What is Working with Words?
“Teachers are focused primarily on systematically teaching children the
skills they need to read individual words.” (Erickson & Koppenhaver,
2007).
Erickson, K., & Koppenhaver, D. (2007). Children with disabilities: reading and writing the four-blocks way. Greensboro, NC: Carson-Dellosa
Publishing Company, Inc.
Why is WWW important?
The Working with Words block allows students to:
• learn to read and spell high frequency words
• learn patterns used to decode and spell lots of other words
• transfer word knowledge to own reading and writing
• become fluent, successful and read words with comprehension
• help student understand how words work
Working with Words Stages
The Working with Words block has 2 stages:
• word wall – 10 minutes
• phonics and spelling – 20 minutes
Word Wall
Learning-the-Word activities can include:
• each week the teacher selects 5 new words to learn putting words in sentence:
• spelling words
• clapping
• chanting
• word jumble
• alphabetical ordering
• word shapes
On-the-Back Activities
• as students become proficient, On-the Back Word Wall activities can be completed:
• add endings to word wall words
• put words into sentences
Phonics and Spelling
This part of Working With Words is usually 20-25 minutes. In this time students are learning
how to decode and spell new words. Emergent learning can use this time to learn the
alphabet.
Types of spelling and decoding activities:
• rounding Up-the-‘Rhymes
• making Words
• guess the covered word
• using Words-You-Know
• reading/writing rhymes
Alphabet Activities:
• alphabet books
• alphabet songs
• alphabet word sports
• alphabet picture sorts
References
All information in this presentation has been sourced from:
• Cunningham, P. M., Hall, D. P., & Sigmon, C. M. (1999). The teacher’s guide
to the four blocks. Greensboro, NC: Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company,
Inc.
• Erickson, K., & Koppenhaver, D. (2007). Children with disabilities: reading
and writing the four-blocks way. Greensboro, NC: Carson-Dellosa Publishing
Company, Inc.