The Buddy Study System
Webinar #5
Literacy Collaborative 2011-2012
“A goal of the word study curriculum is to help
children develop a deep knowledge of
powerful principles that they can apply in
flexible ways…we aim to help students
develop the effective strategies they need to
solve any word they meet” (Word Matters,
pl. 14).
Chapter 3, Word Matters
• Let’s look at pages 23 and 24. What are you
thinking about this idea of “word solving?”
Goals of Word Study
• To examine a systematic way of teaching
children how words work
• To teach children how to become independent
word solvers
• To teach children to be flexible in determining
how words work
Let’s think about good spellers…
• Word Matters
– Read page 168 - (the first 2 paragraphs)
– Highlight the “big ideas” that are new for you,
validate your beliefs, or might cause some
dissonance for you.
“An effective word study system is part of a
strong literacy program….”
• Word Matters
– Read page 168 – top of 169
– Highlight the ‘big ideas’
A comprehensive
word study program
(Word Matters, pp. 174-175)
1. A class lesson on a strategy, principle, or
pattern followed by a whole class experience
or small group rotation to a word study center
and ending with a sharing opportunity. {minilesson, application, share}
2. A buddy study system that engages students
in daily activities for studying and learning
specific words.
The Process of Buddy Study
• One word study principle is introduced for each 5 day cycle.
• Children choose words to study for the week.
• Throughout the 5 days children learn effective ways to study
the words they have chosen.
• Assessment is on-going by children and a buddy test is graded
by the teacher.
Selecting Buddies
• Use assessment information to pair children
with similar achievement at a particular point
in time.
– Need to be able to read each other’s spelling words.
– Children will learn from each other’s lists.
• Rotate partners monthly, bi-monthly or
quarterly.
Word Matters, page 169.
Buddy Study Cycle
• Day 1: Lesson & Choose, Write, Build, Mix, Fix (30 – 40
minutes)
• Day 2: Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check (20 minutes)
• Day 3: Buddy Check (20 minutes)
• Day 4: Make Connections (20 minutes)
• Day 5: Buddy Test (15 minutes)
See chapter 14 in Word Matters, or pages 433 – 452 in Word
Study: Grade 3, for detailed instructions on the Buddy Study
System.
Chapter 14
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Prerequisites: p. 169 – 172: Launa and Amy
Selection of spelling words: p. 172 – 174, Renee
Minilesson and Day 1: p. 174 – 176: Stephanie
Days 2 and 3: p. 176 – 178: Nell
Days 4 and 5: p. 178: Susan
Making connections: p. 151, and 152: Kasey
Word making and word sorts: p. 155 – 156 and
figure 13 – 7 on page 158: Jen
Day 1: Minilesson &
Choose, Write, Build, Mix, Fix
Where will you get your ideas for your mini-lessons?
• Your students’ writing:
– Error Analysis Sheet
– Observations
– Anecdotal notes (taken when looking at their writing)
• The Continuum of Literacy Learning
• Word Study Lessons: Grade 3
Day 1
Word Matters pg. 175-6
Rationale: Students notice details and patterns when
forming words with concrete, visual tools of magnetic
letters.
Day 1: Minilesson &
Choose, Write, Build, Mix, Fix
• Students choose 10 – 12 words
– from those that illustrate the spelling principle (core
words).
– from their words to learn list (personal words), and/or
– from a spelling assessment of high frequency words
(personal words).
• Students then make the words using magnetic
letters…3 times, mix and fix.
Word Matters, pg. 173 - 174
Choose Your Words
Spelling Principle:
Some adjectives end with
the letters “ous,” which
sound like “us.”
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fabulous
magnanimous
stupendous
sanctimonious
Words to Learn:
• yesterday
• mostly
• finally
High Frequency:
• although
• because
• their
• while
Day 2
Word Matters – p. 176 - 178
Rationale: This routine helps students learn how to look at
and study words. It helps them learn what parts to notice.
Refer to figure14-8 and 14-9 on pages 182 and 183 in Word Matters
Day 3
Rationale: Students learn how to notice and correct
spelling errors.
Refer to figure 14 – 10 on page 184 in Word Matters
Day 4
Rationale: This task helps students think about how words
are related. They learn how to use what they know to write
new words.
Refer to figure 14-11 on page 185
Making Connections
• Similarities in spellings (beginning, middle, or
end)
• Similarities or differences in meaning
(synonyms or antonyms)
• Similarities in sound: rhyming, homophones,
• Relationships: analogies, root words, affixes
see pages 151 – 152 in Word Matters)
What connections can you make
to each of these words?
straight
transportation
unreachable
Making connections more challenging
unreachable
…find five words that end in “able,” begin with
“un,” and have a base word that could be a
noun or a verb, like reach.
Ex. unapproachable
Word Sorts and Word Making
• Pages 155 and 15 and figure 13 – 7 on p. 158
• Many other kinds of applications can be done
on making connections day…be creative, and
switch things up a bit on this day…it’s your
chance to really play with words.
Day 5
Rationale: Students are tested to document their learning
and provide evidence for evaluation and accountability.
Day 5: Buddy Test
Word Matters – p. 178
• The buddy test is written in the word study
notebook, or on a piece of paper.
• Children give each other the test providing a
sentence for each word given.
• The word study notebook and card are given
to the teacher.
• The teacher checks the test.
Prerequisites for initiating the buddy study
system
• Create word study board for lists
• Create buddy study board /icons
• Make materials (folders, sheets needed for each day)
• Gather spelling cards, word study notebooks, highlighters,
colored pencils, magnetic letters)
• Administer the Schlagal Spelling Assessment
• Later, administer a pretest of high frequency words
• Form spelling buddies
• Begin, with students, to create Words to Learn sheets
Word Matters pg. 179 - 186
Buddy Study
• Each day of buddy study focuses on a different
way of learning or studying words.
• The days are done in sequence in order to
support students’ developing understanding
of the word study principle, and to give them
ways to study words.
Tools for Word Study
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Word to Learn
Word Study Board
Spelling Cards
Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check Sheets
Study Flaps
Buddy Check Sheets
Make Connections Sheets
Buddy Study Work board
Magnetic Letters
Word Study Folder
Icons
Putting it All Together
• Administer the spelling assessment
• Complete an error analysis on a representative
number of students
• Summarize what you have discovered from the
error analysis
• Decide on several word study principles that will
be helpful to your students at this time
• Prepare materials for buddy study
• Begin teaching your first word study principle.
Scheduling
• Buddy Study usually happens on a five or six day
rotation.
• You should plan for about a 30 minute period of
time, although once students are familiar with
the process, it could be more like 20 minutes on
some days.
• Your students will be more likely to participate
appropriately if you are a moving presence in the
room and take this time to confer with students
about their work.
Frequently Asked Questions
About
Buddy Study
What kind of modifications can we make to
support the needs of individual students?
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Some need fewer words
Some need more challenging words
Shorter/longer times to complete activities
Teaching/re-teaching systems/routines
Word Matters, pg. 178
How can we ensure understanding of the
routines?
Nothing is too small to teach!
– Be clear and explicit in the teaching of routines.
– Observe how things are going and make
adjustments as necessary.
– Provide additional mini-lessons on the routines of
the buddy study system.
How do I know which words they need to
learn?
• Look at their writing.
• Do a spelling inventory using the high
frequency word list and highlight the words the
child knows. The child then chooses unhighlighted words for the spelling card.
• As new words are learned, they can be
highlighted (by the teacher or child).
Word Matters, pg. 179
How do I keep track of all the words they
are learning?
• By checking their word study notebook
• Highlighting high frequency word lists
• Checking off words on the “words to learn"
sheet
What day do I have to begin on?
• It is entirely up to you. You just need a 5 day
cycle.
• Some teachers have the mini-lesson on one
day (maybe even on the day 5 of the previous
cycle) and then begin with choose, build, mix,
and fix on the next day.
What about shortened weeks?
• You might decide to make the buddy study cycle run
over two weeks.
• On occasion, (not often) you might skip buddy study
on a short week but continue to have a word study
mini-lesson and an application activity during that
week.
• This might be a good time to focus on vocabulary
work.
Who corrects the buddy test?
• The classroom teacher corrects the buddy test.
• This allows you to keep track of their progress.
How do I send home a copy of the buddy
test and still keep one for record of
progress?
• Send home the word study notebook and ask
that it be brought back the next day.
• Make a copy of the test to send home.
How do I hold students accountable for
these words in their writing?
• Be sure students know that saying words
slowly when they don’t know how to spell a
word is absolutely okay, BUT if it is a principle
they have studied in word study and/or buddy
study you will ask them to check those words
for correct spelling.
When should I ask children to edit their
writing for spelling?
• After they have completed a piece of writing.
• You will need a minilesson on how to go back
into the piece of writing and check the spelling.
• Some children may need additional support for
this during a conference or guided writing
lesson.
When do students do the buddy study
activities?
• During a word study block in your classroom
• In some cases, making connections can be
started in the classroom and completed as
homework.
Reflection
What are the values of this approach
compared to traditional spelling
programs?
What strategic actions are supported
across the five days?
Children are seekers of pattern.
- Moustafa, 1997.
The more they know about how the language
works and the more they manipulate it in
different ways, the more flexible and efficient
they become as word solvers.
- Fountas & Pinnell