Words Their Way
Word Study Program for
Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction
Words Their Way has evolved from decades of research exploring the developmental aspect
of word knowledge with children and adults.
Teresa West
Lake Orion Community Schools
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Purpose of Word Study
 Students are explicitly taught the necessary phonics,
vocabulary, and spelling skills to become proficient readers,
writers, and spellers.
 Words Their Way provides opportunities to discover
patterns, manipulate word concepts, and/or apply critical
thinking skills.
 Students work at their own developmental level.
Purpose of Word Study (Con’t)
Students will…
1. develop a general knowledge of English spelling.
Students learn to explore words and develop
generalizations about English spelling.
2.learn the regularities, patterns, and conventions needed
to read and spell.
3.develop increased knowledge of word- spellings and meanings.
Why is Word Study Important?
Research says that students do not generally retain the correct
spelling of words when their purpose for spelling is just to spell the
words correctly for an assessment; therefore, Words Their Way
focuses on patterns and rules as well. If they learn correct phonetic,
vocabulary, and spelling patterns and rules, they can use that
information and apply it to many words in their reading and writing.
“Becoming fully literate is absolutely dependent on fast, accurate
recognition of words and their meanings in texts and fast, accurate
production of words in writing so that readers and writers can focus
their attention on making meaning. Understanding of phonics and
spelling patterns, high-frequency-word recognition, decoding
strategies, and insight into word meanings are among the attributes
that form the basis of written word knowledge.” (WTW, p.3)
Developmental Stages
Emergent Spellers: (Ages: 1-7; pre-K to mid-1)
Students spell their words with random marks, representational drawing, mock
linear or letter like writing, random letters and numbers.
Letter Name Spellers: (Ages: 4-9; K to early 3rd)
Students generally spell their words with initial and final consonants and some
vowels.
Within Word Spellers: (Ages: 6-12; 1 to mid-4)
Students spell their words with initial and final consonants, and with some blends
and digraphs. In addition, they use some long and short vowel letter combinations.
Syllables & Affixes Spellers: (Ages: 8-18; 3rd to 8th)
Students are able to spell some words that include consonant doubling, common
suffixes, and past tense endings.
Derivational Relations Spellers: (Ages: 10+; 5-12)
Students begin making connections between spelling and meaning. The begin
learning internal morphology in syllables (bases and roots) as well as prefixes.
Words Their Way Inventories
Each student will be placed in the correct developmental stage group based on his or her
Words Their Way Inventory. An inventory tells teachers two things. First, it tells the
teachers what each student knows. Secondly, it tells teachers what he or she needs to teach
to his or her students.
Words Their Way Inventories:
Key Points:
 Students must generate a number of errors for you to determine a spelling stage.
 The validity for the inventories has been established using the California Standard Tests
for English Language Arts.
Spelling Inventories
Grade Range
Developmental Range
Primary Spelling Inventory
(PSI) pg. 315
Elementary Spelling Inventory
(ESI) pg. 319
Upper Spelling Inventory
(USI) pg. 322
K-3
Emergent to Late Within
Word Patterns
Letter Name to Early
Derivational Relations
Within Word Pattern to
Derivational Relations
1-6
5-12
Administration of Inventories
Teachers use the appropriate word list (grade
level/developmental level) to administer the inventory.
Key Points:
 Students must generate a number of errors in order to
determine a Words Their Way developmental stage.
 The validity for the inventories has been established using
the California Standard Tests for English Languages Arts.
If the protocol is changed, the findings are invalid.
Scoring of Inventories
The inventories are score by hand using the appropriate
feature guide.
The words are scored by checking off
the features spelled/identified correctly.
Students will be reassessed using the
Primary Spelling Inventory (lower level) or
Upper Level Spelling (higher level) Inventory, if needed.
This student was reassessed using
the Primary Spelling Inventory
because he missed 5 words in a row.
This student was reassessed using
the Upper Level Spelling Inventory
because he spelled 20+ words correct.
Interpreting Inventories/Grouping
(WTW, pg. 313)
1. Look down each feature column to determine instructional needs.
2. Note where students make 2 or more errors under the stages listed in
the shaded box at the top of the Feature Guide. Circle this stage.
These students need additional instruction. Therefore, that is the
developmental group the student should be placed in for instruction.
Letter Name & Within Word
Vocabulary Development
Students are introduced to high frequency words, homophones, homonyms,
and contractions.
high frequency words: words most commonly used in the English language
homophones: 2 or more words that sound the same but are spelled differently
Ex. great / grate
homonyms: 2 or more words that are spelled the same and may or may not
sound the same but have more than one meaning.
Ex. bat: an animal & bat: an object used to hit a baseball
wind: breeze & wind: bend or turn
contractions: a combination of two words using an apostrophe
Ex. don’t = do not
Syllables & Affixes & Derivational
Vocabulary Development
Students are introduced to prefixes and suffixes that change the meaning
of the base words.
prefix: an affix or chunk added to the beginning of a base word
Ex. pre- means “before”
re- means “to do again”
suffix: an affix or chunk added to the end of the base word
Ex. –ed makes a verb past tense
Ex. -er/-est changes an adjective into a comparative adjective
Ex. -s or –es changes a singular noun into a plural noun
One Week At A Glance
• I pull my groups
starting at 9:05am
– during their
morning work time.
It takes me about
10 - 25 minutes to
get through 3
groups, depending
on the lessons.
* The number of
sorts/activities will
vary based on the
sort for the week.
•
•
•
•
•
Day
Day
Day
Day
Day
1
2
3
4
5
–
–
–
–
–
Discovery Day/Open Sort
Teaching Day
Teaching Day
Review/Games
Assessment
Day 1 – Open Sort
•
Students receive two copies of
their word list; one for home, one
for their notebooks.
•
Sometimes I meet to read the
words out loud, sometimes I do not.
•
Students work independently to
sort their words.
o 2 or more categories is required
Open Sort Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm6Td
lUFiw0&feature=youtu.be
This video shows Gretchen’s group
meeting to go over their open sorts. Then,
Gretchen works on assigning a pattern sort
and breaking it into another undetermined
sort based on their discovery.
Day 2 – Teaching Day
•
Meet with groups and share how
students sorted their words.
•
•
Lead students to discover the
focus of the sort (pattern,
sound, pattern & sound, rules,
accented/unaccented syllables,
etc.).
Assign closed sort
Day 3 Teaching Day
•
•
•
Review previous day’s sort with
students.
Discuss additional focus/sort
and assign sort/activity
(vocabulary, parts of speech,
etc.).
Always check the end of the
sort, there are often.
challenge/extend options for
words
Teaching Day 2 or 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upGAg
Uk6N-A&feature=youtu.be
The video shows Gretchen meeting with
her students the next day to review the
previous day’s work. They clearly did not
get what she was hoping they would
discover (which was ok), so she lead them
into another sort assignment for the day.
Day 4-Review Day
•
•
•
Review previous day’s sort/activity
Review assessment focus
Assign game/activity – specific games are often listed in the sort book
o Word Battleship, Boggle, Making Words
Day 5-Assessment
• Assessment option 1
o
o
Spelling Score
Pattern Score
• Assessment option 2
o
o
Spelling Score
Pattern Score
Two Weeks at a Glance
Note: The number of activities and lessons varies based
on the patterns, features, or rules being studied.
Day 1–Discovery Day/Open Sort
Day 2/3–Teaching Days–Closed Sorts
Day 4/5–Teaching Days-Another Sort, a Hunt or a
Vocabulary Activity
Day 6–Teaching Day-Connecting Word Study and
Writing
Day 7/8-Review for Assessment/Game Day
Day 9/10–Assessments
Day 1: Discovery Day
•An open sort is completed independently or in
partnerships.
•The purpose of an open sort is for students to think
critically about their words and discover commonalities.
•Students share sorts and we discuss discoveries.
•Students’ sorts have to have two or more categories
•and every word on the list has to fit into the
•categories created.
•I made a template that I use for all of my groups.
•(See sample page.)
Open Sort-What do you think our pattern or feature is this week?
•Are we sorting by the number of letters in each word?
•Are we sorting by a sound pattern?
•Are we sorting by parts of speech (noun, verb, adj.)?
•Are we sorting by syllables?
Name __________________________________________#____________Date___________ Score__________
CATEGORY:
CATEGORY:
CATEGORY:
CATEGORY:
CATEGORY:
Day 2/3: Teaching Day
•Each group completes a closed sort with the teacher. A
closed sort is when students sort their words by the given
pattern, feature or rule.
•While one group is with me, the other groups are completing
other sorts or a vocabulary activity.
Within Word List #39 Closed Sort
Name __________________________________________#____________Date___________Score___________
CATEGORY:
CATEGORY:
Soft g = /j/ sound
(in front of e, I, or y)
CATEGORY:
Soft c = /s/ sound
(in front of e, I, or y)
CATEGORY:
Hard g = /g/ sound
(in front of a, o, or u)
Hard c = /k/ sound
(in front of a, o, or u)
Day 4/5: Teaching Day
Each group meets with me to go over their other sort or
vocabulary activity. Students complete a classroom word hunt.
Classroom Word Hunt-List #39
Name_________________________________________#____Date__________Score__________
Directions:
•Read around the room to find 10 words that have a c or g in them.
•Then, sort the words by hard c, soft c, hard g, and soft g.
Words Found in Word Hunt
____________________________________
___________________________________
____________________________________
___________________________________
____________________________________
___________________________________
____________________________________
___________________________________
____________________________________
___________________________________
Words Sorted by…
Hard C
Soft C
Hard G
Soft G
Day 6: Teaching Day
•I meet with all of the groups to teach a mini-lesson on
sentences or paragraphs.
•Then, students practice writing sentences, paragraphs or
stories using their spelling words.
Day 7/8: Review/Game Day
•I meet with the groups to review their patterns and the
expectations for the assessment.
•While I am meeting with one group, the other students play
classroom games or games on Spelling City.
Day 9/10: Assessment Day
Within Word Unit #39 Hard/Soft C and G
Name _______________________________________#________Date_______________Score________/______ pts.
Directions:
•Your teacher will read each word once, use it in a sentence, and read it one more time.
•Record your words on the lines below.
•Then, check off whether the word has a soft g, hard g, soft c, or hard g sound.
•Remember: If a word has two or more sounds, check off all sounds that are made in the word.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Word Study Words
Hard c
Soft c
Hard g
Soft g
What can I do to help my student
develop his/her word study skills?
• Cut apart the list of Word Study Words and practice
sorting them by the pattern(s) at home.
• Go to www.educationextras.com and use the
PowerPoint Presentations to practice sorting your
words.
• Hunt for words with their pattern(s) while driving or
while reading.
• Play word games like Word Yahtzee, Scrabble, Wheel
of Fortune, Boggle, Word Searches, etc. where
students can look for chunks or patterns to make
words.
What can I do to help my student
develop his/her word study skills?
Watch www.youtube.com videos that teach or reinforce the
patterns being taught.
Ex. When two vowels go walking, the first one does the
talking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fb3Pdt8kxg
Ex. comparing long and short vowels
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TjcT7Gto3U
Ex. silent –e
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnanlcyRuuI
What can I do to help my student
develop his/her word study skills?
• Homophone Rummy Have a parent write homophones on
index cards. Now students will work to find as many
matches as they can until the deck is gone. As a student
gets a match, he/she will place it face up on the floor for
everyone to see. If they get a third word that matches
one group already on the floor, then they may lay it down
with their own cards and it will count.
• Gypsy Word Teller - Students stack their own word
cards face down. First player pulls a card and puts it on
his/her forehead not looking at the word. The partner
will give one-word clues until the person holding the card
on his/her head guesses the word. Then it’s the
partner’s turn.
What can I do to help my student
develop his/her word study skills?
• Battleship Played just like the real game, students will
arrange about 10 spelling words going down or across.
Make sure they are not touching. As the opponent makes
a guess, you will check your own sheet to see if a letter is
in that spot. If it is, then the opponent will mark that
letter on his guess sheet. If it’s a miss, then they will
place a dot in that square so they won’t call it again.
When you think you have sunk a ship … you will say the
word a loud and then that person will circle it to know
that it has been sunk.
• Go Fish – Do you have any _____________? You need
lots of different patterns (4) or rhyming words or
homophones. Keep playing until someone goes out.