…..
Just Reading
…..
It’s the fuel that
“drives” reading and
writing!
Just Reading
What is it?
A developmental, systematic, and integrated study of words and
structures at the learner’s instructional level that engages students in
hands-on, interactive learning that promotes critical thinking so
students can become “active word solvers.”
Word Word Study
Is...
Developmental
(distinct changes over time)
The understanding of word patterns
Word Study
Is Not…
A one size fits all
Memorizing spelling words
Systematic instruction
A random selection of words
(from a theme study)
Word analysis
An isolated program
Discovery and examination of words
Friday test day
Great Resources For Word Study!
Student of Darrell Morris
and Tom Gill!
Student of Darrell Morris
and Tom Gill!
Good spellers…..
•Look for patterns
•Look for word parts
•Try several ways to write a word
•Write sounds in words
•Write a vowel in each word and in each syllable
•Think about words that sound the same
•Think about words that look the same
•Check to see if words look right
•Think about what words mean
•Practice words without fear
•Use a dictionary to check
•Use a computer spell check
•LOOK for words in the classroom
What are the problems with traditional
spelling practices for students who are
average to poor spellers?
• Not connected to reading
• Some students cannot even
read the words!
• Too easy for some students
• NO TRANSFER TO WRITING
•No individualization for such diversity
Accuracy
+
Fluency
Comprehension
Spelling Accuracy
+
Correct Spelling Fluency
Ability to focus on mechanics,
word choice & creativity
WORD STUDY
When are we word learners?
•When we use strategies to decode unknown
words.
• When we practice or study words that are hard
for us.
• When we can figure out a word out by ourselves
• When we can read words without thinking
• When we wonder what a word means.
• When we read, hear, and discuss new words
• When we learn how word origins assist meaning
While writing and we have to stop to think about
how to spell a word.
• When we read our writing to determine if it makes
sense.
• When we practice or study words that are hard
for us.
• When we start using new words in our writing
we’ve heard or read
• When write words intentionally to create visual images in
the minds of those who read our writing.
•
No gas…No driving!
No WORD STUDY…
No accelerated progress in READING and
WRITING!
WORD
STUDY
Word
Study
Simple Truths To Hard Problems!
1. Your working knowledge of how letters work in words
defines what level of material you can reading with fluency
and comprehend.
2. Word Work instruction is important, but it must be not too hard
or too easy, but at the instructional level.
3. You learn how letters work in words by reading relatively easy
material and by writing without fear!
4. Your working knowledge of how letters work in words defines
how freely you can write.
5. Literacy attainment is a developmental process.
6. The stages are UNIVERSAL, but the SPEED and EASE of
development are particular to the individual.
Dipthongs
systematic
spelling
inventory
stages
Vocabulary Associated
With
Word Study
orthographic
Blends
Diagraphs
Trigraphs
Greek
&
Latin Roots
pattern
The Orthographic Structure of
Written Words
Alphabet
Pattern
Meaning
Direct sound-letter
relationship
Patterns across syllables
sounds/patterns within a
syllable
Units of letters represent
meaning: prefixes,
suffixes, Greek/Latin roots
Developmental Spelling
Stages
What we understand….
We never forget.
What does this statement have
to do with word study?
1.Emergent Stage
Characteristics
• Scribbles at beginning
• Neglect to use correct
• sound-symbol relationships
• Tend to represent
• dominant sounds with
• a single letter
• Have an incomplete
• knowledge of
• alphabet
• begin to see evidence of letter
sound knowledge in writing at
the very end of this stage.
Word Study Focus
Strategies
• Rhyming pairs
• create ABC books that are
• Read ABC chart chorally, and in
a variety of ways (consonants,
vowels, every other letter, tune
to familiar songs)
• Read ABC books pointing
correctly
• Develop knowledge for how to
form letters and gain fluency in
path of movement
• Sort letters according to
distinguishable features
• Match picture to beginning
consonants
• Sort pictures for same ending
sound
• Short vowel word sorts
a i o u e sequence
ongoing as letters are learned
• Beginning consonants
• Ending consonants
• Matching pictures to
• sounds
• Rhyming pairs
• Various fonts
• Short vowel word
• families
2. Letter Name- Alphabetic Stage
Characteristics
• Apply the alphabet using the
letter names to spell sounds they
hear
• Spell phonemically; represent
dominant sounds and beginning
consonants
• Omit most silent letters
Focus
• Firm up alphabet
• Blends
• Diagraphs
• Same vowel word families
• All short vowels mixed
• Mixed vowel word families
a i o u e sequence
I have a goldfish named Annie.
Strategies
• Categorize letters by vowels
and consonants
• Write upper and lower case
letters correctly and fluently
• Build, break, and reassemble
high frequency words in a left to
right order
•Write high frequency words in a
personal dictionary or word
journal
• Break words letter by letter and
rebuild
• Build CVC words
• Build CVCe including blends
and diagraphs
3. Within Word Pattern Stage
Characteristics
Focus
Strategies
• Correctly spell most singlesyllable, short vowel words,
beginning consonant
diagraphs, and 2-letter
blends
• “use but confuse” long
vowel patterns
• Spell high fequency words
from memor
• Shift to long vowels
CVCe
• Common long vowel
patterns
• r-controlled vowel patterns
•Dipthongs and vowel
diagraphs
• Inflectional endings (ed,
ing, s, es)
• Contractions
• Build, break, and reassemble grade
level high frequency words
• Spell more high frequency words from
memory with fluency
• Build, sort, and write words with long
vowel patterns, r-controlled patterns,
inflectional endings
• Use known patterns from past or high
frequency words to spell unknown
words
• Break words into syllables
I will be happy when school is out.
I like to play with my friends in the summer.
That’s lots of fun.
4. Syllables and Affixes Stage
Characteristics
• Connect word knowledge with
vocabulary growth
• Correctly spell most single
syllable, short vowel, and long
vowel words
• Correctly spell most high
frequency words
• Make errors at syllable juncture
points
Focus
• Complex word patterns (vowel
pairs)
• Compound words
• Firm up inflectional endings
• Open/closed syllables
• Prefixes
• Suffixes
• Homophones
• Doubling consonants
• Form comparatives
(er, est)
Strategies
• Sort, build, and spell words from
word study focus
• Firm up high frequency words
spelled consistently incorrectly
• Build and sort 2-syllable words
•Break words at syllable junctures
• Use base word knowledge to
build and write unknown words
• doubling consonants, er, est, y
to I rules
5. Derivational Relations Stage
Characteristics
• Connect word knowledge with
vocabulary growth
• Spell most words correctly
• Make errors on low-frequency,
multi-syllabic words
• Make errors on words from
Greek and Latin origins
Focus
• Prefixes
• Suffixes
• Greek and Latin roots
Strategies
• Build, sort, and spell words
from word study focus
• Build grade-level appropriate
irregularly spelled words
• Write grade level high
frequency words with fluency
• Build base words
• Form generalizations about
word meanings
• Use meaning as the basis for
building new words
• Continue to use known
complex word patterns to write
multi-syllabic words with
fluency
What diagnostic information is
necessary to plan for students?
The spelling inventories we are using today came
from the Words Their Way Series.
Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton, & Johnston, 2008
What is a spelling inventory?
A designed list of words that contain easier to harder features in word structure. It is used to
assess what students know about the logic of how words work.
Spelling words are NOT taught ahead of
time. This process must be PURE to
determine their “hypothesis” and wordlevel consciousness.
Five words are given in the kindergarten
spelling inventory, and students are guided to stretch
out the sounds they hear.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
fan
pet
dig
rob
Say the word.
Give a sentence.
Say the word again.
hope
to
top
ld
lid
wc
wag
bt
r
bet
run
STUDENT KNOWS:
This student is able to pull
sounds apart in words and write
many of them.
NEXT STEP:
- Firm up letter/sound
correspondences
- Firm up in phonemic
awareness
…segmenting all sounds in
words
PreK and Kindergarten Scoring Guide
2
2
1
2
1
Student Names
Amy Hodges
Ella Stansburry
Reedy Jennings
Israel Boone
Abby Dotson
Audrey Holland
Start instruction where the
student misses 2 or more of the
assessed features.
Just Reading
Primary Spelling Inventory
Primary Spelling Inventory
K
1st
2nd
3rd
BOY
5
15
26
26
MOY
5
26
26
26
EOY
15
26
26
26
Number of words to be spelled for spelling inventory
.
The primary spelling inventory is designed for students in
1st through 3rd grades.
Here is an example
spelling inventory
that a student
completed.
Say the word.
Give a sentence.
Say the word again.
Look on the primary feature guide
in your packet to see the features
we assess.
• Initial and final consonants
• Short vowels
• Digraphs (sh, ch, th, etc.)
• Blends (sl, st, dr, bl, etc.)
• Long vowel patterns
• Other long vowels (ew, aw, or, ou)
• Inflectional endings (ed, ing, es, ies,
consonant doubling)
Primary Spelling Inventory Sample
.
Short Vowel Deficits
pat pot
dag dig
gam gum
If a feature is absent from a student’s work, ask
yourself…
“What is their hypothesis of word?”
“What are they using, but confusing?”
Primary Spelling Inventory Sample
Long Vowel Deficits
wat
shin
dreem
wait
shine
dream
Primary Spelling Inventory
Feature Guide
•Fill out the correct features with a check mark or
highlighter.
•Leave incorrect features blank.
•Total each line’s feature points.
•Give 1 point for correct spelling; leave blank if
incorrect.
•Total columns all the way down.
•Look for the column with 2 or more errors. Go to the
very top. Circle the stage at the top of the column.
Start instruction where the
student misses 2 or more of the
assessed features.
Just Reading
Elementary Spelling Inventory
Elementary Spelling Inventory
1st
2nd
3rd
BOY
25
25
25
MOY
25
25
25
EOY
25
25
25
Number of words to be spelled for spelling
inventory.
If they spell 20 + words correctly, give UPPER
LEVEL SPELLING INVENTORY.
Elementary Spelling Inventory
•Long Vowel Deficit
•Other Vowel Deficits
(r-controlled, dipthongs)
•Inflectional Ending Deficit
flowt
float
tran
train
diver
drive
Start instruction where the
student misses 2 or more of the
assessed features.
Just Reading
Now…You Do It!
• Using the blank feature guide, evaluate
one student’s spelling inventory.
• Work with a partner!
Primary Spelling Inventory
Feature Guide
•Fill out the correct features with a check mark or
highlighter.
•Leave incorrect features blank.
•Total each line’s feature points.
•Give 1 point for correct spelling; leave blank if
incorrect.
•Total columns all the way down.
•Look for the column with 2 or more errors. Go
to the very top. Circle the stage at the top of the
column.
Timer
Discuss the spelling inventories.
•What does this student understand?
•What does this student “use but confuse”?
•Where would word study instruction begin
for this student?
Consolidate all of your students’ results to form
instructional groups. This should mirror your guided
reading groups. Be prepared to monitor
change over time.
Teacher-Directed
Spelling Strategies
Rule:
It must…
”look alike
and sound
alike.”
Word Building
Can use……
Scissors and cut photocopied letters
Magnetic letters
Letter tiles
White Board Spell & Sort
it
ight
bit
light
hit
bright
split
slight
Computer-based Interactive Sorting
MEMORY DEVICES help students remember spellings
of words. This research-supported technique works
especially well with English language learners and
special needs students.
all right – Two words. Associate with all wrong.
friend – Friends till the end.
hear – I hear with my ear.
there – Is it here or there?
potatoes – Potatoes have eyes and toes.
separate – There is a rat in separate.
together – to + get + her
arithmetic – A rat in Tom’s house might eat Tom’s ice
cream.
family – Father and Mother, I love you.
Word Study
Notebook
Independent Spelling Activities
•Cut ‘N Sort (keep in ziploc for the week)
•Buddy Sort with sand timer
•Spelling Tic-Tac-Toe
•Spelling Concentration with Tic-Tac-Toe Board
•White Board Spell Sort
•Be the teacher…Flash Cards
•Fun ways to write….rainbow write, lima beans, letter tiles, magnetic letters, stamp
words (only if stamps are organized for easy assess)
• Practice test…white boards or paper
Build it Again
in Centers!
Can use……
Scissors and cut photocopied letters
Magnetic letters
Letter tiles
Speed Sort with Sand Timer
Board Games
Partner Spelling Test
How Do I Get Started?
Gradual Release Model
• Research based on Pearson and Gallagher (1983),
Debbie Miller (2002), and Jeffrey Wilhelm (2001)
• Modeling
– I do, You Watch
• Guided Practice
– I do, You help
• Independent Practice
– You do, I help
• Application
– You do, I watch
Remember 40 – 30 – 20 – 10!
• Everyday children should spend…
– 40% time reading (not visiting; TIME IN TEXT)
– 30% time writing authentically (pure)
– 20% time in differentiated word work
– 10% time in listening to text
– Children should spend a minimum of 90 minutes per day reading
in school. Instruction is in addition to those 90 minutes.
» Richard Allington
A Literacy Block Schedule That
Reflects 40 – 30 – 20 – 10!
150 minutes: 2 ½ hour Literacy Block
Monday
8:30-10:00
a.m.
Whole Group
CAFÉ
Individual
Conferencing
10:0010:15 a.m.
10:15–
11:00 a.m.
Tuesday
Whole
Group
CAFÉ
Wednesday
Whole Group
CAFÉ
Thursday
Whole
Group
CAFÉ
Guided Reading Groups
(Word Work)
Daily 5 Independent Activities
(Word Work)
Friday
Whole Group
CAFÉ
Individual
Conferencing
Word Work
Whole
Word
Work
Group
Word
Work
Word
Work
Word Work
Writer’s
Workshop
Writer’s
Workshop
Writer’s
Workshop
Writer’s
Workshop
Writer’s
Workshop
This Summer…
• Work out a schedule.
• Organize teacher word study materials.
• Copy student sorts ahead of time and
organize.
• Think about 6 to 7 “general routine,”
hands-on activities you want students to
be able to do INDEPENDENTLY in word
study center without your assistance when
guided reading and conferencing begins.
How Will I Differentiate and Keep
My Sanity?
•
•
•
•
•
Have a literacy block schedule that allows only for the acceleration of
literacy by using the 40 – 30 – 20 – 10 model!
Prepare teacher materials this summer and organize systematically.
Prepare student sheets this summer and organize systematically.
Prepare a Word Study assessment binder where you can insert “pure”
writing samples in monthly. Be able to prove growth over time
systematically.
Never work harder than your students!
– What 6 “in the head” strategies will you teach them to do with their patterns?
– Know that time spent should be on analyzing their “natural writing” and preparing
for instruction…”Cuteness never raises student achievement.”
– Jump into Word Study rather than continuing traditional spelling practices. If you
do BOTH, you will be working harder than your students.
– Know that you are smarter than the basal authors, and that you are in the expert
who knows what your readers and writers need!!
Lastly…we are happy to
help you!
Contact Info:
LaDonna Boone
boonel@jcschools.org
Contact either of your
literacy partners if you
need assistance this year
with word study!
Contact Info:
JoDee Dotson
dotsonj@jcschools.org