The Wonderful World of Word Study

1. The Wonderful World of Word Study Washington Township Public Schools

2. Stages ofSpelling Development

3. Stage I: Emergent Spelling • Includes the writing attempts of children who are not yet reading; • Pretend writing with scribbles or random marks; • No relationship between the letters used and the sounds represented;

4. Stage II: Letter Name Spelling • Rely on the names of letters to spell words • Spellers seek out the letter name that most closely matches the sound they are trying to reproduce • Initial and final consonants; initial and final consonant blends and digraphs; short vowels

5. Stage III: Within Word Pattern Spelling • Learners at this stage are able to chunk parts of words and process them in a more automatic fashion • Vowel-consonant-e, R-controlled vowel patterns, other common long vowels, complex consonant patterns, and abstract vowels

6. Stage IV: Syllable Juncture Spelling • Spellers at this stage use most vowel patterns in single-syllable words correctly • Polysyllabic words become the instructional focus • Doubling and e-drop with -ed and -ing endings; other doubling at the syllable juncture; long vowel patterns and r-controlled vowels in the stressed syllable

7. Stage V: Derivation Constancy Spelling • Last stage of development and one that continues through adulthood • Words at this stage are related and derive from the same root • Students learn to preserve the meaning units of derivationally related words (music / musician)

8. Feature Inventory • Administer Feature A for Within Word • Score Feature A

9. Feature Inventory • Determine a student’s Stage Score using the Feature Inventory • Count the number of correctly spelled words (those with a score of 2) • Stage scores cannot exceed 25, since there are only 25 words • Observe student’s performance

10. Feature Inventory

11. Analyzing Feature Performance • Each stage contains 5 features (Each feature contains many patterns.) • Identify the five words on the inventory for a specific feature • Count the number of words in this feature with a score of 1 or 2 • Record the results at the bottom of the answer sheet • Continue the process for all five features on the stage inventory

12. ~ Recording Results ~The Class Record • Arranging the papers – all students in WW Stage get grouped together, etc… • Entering the names – Start with DC spellers and enter their names down the left side of the class record. Continue with SJ, WW, and then LN. • Recording the stage scores – Transfer each student’s stage scores to the appropriate columns of the chart. Some student’s stage score space will be blank at this time. • Determining a total inventory score – Stage scores are needed for all four stages in order to ascertain the total inventory score. To obtain stage scores for lists that were not dictated, do the following: Assume a stage score of 25 for all stages preceding one with an achieved score of 20 or greater. Assume a stage score of 0 for all stages following one with an achieved score of 11 or less. Total inventory scores will range from 1 to 100.

13. Class Record

14. Class Record

15. ~ Recording Results ~The Student Profile • Used as a long-term record of individual student performance. • The profile highlights word knowledge at three different levels – the feature, the stage and the total inventory. • The directions for completing the Class Record apply to filling out the student profile.

16. StudentProfile

17. Classroom Management • You will most likely have 3 groups in your class (DC, SJ, and WW). • You will need three different sorts – one each for DC, SJ, and WW. • One group may be so large that you may have to break it up into two smaller groups. • You now have to meet with 4 groups (DC, 2 SJ, and WW). • Name your groups (Ex: Dynamos, Supers 1 & 2, Wonders)

18. Classroom Management • Meet with a group during word study work time or any other time during the day when possible such as a work period for students. • Teach words to a group using a type of sort such as closed, open, blind, writing, speed, or concept.

19. Word Sorts • Closed Sort – word sort that relies on predetermined categories for classifying words • Open Sort – a categorizing of words or pictures according to a student’s own judgment • Blind Sort – students are not allowed to see the words they are sorting but must depend on sound and their knowledge of the associated pattern to determine word placement • Writing Sort – words are written down on paper under appropriate categories, headed by key words. This is usually done independently or in a small group • Speed Sort – word or picture sorts intended to help students internalize spelling patterns through repeated, timed trials; sorting of the features becomes automatic

20. Classroom Management • Word Study is not a Monday to Friday program. • Students may be working on their words for 2-3 weeks. • During these 2-3 weeks, you need to meet with each group (DC, SJ, WW) a minimum of 2 times – once to teach the words and once to assess the students. • Consider meeting with one group a day while the other groups rotate through word study related stations. • Teach students various activities to practice words.