LLED 6010 module 3: Phonics

1. LLED 6010module 3: Phonics Paige Cole, Michele Lindsay, Elizabeth Sears, Stephanie Shumacher

2. Lesson Plan Word Sorts for Beginning and Struggling Readers http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/word-sorts-beginning-struggling-795.html This lesson provides a framework for introducing students to short-vowel word families. Focusing first on the a , students work together and individually to learn the word families –at, –an, –ap, and –ack. Teacher modeling is used to introduce the word sort, inviting students to compare, contrast, and reflect on these four word families. Students then work with a partner to practice sorting and reading words with increased speed and accuracy. As their skills and confidence improve, students are asked to sort, read, and write words individually. These lessons can also be adapted to teach other short-vowel word families.

3. Day 1: Introduction • Read the book “The Magic Hat” by Mem Fox • Show students how to sort word cards into groups based on the short a • Allow students the opportunity to read, blend, and sort cards • End Session 1 by reiterating that students have learned four word families: –at, –an, –ap, and –ack.

4. Day 2: Group Work • Remind students that they learned four word families • Put students in pairs and have them sort one of the families into groups • Have students share their work with the class and talk about how one word family differs from the others

5. Day 3: Individual Work • Give students one family of words • Students work alone to practice sorting with speed and accuracy • They should practice reading the words in each group and then mix them up and try to sort them at a quicker pace

6. Day 4: Computer Lab • Take class to the computer lab to practice word sorts (using the online source the lesson provides) • Students can practice speed and accuracy and practice then read their word lists • Word lists can be printed for later use

7. Day 5: Assessment • Two Options: • Students complete a spelling check sheet using words from the book and that they have been sorting each day • Students dictate entire sentences from the book

8. Extensions • While reading from books, magazines, and other instructional level texts, ask students to be on the lookout for words from the four word families and to add them to their word journals. • Make copies of reproducible decodable books for students to read. Have students circle the word families they know. ReadingA–Z.com has several free samples of reproducible books containing words in the short a family, including Nap in a Pan and The Rats. The story Zac the Rat on Starfall.com may also be used, in addition to the online activities for the –anand –atword families. • Copy a blank Bingo game worksheet and create a word family game for students to play together or with you. Develop several Bingo cards by randomly placing 12 words from the word families students have been sorting. As you call out the words, students can mark their cards. The winner can be asked to read the words aloud. • Adapt and repeat this lesson to introduce students to other short-vowel word families. The online Word Family Sort includes sorting exercises for all five vowels.

9. Rationale for Choosing the Lesson • The lesson plan came from a reputable site associated with NCTE and IRA. • Word sorts are useful in that they can be adjusted to meet the needs of diverse, multi-leveled learners within one classroom. • This particular lesson plan is balanced, flexible, blends some of the best practices over five sessions with students, and sets them up for success with a gradual release model. • The word sort is not a phonics activity done in isolation but can be embedded within the context of a children’s book, assigned reading, or a range of other literacy oriented classroom practices. • It incorporates elements that appeal to visual, tactile, and auditory learning styles. • It combines the better parts of phonics instruction through the embedded and analogy-based phonics instruction discussed in Chapter 2 of The Essentials of Teaching Children to Read.

10. Now It is Your Turn! • Please use the cards provided to sort the cards however you and your group want • This is an open sort so there are no rules on how the cards should be sorted!