it, Write it and say it again.” Always connect word work to reading and writing, so
students know the purpose for this task and that it is not an isolated skill.
Vital words should be spelled correctly across all content areas.
We do not want to encourage our students to invent spelling of these common
words. It’s not efficient to practice these incorrectly over and over and relearn
how to spell them. Keep expectations for spelling high frequency words high
through practice and use of word walls and other resources.
Grade Level Words- All words from previous grade level lists are cumulative.
Kindergarten
Words 1-30
First Grade
Words 31-115
Second Grade
Words 116-205
Third Grade
Words 206-305
Fourth Grade
Words 306-450
Fifth Grade
Words 451-650+
Sitton Word List- 1200 High Frequency Writing Words
Words are listed in the order of their frequency of use in everyday writing. Since “the” is
the most frequently used word in our language, it is number one on the list. The first 25
words are used in 33% of everyday writing. The first 100 words appear in 50% of adult
and student writing, and the first 1000 words are used in 89% of everyday writing.
1. the
2. of
3. and
4. a
5. to
6. in
7. is
8. you
9. that
10. it
11. he
12. for
13. was
14. on
15. are
16. as
17. with
18. his
19. they
20. at
21. be
22. this
23. from
24. I
25. have
26. or
27. by
28. one
29. had
30. not
31. but
32. what
33. all
34. were
35. when
36. we
37. there
38. can
39. an
40. your
41. which
42. their
43. said
44. if
45. do
46. will
47. each
48. about
49. how
50. up
51. out
52. them
53. then
54. she
55. many
56. some
57. so
58. these
59. would
60. other
61. into
62. has
63. more
64. her
65. two
66. like
67. him
68. see
69. time
70. could
71. no
72. make
73. than
74. first
75. been
76. its
77. who
78. now
79. people
80. my
81. made
82. over
83. did
84. down
85. only
86. way
87. find
88. use
89. may
90. water
91. long
92. little
93. very
94. after
95.
96.
97.
98.
99.
100.
101.
102.
103.
104.
105.
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words
called
just
where
most
know
get
through
back
much
go
good
new
write
our
me
man
too
any
day
same
right
look
think
also
around
another
cane
come
work
three
must
because
does
part
even
place
well
such
here
take
why
help
put
different
away
again
142.
143.
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188.
off
went
old
number
great
tell
men
say
small
every
found
still
between
mane
should
home
big
give
air
line
set
own
under
read
last
never
us
left
end
along
while
might
next
sound
below
saw
something
thought
both
few
those
always
show
large
often
together
asked
189.
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240.
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243.
244.
house
don’t
world
going
want
school
important
until
form
food
keep
children
feet
land
side
without
boy
once
animal
life
enough
took
four
head
above
kind
began
almost
live
page
got
earth
need
far
hand
high
year
mother
light
country
father
let
night
picture
being
study
second
soon
story
since
white
ever
paper
hard
near
sentence
245.
246.
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300.
better
best
across
during
today
however
sure
knew
it’s
try
told
young
sun
thing
whole
hear
example
heard
several
change
answer
room
sea
against
top
turned
learn
point
city
play
toward
five
himself
usually
money
seen
didn’t
car
morning
I’m
body
upon
family
later
turn
move
face
door
cut
done
group
true
half
red
fish
plants
301.
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355.
356.
living
black
eat
short
United States
run
book
gave
order
open
ground
cold
really
table
remember
tree
course
front
American
space
inside
ago
sad
early
I’ll
learned
brought
close
nothing
though
idea
before
lived
became
add
become
grow
draw
yet
less
wind
behind
cannot
letter
among
able
dog
shown
mean
English
rest
perhaps
certain
six
feel
fire
357.
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ready
green
yes
built
special
ran
full
town
complete
oh
person
hot
anything
hold
state
list
stood
hundred
ten
fast
felt
kept
notice
can’t
strong
voice
probably
area
horse
matter
stand
box
start
that’s
class
piece
surface
river
common
stop
am
talk
whether
fine
round
dark
past
ball
girl
road
blue
instead
either
held
already
warm
413.
414.
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468.
gone
finally
summer
understand
moon
animals
mind
outside
power
problem
longer
winter
deep
heavy
carefully
follow
beautiful
everyone
leave
everything
game
system
bring
watch
shell
dry
within
floor
ice
ship
themselves
begin
fact
third
quite
carry
distance
although
sat
possible
heart
real
simple
snow
rain
suddenly
easy
leaves
lay
size
wild
weather
miss
pattern
sky
walked
469.
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519.
520.
521.
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524.
main
someone
center
field
stay
itself
boat
question
wide
least
tiny
hour
happened
foot
care
low
else
gold
build
glass
rock
tall
alone
bottom
check
reading
fall
poor
map
friend
language
job
music
buy
window
mark
heat
grew
listen
ask
single
clear
energy
week
explain
lost
spring
travel
wrote
farm
circle
whose
correct
bed
measure
straight
525.
526.
527.
528.
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530.
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579.
580.
base
mountain
caught
hair
bird
wood
color
war
fly
yourself
seem
thus
square
moment
teacher
happy
bright
sent
present
plan
rather
length
speed
machine
information
except
figure
you’re
free
fell
suppose
natural
ocean
government
baby
grass
plane
street
couldn’t
reason
difference
maybe
history
mouth
middle
step
child
strange
wish
soil
human
trip
woman
eye
milk
choose
581.
582.
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626.
627.
628.
629.
630.
631.
632.
633.
634.
635.
636.
north
seven
famous
late
pay
sleep
iron
trouble
store
beside
oil
modern
fun
catch
business
reach
lot
won’t
case
speak
shape
eight
edge
soft
village
object
age
minute
wall
meet
record
copy
forest
especially
necessary
he’s
unit
flat
direction
south
subject
skin
wasn’t
I’ve
yellow
party
force
test
bad
temperature
pair
ahead
wrong
practice
sand
tail
637.
638.
639.
640.
641.
642.
643.
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680.
681.
682.
683.
684.
685.
686.
687.
688.
689.
690.
691.
692.
wait
difficult
general
cover
material
isn’t
thousand
sign
guess
forward
huge
ride
region
nor
period
blood
rich
team
corner
cat
amount
garden
led
note
various
race
bit
result
brother
addition
doesn’t
dead
weight
thin
stone
hit
wife
island
we’ll
opposite
born
sense
cattle
million
anyone
rule
science
afraid
women
produce
pull
son
meant
broken
interest
chance
693.
694.
695.
696.
697.
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700.
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703.
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729.
730.
731.
732.
733.
734.
735.
736.
737.
738.
739.
740.
741.
742.
743.
744.
745.
746.
747.
748.
thick
sight
pretty
train
fresh
drive
lead
break
sit
bought
radio
method
king
similar
return
corn
decide
position
bear
hope
song
engine
board
control
spread
evening
brown
clean
wouldn’t
section
spent
ring
teeth
quiet
ancient
stick
afternoon
silver
nose
century
therefore
level
you’ll
death
hole
coast
cross
sharp
fight
capital
fill
deal
busy
beyond
send
love
749.
750.
751.
752.
753.
754.
755.
756.
757.
758.
759.
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764.
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781.
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784.
785.
786.
787.
788.
789.
790.
791.
792.
793.
794.
795.
796.
797.
798.
799.
800.
801.
802.
803.
804.
cool
cause
please
meat
lady
west
glad
action
pass
type
attention
gas
kitchen
pick
scale
basic
happen
safe
grown
cost
wear
act
hat
arm
believe
major
gray
wonder
include
describe
electric
sold
visit
sheep
I’d
office
row
contain
fit
equal
value
yard
beat
inch
sugar
key
product
desert
bank
farther
won
total
sell
wire
rose
cotton
805.
806.
807.
808.
809.
810.
811.
812.
813.
814.
815.
816.
817.
818.
819.
820.
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847.
848.
849.
850.
851.
852.
853.
854.
855.
856.
857.
858.
859.
860.
spoke
rope
fear
shore
throughout
compare
movement
exercise
bread
process
nature
apart
path
careful
narrow
mental
nine
useful
public
according
steel
salt
speech
forth
nation
knowledge
appear
ate
dinner
hurt
spend
experiment
touch
drop
chair
east
separate
truck
sing
column
twice
particular
shop
unless
spot
neither
met
wheel
none
hill
television
bill
solve
pressure
report
farmer
861.
862.
863.
864.
865.
866.
867.
868.
869.
870.
871.
872.
873.
874.
875.
876.
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880.
881.
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899.
900.
901.
902.
903.
904.
905.
906.
907.
908.
909.
910.
911.
912.
913.
914.
915.
916.
count
trade
chief
month
clothes
doctor
indeed
dance
church
original
enjoy
string
sister
familiar
onto
imagine
blow
quick
law
lie
final
rise
loud
fair
herself
slow
noise
statement
hungry
join
tube
rode
empty
twenty
broke
nice
effect
paid
motion
myself
divide
supply
laid
dear
surprise
gun
entire
fruit
crowd
band
wet
solid
northern
flower
star
feed
917.
918.
919.
920.
921.
922.
923.
924.
925.
926.
927.
928.
929.
930.
931.
932.
933.
934.
935.
936.
937.
938.
939.
940.
941.
942.
943.
944.
945.
946.
947.
948.
949.
950.
951.
952.
953.
954.
955.
956.
957.
958.
959.
960.
961.
962.
963.
964.
965.
966.
967.
968.
969.
970.
971.
972.
wooden
sort
develop
shoulder
variety
season
share
jump
regular
represent
market
we’re
flew
finger
expect
army
cabin
camp
danger
purpose
breakfast
proper
coat
push
express
shot
angry
southern
dress
bag
proud
neck
breath
strength
member
twelve
mine
company
current
pound
valley
double
till
match
average
die
liquid
alive
stream
provide
drink
experience
future
tomorrow
drove
population
973. finish
974. station
975. shook
976. stage
977. oxygen
978. poem
979. solution
980. burn
981. cent
982. electricity
983. everybody
984. rate
985. dust
986. worth
987. community
988. captain
989. bus
990. protect
991. cook
992. raise
993. further
994. steam
995. guide
996. discover
997. plain
998. usual
999. seat
1000. accept
1001. police
1002. consider
1003. dozen
1004. baseball
1005. rubber
1006. symbol
1007. support
1008. exactly
1009. industry
1010. they’re
1011. beneath
1012. laugh
1013. groceries
1014. popular
1015. thank
1016. quarter
1017. climbed
1018. continue
1019. potatoes
1020. receive
1021. design
1022. president
1023. charge
1024. mistake
1025. hospital
1026. remain
1027. service
1028. increase
1029.
1030.
1031.
1032.
1033.
1034.
1035.
1036.
1037.
1038.
1039.
1040.
1041.
1042.
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1045.
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1073.
1074.
1075.
1076.
1077.
1078.
1079.
1080.
1081.
1082.
1083.
1084.
students
insects
address
sincerely
dollars
belong
bottle
flight
forget
bicycle
secret
soldier
silent
structure
height
observe
indicate
railroad
knife
married
suggested
entered
magazine
agree
fifty
escape
threw
planet
dangerous
event
leader
peace
spelling
chapter
swimming
opportunity
immediately
favorite
settled
telephone
repeat
prepare
instance
avenue
newspaper
actually
employee
review
convince
allowed
nobody
detail
muscles
model
climate
coffee
1085.
1086.
1087.
1088.
1089.
1090.
1091.
1092.
1093.
1094.
1095.
1096.
1097.
1098.
1099.
1100.
1101.
1102.
1103.
1104.
1105.
1106.
1107.
1108.
1109.
1110.
1111.
1112.
1113.
1114.
1115.
1116.
1117.
1118.
1119.
1120.
1121.
1122.
1123.
1124.
1125.
1126.
1127.
1128.
1129.
1130.
1131.
1132.
1133.
1134.
1135.
1136.
1137.
1138.
1139.
1140.
whenever
serious
angle
feather
determined
dictionary
ordinary
extra
rough
library
condition
arrived
located
program
pencil
tongue
title
enemy
garage
lose
vegetable
parents
style
education
required
political
daughter
individual
progress
altogether
activities
article
equipment
discuss
healthy
perfect
recognize
frequently
character
personal
disappear
success
traffic
yesterday
situation
realize
message
recently
account
physical
neighbor
excited
whisper
available
college
furniture
1141.
1142.
1143.
1144.
1145.
1146.
1147.
1148.
1149.
1150.
1151.
1152.
1153.
1154.
1155.
1156.
1157.
1158.
1159.
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1161.
1162.
1163.
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1165.
1166.
1167.
1168.
1169.
1170.
1171.
1172.
1173.
1174.
1175.
1176.
1177.
1178.
1179.
1180.
1181.
1182.
1183.
1184.
1185.
1186.
1187.
1188.
1189.
1190.
1191.
1192.
1193.
1194.
1195.
1196.
leather
husband
principal
medicine
excellent
operation
council
author
organize
concern
barbecue
accident
disease
construction
motor
affect
conversation
evidence
citizen
environment
influence
cancel
audience
apartment
worse
transportation
frozen
waste
couple
function
connect
project
pronounce
offered
apply
improve
stomach
collect
prevent
courage
occur
foreign
quality
terrible
instrument
balance
ability
arrange
rhythm
avoid
daily
identity
standard
combine
attached
frighten
1197.
1198.
1199.
1200.
social
factory
license
recommend
Assessment
Teachers assess students’ ability to recognize pattern they are learning rather than
their ability to memorize single words.
For example, a teacher might have students work with twenty words during a word
study cycle and then assess students on ten of the words. They also may include
other words on the assessment that follow the pattern. This enables the teacher to see
if students are able to transfer their knowledge of the pattern to an unknown word.
Vital Word assessments may be individualized. Teachers will use Vital Words (no
matter of where they fall in the list) when common patterns are studied in the
classroom. For example, a Kindergarten teacher may use Vital Word #989 bus when
studying the short u sound.
Test to Administer (optional for Kindergarten- Second Grade)
In order to assist in categorizing students’ spelling into the five developmental stages,
teachers may administer the following screener.
Directions: Call out each word; give the sentences provided; and call out the word
again. Explain that most words may be too difficult for most kindergarteners and first
graders to spell. What you want your students to do is invent the spelling or use their
best guess at what the spelling should be. Explain that this activity will not be graded
as right or wrong, but will be used to see how children think different words should be
spelled.
1. monster The boy was eaten by a monster.
2. united
We live in the United States of America.
3. dress
The girl wore a new dress.
4. bottom
A big fish lives at the bottom of the lake.
5. hiked
We hiked to the top of the mountain.
6. human
Miss Piggy is not a human.
7. eagle
An eagle is a powerful bird.
8. closed
The little girl closed the door.
9. bumped The car bumped into the bus.
10. type
Type a letter to your teacher.
Analyze the spellings. Read each developmental stage description and use the chart
for guidance.
Pre-communicative Stage:
This is the “babbling” stage of spelling. Children use letters for writing words, but
letters are strung together randomly. The letters do not correspond to sounds. Look
for the spellings such as osps for eagle or rtes for monster. This is level 1 writing.
Semi-Phonetic Stage:
Semi phonetic spellers know that letters represent sounds. They perceive and
reliably represent sounds with the letters in a type of writing. Spellings are often
abbreviated, representing initial or final sounds. For example, el for eagle or mtr for
monster. Only some of the semi phonetic spellings are represented in the table, as
there are many possibilities in this stage. This is level 2 writing.
Phonetic Stage:
Phonetic spellers spell words like they sound. The speller perceives and represents
all the phonemes in a word, though spellings may not be correct and lack
conventional patterns. For example, egl for eagle or bodm for bottom are good
examples of phonetic spelling. This is level 3 writing.
Transitional Stage:
Transitional spellers think about how words appear visually; a visual memory of
spelling patterns in apparent. Spellings exhibit conventions of English orthography,
such as vowels in every syllable, e-marker and vowel digraph patterns. Traditional
examples include egul for eagle and bottum for bottom. To distinguish between
phonetic spellings (influenced by sound) and transitional spellings (influenced by
visual conventions) ask the question: Was this word spelled like it sounds or is its
spelling similar to the visual spelling? This is level 4 writing.
Conventional Stage:
Conventional spellers develop over years of word study and writing. Conventional
spelling can be categorized by instructional levels; for example, correct spelling of
general commonly used words by third graders is the third grade level conventional
spelling.
Developmental Stage Examples
Word
1. monster
2. united
3. dress
4. bottom
5. hiked
6. human
7. eagle
8. closed
9. bumped
10. type
Precommunicative Semiphonetic
Phonetic
Transitional
Conventional
random letters
random letters
random letters
random letters
random letters
random letters
random letters
random letters
random letters
random letters
MOSTR
UNITD
JRAS
BODM
HIKD
HUMN
EGL
KLOSD
BOPT
TIP
MONSTUR
YOUNIGHTED
DRES
BOTTUM
HICKED
HUMUN
EGUL
CLOSSED
BUMPPED
TIPE
monster
united
dress
bottom
hiked
human
eagle
closed
bumped
type
MTR
U
JRS
BT
H
UM
EL
KD
B
TP
Instructional Resources
Creating Good Spellers
Effective teachers believe:
o Purposeful writing is the key to learning to
spell.
o Spelling should be taught in interaction
with reading, writing, and the other
language arts.
o Children learn to spell by inventing spelling.
o Too much focus on “correctness” is bad for
spelling.
o Spelling is a constructive developmental
process.
o Spelling is much too complex for and
involves thinking, not rote memorization.
Spel…s a Four Letter Word by J. Richard Gentry
Active Spelling Strategies
 Listen for the sounds in the word.
 Stretch the word out slowly to listen to the sounds.
 Close your eyes and think about what the word looks
like.
 Find the word… is it on the word wall or somewhere in
the classroom?
 Look in other places… textbook, dictionary.
 Underline the word parts in different colors.
 Make the word in different ways… on your paper, with
letter tiles, on the Smart Board
 Build upon known word parts… chunks (letter
patterns), prefixes, suffixes
 Look at the word… do you see little words inside of the
big word?
 Make a rhyming connection
 Build words from base words… back, quarterback,
backing, backward
 Move and spell… cheer, stomp, clap, or snap the word
 Conference with your teacher or a partner… is there a
word that you are having repeated trouble with?
Oral
Blending
Say word.
Say vowel sound.
Spell vowel sound.
Repeat word.
Spell word.
What to do if you can’t
spell a word….
GUESS
WRITE
put a line under the word or circle it for now
as much as you can by stretching it out
CLAP IT OUT
clap the beats, say it softly, then
write bit by bit
TRY SOME WAYS
ASK
write the word different ways
and look it over
someone to help you
LOOK IT UP
find a chart, list, book, or dictionary
Tricky Word Card
Tricky Word Card
What do you do when you come
to a word you don’t know?
What do you do when you come
to a word you don’t know?
Look at the picture.
Look at the picture.
Think about the story.
Think about the story.
Go back.
Go back.
Get your mouth ready.
Point and slide under the word.
Get your mouth ready.
Point and slide under the word.
Read to the end of the
sentence.
Read to the end of the
sentence.
Try a word.
Does it make sense?
Does it sound like language?
Do the letters match?
Try a word.
Does it make sense?
Does it sound like language?
Do the letters match?
Go on.
Go on.
Vowels
a apple
e elephant
o olives
u umbrella
i igloo
y my
y candy
Phonograms
ai rain
ay play
aw saw
au Paul
ee feet
ea eat
ea head
eigh sleigh
ew few/blew
igh night
ie pie
ie chief
oa boat
oi oil
oy boy
ou ouch
ow cow
ow snow
oo moon
oo book
ar
er
ir
or
ur
a-e
e-e
i-e
o-e
u-e
star
her
bird
corn
burn
oe toe
safe
these
pine
home
cute
Parent Communication
Traditionally in MISD, spelling is an area that parents care deeply about.
Meet the Teacher, Open House, classroom newsletters and class web
pages are excellent ways to communicate to parents about our word
study program. Be sure to explain how, why and what will be taught in
your class and include activities that parents can do at home to help with
their child’s progress. The Vital Word list is an excellent tool to hand
parents as they help their student with conventional spelling.
MISD Belief Statement
Students need time to learn about how words work so that they may decode as well
as encode written text. Word study and the active investigation of words (spelling) is
a complex, life-long process that must be mastered over time. The purpose of
learning about spelling is to develop ability in writing. Writing provides an authentic
purpose for learning about words and how to spell them. For students to become
proficient spellers focused, explicit instruction is required. Kindergarten through
Fifth Grade students are engaged in a variety of opportunities to manipulate words,
parts of words, finding connections in written word, and other engaging spelling
strategies that are embedded in word study, reading and writing.
Frequently asked questions/concerns:
Invented Spelling: We do NOT teach invented spelling. Invented
spelling is what young writers have historically done on their own in the
process of figuring out how written language works. Students who are
encouraged to use invented (temporary) spelling make generalizations
about words and patterns, write more, and write with more interesting or
advanced vocabulary, since they are not limited to words they know how
to spell.
Vital Words: Our standards are high and students are expected to
correctly spell a core set of high frequency “vital” words all the time and
in every class/subject. When students over rely on memorization, they
focus on learning individual words, failing to view spelling as a
conceptual language system with generalizations and patterns that can
be applied to unfamiliar words.
Lack of weekly spelling lists: If weekly spelling lists are not being used,
send home the high frequency “vital” words for students to practice
along with a letter of explanation. Also, student personal word lists from
their writing should be included. Share editing and revising expectations
with parents and send home writing samples. Students need to be
taught how to proofread their writing, how to find words they do not know
how to spell, and the choose words they think would be useful for future
writing. Parents, as well as teachers, can help them with this and guide
them to make wise choices.
Other ideas for Parents:
 Read Aloud, Write Aloud and Edit/Revise Aloud
 Talk about words and demonstrate fascination with words. Have a
“vocabulary night” once a week. Dinner conversation focuses on
talk about interesting words and the dictionary comes to dinner.
 Praise your child’s invented spellings, and focus first on what the
child knows.
 Reinforce the strategies being taught in school.
 Encourage “real” writing at home: letters, notes, memos, lists,
birthday cards
 Play word games/Apps: Scrabble, Boggle, Pressed for Words, etc.
Glossary of Terms
affixes
analogy strategy
base word
blend
cloze strategy
compound word
digraph
diphthong
etymology
grapheme
homograph
homophone
Invented
(temporary)
spelling
morpheme
morphology
onset
orthography
palindrome
phoneme
phonemic
awareness
phonogram
prefix
A syllable or syllables added to the stem or base of a word to modify
the meaning (e.g., un-, re- ; -ly, -ment)
The use of known spelling patterns to spell unknown words (e.g. house
to spell mouse)
A word to which prefixes or suffixes are added
A written letter combination in which the sounds are blended and can
begin a word (e.g. blast)
In spelling, selectively leaving a space for letters that have been
misspelled or that provide spelling challenges (e.g. su_prise)
A word make up of two or more smaller words. There is a logical
connection between the two separate words and the new word (e.g.
basketball)
Two letters used together to spell a single sound (e.g. ch, th, sh, ph) In
phonics instruction, digraphs usually refer to consonants, but there are
also vowel digraphs (e.g. sauce, bread)
Two vowel sounds pronounced in one syllable.
Having to do with the origin and history of words
The smallest unit of written language that represents a sound in spelling
(e.g. c, k, ph, igh)
Words having the same spelling but different meanings (e.g. wind as in
air and wind as in to turn)
Words having the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins,
and sometimes spellings (e.g., horse/hoarse)
Spelling an unknown word as it sounds, or as the student thinks it
should be spelled
A meaningful linguistics unit consisting of a word, as man, or word
element as –ed in walked, that cannot be divided into smaller
meaningful parts
The branch of linguistics that deals with the study of word formations
The initial consonant sound in a single syllable or word (e.g. /s/. in sip;
/sl/ in slip)
The writing system of a language, particularly the correct sequence of
letters, characters, or symbols. In most instances, orthography refers to
the spelling system of the language
A word or phrase spelled the same way both backwards and forwards
(e.g., dad, mom, eye)
The smallest unit of speech that distinguishes one word from another
(e.g., the h of hack and t of tack)
Awareness of the sounds the make up words
A symbol representing a single speech sound, syllable or word. It is
sometimes used to describe the vowel and following consonant(s) in a
one-syllable word (e.g., -ast, ip, og)
A syllable or syllables added to the beginning of a word to change its
meaning (e.g. unlikely)
rhyme
rime
scaffolding
Schwa vowel
semantics
suffix
syllable juncture
syntax
word solving
word sort
Word or word segments that sound alike in the last part (e.g. light and
kite)
The vowel and any consonants within a syllable (e.g., ag in flag)
Instructional support to assist learners in acquiring new concepts
An unstressed vowel sound (e.g., about, circus, lemon)
The meaning of words and sentences
A syllable or syllables added to the end of a word to form another word
of a different meaning or function (e.g., goodness)
The transition from one syllable to the next. It often involves spelling
changes, such as the doubling of consonants or dropping the final e
(e.g., hop/hopping, hope/hoping)
In grammar, the way in which words are arranged to form sentences,
clauses, or phrases
Taking words apart while reading for meaning, and spelling words
while writing to communicate
The process of classifying words into appropriate categories.
Source: Scott, Ruth McQuirter, & Siamon, Sharon. (2004) Spelling: Connecting
the Pieces. Toronto, ON: Gage Learning Corporation
Sources:
Fountas, Irene, and Gay Su Pinnell. 2001. Guiding Readers and Writers Grades 3-6:
Teaching Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann
Gentry, J.R. 1987. Spel..Is a Four-Letter word. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann
Pinnell, Gay S., and Irene Fountas. 1998. Word Matters: Teaching Phonics and
Spelling in Reading and Writing Classrooms. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann
Scott, Ruth McQuirter, and Siamon Sharon, 2004, Spelling: Connecting the Pieces.
Gage Learning, Toronto, ON
Tomlinson, Carol Ann. 1999. The Differentiated Classrooms: Responding to the
Needs of All Learners. Alexandria, VA. Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.