Download what is a word study?

WORDS THEIR WAY - WORD STUDY
This word study approach allows students to learn their words at
their individual level of instruction and teaches them how words
work. It is a new approach to teaching spelling. Each week begins
with a word sort focus in which students will learn to sort, compare
and contrast word features in each category, make discoveries,
become more fluent readers, and increase their vocabulary through
word meanings. It's only natural that their comprehension will
increase as a result of this program.
WHAT IS A WORD STUDY?
Word study is just what it sounds like – a study of words. Students
are assessed throughout the year and placed into small groups
based on their current spelling ability. Students move through
weekly word study patterns and activities during the week with a
word sort test on Fridays. Student lists will be on a word study
PATTERN (example – short a, short e, blends, suffixes). The quiz
on Fridays will be on the pattern from that week with about 15
words being called aloud as student write them and an additional 3
words that fit the pattern but might not have been on the list.
WHY A "WORD STUDY" INSTEAD OF A
"TRADITIONAL" SPELLING PROGRAM?
Research studies clearly indicate that memorization of lists of
"spelling words" does not promote the development of spelling
skills. In the past when we’ve used this traditional approach of
"everyone gets the same weekly list and test on Friday", many
students who received a 100% on their spelling test could not spell
most of the words in their writing! Memorizing a list of words and
getting 100% on weekly tests does not necessarily mean a child is
a good speller. It may just mean they are good at memorizing
words for a test.
WHAT ARE THE STUDENTS DOING IN CLASS?
Students will compare and contrast words by sound to categorize
similar sounds. This helps them associate certain sounds with
letters, syllable patterns, and spelling conventions. Spelling
patterns help students to recognize similar patterns in related words
in their reading. This increases their ability to identify and
understand more complex words in their independent reading.
Students learn to categorize words and word parts by meaning and
parts of speech
WHAT DOES THE HOMEWORK LOOK LIKE?
Words (on colored paper) will be sent home on Mondays. Here are
some suggestions for practicing the words at home. Nothing needs
to be returned to school.
1. Cut and sort by the vowel sounds and spelling patterns. Use the bold
patterns as column headers (example: short i sound vs. short a sound).
Have your child explain read and sound out the words and explain why
they put the words in each column. We do this in class on Mondays so
they should be able to teach you at home.
2. Sort and write by spelling patterns. Have you child pile the words
together, sort them, and then write the words by pattern on a paper or
home notebook.
3. Hunt for these spelling words in books/ children’s magazines….Find
books your child can read by themselves. Ask the to use the “five finger
rule” (a book they can read any give page without getting stuck more
than five times) to find a book to use. Your child will find words that fit
the different spelling patterns and list them. Check the words to make
sure they follow the same sound and spelling patterns.
Example:
Pattern: short ar sound as in “shark” ….found words: charm, bark, mark
*if you child picks a word that doesn’t follow the sound pattern--like
“bare” have them make sure it has the same short “ar” sound as the
words they have for the spelling list….
4. Speed sort the words. Your child scrambles the word and then you
time them for how fast they can sort them and then read them out loud to
check.
5. Memory: your child flips the word over and tries to find words that
match the same pattern. Make them spell the word out loud after they
put them in a match pile upside down
6. Go Fish: players ask for specific words and have to spell them to get
them from other players
7. Make sentences or even stories using as many of the words as
possible!
****The stress is on understanding the connection between sound and
pattern instead of just memorizing the words. Students should
understand the meanings of the words as well! Keep the words after
each week in a cumulative bag. Use these for review and for more game
cards. Make up your own games with you child!!!
This is new for all of us. If you have questions let me know and I will try
to answer them. We are excited to get started with this new program.
Thanks for your support in advance,
Kristen Nellas