Word Study Guide
for Grades 1-4
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Livonia Public Schools
Word Study Committee, 2011
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Table of Contents
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3
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4
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5
Developmental Stages of Spelling ……………………………………………………
7
Acknowledgement
Introduction
Components of Word Study
Spelling Inventories …………………………………………………………………… 8
Primary Inventory Directions ……………………………………………………
11
Primary Inventory Feature Guide ………………………………………………
12
Elementary Inventory Directions ……………………………………………….
13
Elementary Inventory Feature Guide …………………………………………..
14
Word Study Grouping Charts ………………………………………………………
15
Word Study Resources ……………………………………………………………….
18
LPS Word Study Resources by Levels ……………………………………………..
20
Words Their Way Level A
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22
Words Their Way Level B
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24
Words Their Way Level C
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26
Words Their Way Level D
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28
Words Their Way Level E
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30
Words Their Way Level F
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32
Aligning Making Words Lessons with Words Their Way Word Sorts ………………. 34
Additional Resources for Making Words …………………………………………….. 38
Getting Organized for Word Study ………………………………………………….. 39
Word Study Activities ………………………………………………………………… 41
Word Study Routines …………………………………………………………………. 43
Word Sorts for a Variety of Purposes ……………………………………………….. 47
Additional Ideas for Written Practice ……………………………………………….
49
Games to Support Word Study ………………………………………………………
50
Word Study Explorations ……………………………………………………………
54
Strategies for Spelling Accurately in Writing ………………………………………. 55
Monitoring Student Progress ……………………………………………………….. . 57
1
Letter to Family and Homework Letters ………………………………………….... 59
Phonemic Awareness Instruction ……………………………………………………. 64
37 Common Rimes ……………………………………………………………………
65
Word Walls ……………………………………………………………………………
67
Vocabulary Introduction …………………………………………………………….. 75
Word Jar ……………………………………………………………………….. 76
Inferring the Meaning of Unknown Words ……………………………………. 79
Explore A Word ………………………………………………………………… 81
2
Acknowledgement
The Word Study Guide was developed by a team of teachers to be used as a resource to guide the
teaching of the “Language and Word Knowledge” pillar. This is one of the five pillars of the
balanced literacy program which is the foundation of our district’s literacy framework.
The district wishes to express its appreciation to the teachers who worked on the initial Word
Study Committee. A special thanks also to the following teachers who developed this resource
guide:
Chris Schulte, Roosevelt Elementary
Shari Mayne, Cass Elementary
Brandy Rost, Webster Elementary
Bette Knedgen, Kennedy Elementary
Judy Polce, Johnson Upper Elementary
Their contribution of time, expertise, and insight is greatly appreciated. The district also wishes
to acknowledge Christine Fankell, Elementary Literacy Facilitator, for her facilitation skills and
leadership talents in working with the team of teachers in the development of this guide.
Sheila Alles
Director of Academic Services
3
Introduction
What is word study?
“Word study has become an umbrella term used to describe teaching practices related to word
knowledge. Teaching this knowledge supports students as they develop fluency and
understanding in their reading, as well as the ability to craft thoughtful writing.” (Brand, 2004)
Word Study is instruction in the following areas:
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Phonological Awareness
High Frequency Words
Spelling
Vocabulary
Core Beliefs
“Word consciousness integrates metacognition about words, motivation to learn words and deep
and lasting interest in words.” (Graves, 2006) Actively engaging students in inquiry-based word
study creates authentic learning and promotes the application of word knowledge in reading,
writing, listening and speaking.
Although there are many pedagogical differences, Word Study contains a core set of beliefs for
grade levels K-6.
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Word study should foster a consciousness of word knowledge.
The approach to word study should be differentiated in order to meet the developmental
needs of each child.
A spelling program should include an initial assessment as well as ongoing formative
assessment to determine needs and monitor growth.
Instruction should focus on the explicit teaching of strategies as well as exploration of
groups of words.
An inquiry-based approach encourages students to manipulate and explore words. This
approach leads to a deeper understanding of spelling and application of word knowledge
to a larger body of words.
Word study is based on authentic words in context. These words should be used within
reading, writing, and the content areas.
Word study is a dedicated time for explicit instruction of phonological awareness,
spelling and vocabulary.
4
Components of Word Study
Introduction
Word study encompasses a developmentally appropriate study of phonological awareness,
high frequency words, spelling, and vocabulary. Through daily instruction, students will
construct knowledge and form generalizations about how written code and language works.
Spelling is a thinking process rather than memorizing a list of words. Therefore, teachers
need to develop a climate for word study that includes exploration, risk-taking, and having
fun with words. Instruction should be focused and connected to literacy workshop and
content areas. The goal of word study is to lead students to become lifelong readers and
writers.
Phonological Awareness and Phonics
Phonological awareness is a broad term that includes the ability to separate sentences into
words and words into syllables. Phonemic awareness is an aspect of phonological awareness
and includes the ability to hear, identify and manipulate the individual sounds (phonemes) in
spoken words.
Phonics is the understanding that there is a predictable relationship between phonemes (the
sounds in spoken language) and graphemes (the letters and spellings that represent those
sounds in written language). Phonics knowledge is developmental and is important not for
itself, but in its application. Phonics instruction is integrated into beginning reading and
writing instruction. (Cunningham, 2005)
High Frequency Words
High frequency words occur frequently in reading and writing. For children to be fluent
readers and writers, they need to instantly recognize and be able to spell these words. In the
beginning of the year teachers should assess their students’ knowledge of high-frequency
words. Throughout the year teachers support and build upon the use and spelling of these
words. High-utility words are also essential for students to learn. This would include
thematic, content-based, or self-selected words.
Spelling
Spelling (orthography) is the ability to use the correct sequences of letters in the writing
system. Students grow in their understanding and use of word recognition, word building,
word solving and spelling patterns. Through explicit instruction, students acquire knowledge
5
of words and move through the developmental stages of spelling. (See “Developmental
Stages of Spelling” in this guide). Direct instruction is focused and accommodates the
differentiated needs of students. The ultimate goal of spelling instruction is to increase
accurate spelling in writing.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary refers to the words students should know in order to communicate effectively.
Students need to be exposed to listening, speaking, reading and writing vocabulary.
Comprehensive vocabulary instruction should include rich and varied language experiences.
Teaching individual words, word learning strategies, and fostering word consciousness are
part of vocabulary development.
Vocabulary is taught across the curriculum in context-based instruction. Knowing,
understanding and applying vocabulary is an important part of word study instruction.
Students need repeated exposure to newly acquired words and their meanings. The classroom
climate fosters word consciousness and a love of words.
6
Developmental Stages of Spelling
Grades 6-8
Grades 3-6
Grades K-3
Stage 1
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Scribbles letters and numbers
Writing is a mixture of pictures,
letter shapes or signs
Randomly uses both
conventional and invented
symbols
Lacks concept of word
Writing is translatable only by
the writer
Lacks letter sound
correspondence
Pretends to read and write
Mixes upper and lower case
Repeats known symbols
Stage 2
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Writes strong consonant sounds
Often uses letter names to
represent sounds
Uses beginning and ending
sounds in spelling
Reads word by word in
beginning readers
Changing letters in words to
form new words (hot – hit – sit set)
A few correct spellings in
writing
Attempts to match letters and
symbols to sound
Uses onsets and rimes in writing
Omits most silent letters
Stage 3
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Stage 4
Spells most single syllable,
short vowel words correctly
Writing becomes recognizable
to others
Incorporates beginning
consonant blends
Splits words into beginning,
middle, and end
Attempts to use silent long
vowel markers (NALE – nail)
Uses known sounds to write
words
Pronunciation plays a large
part in spelling
Puts extra letters in to cover
gaps in knowledge
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In all stages students will:
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Use a range of strategies to spell words
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Try alternatives to see which spelling “looks and feels” right
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Effectively use appropriate spelling resources and references
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Learn words across content areas
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Develop an ability to spell correctly when writing with speed
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7
Uses common spelling
patterns
Spells most single syllable
words correctly
Makes errors in spelling
multi-syllable words
Includes a vowel at every
syllable
Correctly spells and uses
high frequency words
Visual memory of spelling
patterns
Some spelling should be
automatic
Majority of letters in spelling
are correct, but might not be
in correct order
Uses strategies other than
phonics
Begins to use silent letters
Stage 5
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Enjoy word play and word exploration
Experiment with new and difficult words
Recognize incorrect spelling
Explores and examines the
functions and meanings of words
and how these affect spelling
Investigates the origins of words
and history of spelling systems
Extends knowledge and use of
appropriate reference systems
Spells most words
conventionally
Joins spelling and vocabulary
studies; links meaning and
spelling
Examines common and less
common roots, prefixes, and
suffixes
Examines content related
vocabulary with greater focus
Has a large bank of sight words
Makes analogies to known
spelling patterns
Spelling Inventories
Spelling inventories are used as a tool for identifying developmental spelling stages of students.
Ideally, the same inventory would be given three times a year to monitor growth. A suggested
timeline for these inventories is mid-September, January, and late May. There are two spelling
inventories that are part of the Words Their Way program that can be used to assess the spelling
levels of your students. The Primary Spelling Inventory is used in kindergarten through third
grade. The Elementary Spelling Inventory can be used as early as first grade and through sixth
grade. Schools that want to give all grades the same inventory for data purposes should give the
Elementary Spelling Inventory.
Feature Guides are used to analyze the spelling inventories. Before assessing your students, you
will need to make a copy of the corresponding Feature Guide for each student in your class.
These will be used when scoring the inventories and identifying the developmental spelling level
of each student. Students are assessed on different features of words, not just on accurately
spelling the word. For example, if the word is bed and a child spells the word bad, the child
would still get the points for beginning sound and ending sound, yet not earn the feature point for
mid-word vowel sound.
The information gained from spelling inventories is used to identify the needs of students and
differentiate instruction. Using the data from the inventory, you will identify a developmental
spelling stage for each student and form word study groups. Typically, a class would have
students grouped in the level that corresponds to a grade level and one level above and/or below.
Administering the spelling inventory again in January will allow you to reassess student needs
and adjust the groups as needed.
Procedure for Administering the Spelling Inventory
Below is the suggested procedure for administering spelling inventories:
1. Identify the inventory that would work best for your grade level and group of students.
2. Administer the inventory to your students by reading words and sentences as specified in
the Primary or Elementary Spelling Inventory. (A copy is included in this guide or
may be found in Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling
Instruction, fourth edition).
3. Use the Feature Guide to score the inventory. (See below for details and tips on
scoring).
4. Determine how you will group students for instruction using the Spelling-by-Stage
Classroom Organization Chart. (A copy is included in this guide or may be found in
Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction, fourth
edition).
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Tips for Administering the Spelling Inventory

Feel free to allow students to stop midway through the spelling inventory if they begin to
miss several consecutive words in a row. One way to approach this is to identify a point
in the list where you anticipate it becoming a challenge for some of your students, and
then give the inventory in two sessions. After scoring the first portion, you would only
give the second portion of the list to students that made few or no errors in the first part
of the list.
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Use the same inventory throughout the year to monitor student growth and achievement.
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Some teachers like to use three different colors of pen and mark the same Feature Guide
at the beginning, middle, and end of the year for each student. In this way, teachers can
monitor student progress over time.
Analyzing Results

To determine the developmental spelling stage for each student:
o One simple rule is to look for the first column on the Feature Guide in which a
student misses 2 spelling features. Then look for the spelling stage at the top of
the column.
o Use the chart – “Words Spelled Correctly/Total Feature Points + Words Spelled
Correctly by Spelling Stages” in Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics,
Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction by Donald Bear.

Use the Word Study Grouping Chart to sort students by their developmental stages.
Simply write student names under the developmental stage. Then create groups of
students that have similar needs.
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As you are grouping your students, remember that word study is just one small chunk of
your day and it needs to be manageable. When looking at the levels of your spellers on
their Feature Guide, look for clusters of scores to help you determine your groupings.
Remember, any more than three groups can be difficult to manage! When grouping
students whose spelling level is not an exact match for your groupings, use your
professional judgment, what you know about the student as a learner, as well as the data
from the Feature Guide to help guide your decisions.
9
For more information about the use of Spelling Inventories and Feature Guides see:
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Chapter 2 and Appendix A in Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary,
and Spelling Instruction, fourth edition.
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Examples of Spelling Inventories and Feature Guides in the supplemental DVD found in
Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction, fourth
edition.
10
Primary Spelling Inventory Directions
11
Primary Feature Guide
12
Elementary Inventory Directions
13
Elementary Feature Guide
14
Word Study Grouping Chart – 1st to 3rd Grades
Date ________________
List each student under his/her developmental stage to assist with forming groups of students of similar ability.
Letter Name-Alphabetic
Early
Middle
Late
LPS Word Study Level
Level A
Level B
Level C
Level D
Level E
Level F
Within Word Patterns
Early
Middle
Late
Syllables & Affixes
Early
Middle
Late
Range of Developmental Levels
Early Letter Name–Alphabetic to Early Within Word Patterns
Early Within Word Pattern to Mid Within Word Patterns
Late Within Word Pattern to Early Syllables and Affixes
Mid Syllables and Affixes to Late Syllables and Affixes
Early Derivational Relations to Mid Derivational Relations
Mid Derivational Relations to Late Derivational Relations
15
Word Study Grouping Chart – 3rd to 6th Grades
Date ________________
List each student under his/her developmental stage to assist with forming groups of students of similar ability.
Within Word Pattern
Early
Middle
Late
LPS Word Study Level
Level C
Level D
Level E
Level F
Syllables & Affixes
Early
Middle
Late
Derivational Relations
Early
Middle
Late
Range of Developmental Levels
Late Within Word Pattern to Early Syllables and Affixes
Mid Syllables and Affixes to Late Syllables and Affixes
Early Derivational Relations to Mid Derivational Relations
Mid Derivational Relations to Late Derivational Relations
16
Word Study Grouping Chart – 1st-6th Grades
Date _________________
List each student under his/her developmental stage to assist with forming groups of students of similar ability.
Letter Name-Alphabetic
Early
Middle
Early
LPS Word Study Level
Level A
Level B
Level C
Level D
Level E
Level F
Within Word Patterns
Early
Middle
Late
Syllables and Affixes
Early
Middle
Late
Range of Developmental Levels
Early Letter Name – Alphabetic – Early Within Word Patterns
Early Within Word Pattern – Mid Within Word Patterns
Late Within Word Pattern – Early Syllables and Affixes
Mid Syllables and Affixes – Late Syllables and Affixes
Early Derivational Relations – Mid Derivational Relations
Mid Derivational Relations – Late Derivational Relations
17
Derivational Relations
Early
Middle
Late
Word Study Resources
Words Their Way
Words Their Way is an instructional approach that uses sorting as a way of studying words.
Sorting is the most powerful way of helping students make sense of words. “Categorizing is the
fundamental way that humans make sense of the world. It allows us to find order and similarities
among various objects, events, ideas, and words that we encounter. When students sort words
they are engaged in the active process of searching, comparing, contrasting and analyzing. Word
sorts help students organize what they know about words and form generalizations that they can
then apply to new words they encounter in their reading.” (Bear, et al, 2004; Gillet& Kita,
1978). The idea of sorting fits a constructivist learning approach and provides a method for
engaging students in discovering similarities and differences in words.
Words Their Way presents a practical, complete guide to all facets of word study, using an
instructional approach based on developmental stages and differentiating needs. Research
defines developmental stages as the match between the word knowledge of the learner and the
study of word features, thus word study is “not a one size fits all” program. (Bear, et al, 2004)
The following is a list of Words Their Way resources that are utilized in this guide.
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for Letter Name – Alphabetic Spellers, 2nd edition by
Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for Within Word Pattern Spellers 2nd edition, by Johnston,
Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for Syllables and Affixes Spellers 2nd edition by Johnston,
Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for Derivational Relations Spellers 2nd edition by
Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton
18
Making Words
In Levels A and B, students will benefit from BOTH sorting words into categories and
manipulating letters to build words through Making Words. “Making Words lessons are an
example of a type of instruction called guided discovery. In order to truly learn and retain
strategies, children must discover them. But many children do not make discoveries about words
on their own. In Making Words lessons, children are guided to make those discoveries. . . . While
children are having fun making words, they are also learning important information about
phonics and spelling. As children manipulate the letters to make the words, they learn how small
changes, such as changing just one letter or moving the letters around, results in a completely
new word. Children develop phonemic awareness as they stretch out words and listen for the
sounds they hear and the order of those sounds.” (Cunningham, Hall, 2009)
The following is a list of Making Words resources that will be used in this guide:
Making Words: 100 Hands-On Lessons for Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, and Spelling,
1st Grade by Cunningham and Hall
Systematic Sequential Phonics They Use by Cunningham
19
LPS Word Study Resources by Level
These resources have been used to create LPS Word Study Levels as follows:
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Level A
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Level B
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Level C
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Level D
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Level E
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Level F
20
Word Sorts for Letter Name –
Alphabetic Spellers
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Within Word Pattern Spellers
Making Words: 100 Hands-On
Lessons for Phonemic Awareness,
Phonics, and Spelling, 1st Grade
Word Sorts for Letter Name –
Alphabetic Spellers
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Within Word Pattern Spellers
Systematic Sequential Phonics They
Use
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Within Word Pattern Spellers
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Syllables and Affixes Spellers
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Within Word Pattern Spellers
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Syllables and Affixes Spellers
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Syllables and Affixes Spellers
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Derivational Relations Spellers
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Derivational Relations Spellers 2nd
Livonia Public Schools
Word Study Levels
Introduction
Word study levels A through F are detailed on the pages that follow. The levels define a
developmental sequence for the study of words. Each level lists word sorts and resources that
would be appropriate for that level. The sorts listed should be considered a menu of word
patterns that would be appropriate for a given level. It is up to the teacher to determine which
sorts are a match for the needs of his/her students. The Spelling Inventory should provide useful
data for informing instruction.
Also note that some spelling sorts are featured in more than one level. Sorts that have been listed
in a previous level are noted with an *. This repetition of word sorts allows skills to be revisited
as needed. If you are teaching a sort that has been introduced at a previous level, it’s important to
incorporate new/additional words. The teacher guide provides additional words for this purpose
in the “Extend” section of each lesson.
21
Words Their Way - Level A
Skill Focus
Beginning Consonants
b,m,r,s *
t, g, n, p
c, h, n, p
l, k, j, w
y, z, v
Same Vowel Word Families
at
ad, an
ap, ag
ot, og, op
et, eg, en
un, ut, ug
ig, ill
Digraphs and Blends Picture Sorts
s, h, sh *
c. h, ch *
th, wh *
sh, ch, wh, th
s, t, st *
sp, sk, sm *
sc, sn, sw *
p, l, pl *
sl, bl, pl
cr. cl, fr, fl
br, bl, gr, gl
pr, dr, tr
k, wh, qu, tw, k
Mixed-Vowel Word Families
at, ot, it
an, un, in
ad, ed, ab, ob
ag, eg, ig, og, and ug
ill, ell, all
ick, ack, ock, and uck
ish, ash, and ush -
Sort #
1
2
3
4
5
Resource
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Letter Name -Alphabetic Spellers, 2nd
edition by Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi,
Templeton
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
13
14
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
27
28
29
30
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
31
32
33
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
22
Short and Long Vowel Sounds
Long and short a
Long and short i
Long and short o
Long and short u
Long and short e
Additional Work with Digraphs
and Blends
h, sh, ch – If additional review is
needed
Additional Work with Short
Vowels
Picture sorts for short vowels - Use
to support short vowels focusing on
the sound of short vowels
1
2
3
4
5
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Within Word Pattern Spellers 2nd
edition by Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi,
Templeton
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
15
Letter Name -Alphabetic
34-36
Letter Name -Alphabetic
*These lessons are optional and should be taught based on the needs of learners. They can also
be combined with other sorts.
23
Words Their Way - Level B
Skill Focus
Digraphs and Blends Picture Sort
Digraphs: sh, ch, wh, th
Sort #
Resource
17*
Blends: sp, sk, sm, sc, sn, sw
19 &
20*
23 &
24*
25 &
26*
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Spellers2nd edition by Johnston,
Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Blends: cr, cl, fr, fl, br, bl, gr, gl
Blends: pr, dr, tr, wh, qu, tw
Short- and Long- Vowel sounds
Review of long vowels: a, e, i, o, u
6
Short a versus long a (CVCe)
Short i versus long i (CVCe)
Short o versus long o (CVCe)
Short u versus long u (CVCe)
Short versus long review (CVC & CVCe)
Final /k/ sound spelled –ck, -ke, or -k
Common Long-Vowel Patterns (CVCe &
CVVC)
Short a and long a (CVCe & CVVC)
Short o and long o (CVCe & CVVC)
Short u and long u (CVCe & CVVC)
Short e and long e (CVVC)
Short e and long e (CVC & CVVC)
Review for CVVC pattern (ai, oa, ee, ea)
Short a and long a (CVCe,CVVC –ai, & -ay
Short o and long o (CVCe, CVVC –oa, & -ow)
Short u and long u (-ew and –ue)
Short i and long i (CVCe, CVCC –igh, -y)
R-Influenced Vowels
-ar, -are, -air
-er, -ear, -eer
-ir, -ire, -ier
-or, -ore, -oar, w+or
24
Letter Name -Alphabetic
Letter Name -Alphabetic
7
8
9
10
11
12
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Within Word Pattern Spellers 2nd
edition by Johnston, Bear,
Invernizzi, Templeton
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
25
26
27
28
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
-ur, -ure, -ur-e
Diphthongs & Vowel Digraphs and Other
Ambiguous Vowel Sounds
Long o, oi, oy
oo, oo
aw, au, o
ou, ow
Beginning & Ending Consonants
Silent beginning consonants – kn, wr, gn
Triple r-blends scr, str, spr
Hard and soft c and g
Final e – ce, ve, se, ze
Additional Work With Short and Long
Vowels
Short vowel and word families
Short and long vowels
29
Within Word Pattern
31
32
33
35
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
36
37
39
40
27-31*
1-5
*Introduced in Level A
25
Within Word Pattern
Letter-Name Alphabetic
Within Word Pattern
Words Their Way - Level C
Skill Focus
Review Sorts
*Short versus long review (CVC and
CVCe)
Sort #
Resource
11*
*Review of CVVC pattern (ai, oa, ee,
ea)
Less Common Long-Vowel
Patterns
*Short –a and long –a (CVCe, CVVC
–ai, and open syllable –ay)
*Short –o and long –o (CVCe, CVVC
–oa, and open syllable –ow)
*Short –u and long –u (Open Syllable
–ew and –ue)
*Short –i and long –i (CVCe, CVCCigh, and CV open syllable –y)
Short –i and long –i (VCC) with short
–o and long –o (VCC)
Review of long-vowel patterns
R-Influenced Vowel Patterns
ar, are, air
er, ear, eer
ir, ire, ier
or, ore, oar, w + or
ur, ure, ur-e
Review of ar, schwa-plus-r, and or
Diphthongs and Other Ambiguous
Vowel Sounds
Long –o, -oi, -oy
Long and short –oo
aw, au, ô
wa, al, ou
ou, ow
Beginning and Ending Complex
Consonants and Consonant
Clusters
Silent beginning consonant kn, wr, gn
Triple r-blends (scr/str/spr)
Consonant diagraphs plus –r-blends
and squ (thr/shr/squ)
Hard and soft c and g
18*
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Within Word Pattern Spellers 2nd
edition by Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi,
Templeton
Within Word Pattern
19*
Within Word Pattern
20*
Within Word Pattern
21*
Within Word Pattern
22*
Within Word Pattern
23
Within Word Pattern
24
Within Word Pattern
25*
26*
27*
28*
29*
30
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
31*
32*
33*
34
35*
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
36
37
38
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
39*
Within Word Pattern
26
-ce/-ve/-se/-ze
dge/ge
tch/ch
High Frequency Words and
Contractions
High frequency a- beContractions
Inflectional Endings for Plural and
Past Tense
Plural endings –s -es
3 Sounds of past tense -ed
Homophones
Long –a homophones
Long –a homophones
Long –e homophones
Long –i homophones
Inflected Endings
Review of vowel patterns in onesyllable words
40
41
42
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
43
44
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
45
46
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
47
48
49
50
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Within Word Pattern
Adding –ing to words with VC and
VCC
Adding –ing to words with VCe and
VCC
Review of double, e-drop, and
nothing
Inflected Endings
Add –ed to words
Unusual past tense words
Unusual plurals
Final -y
Compound Words
Compound words
More compound words
Syllable Juncture
2
Syllable juncture in VCV and VCCV words
More syllable juncture in VCV and VCCV
words
Syllable juncture in VCV and VVCV words
Syllable juncture in VCCCV and VV words
Open and closed syllables and inflected
endings
*Introduced in Level B
1
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Syllables and Affixes Spellers 2nd
edition by Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi,
Templeton
Syllables and Affixes
3
Syllables and Affixes
4
Syllables and Affixes
5
6
8
9
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
10
11
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
12
13
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
14
15
16
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
27
Words Their Way - Level D
Skill Focus
High Frequency Words and
Contractions
High frequency a- be-
Sort #
43*
Contractions
Inflectional Endings for Plural and
Past Tense
3 Sounds of past tense -ed
Homophones
Long –a homophones
Long –a homophones
Long –e homophones
Long – i homophones
Inflected Endings
Add –ed to words
44*
Unusual past tense words
Plural endings, adding -es
Unusual plurals
Final -y
Syllable Juncture
Syllable juncture in VCV, VCCV
More syllable juncture VCV, VCCV
Syllable juncture in VCV, VVCV
Syllable juncture in VCCCV ,VV
Open/closed syllables and inflected
endings
Vowel Patterns in Accented
Syllables
Long a in accented syllables
Long i in accented syllables
Long o in accented syllables
Long u in accented syllables
Long e in accented syllables
Ambiguous vowels oy/oi ou/ow
More ambiguous au/aw/al
R-influenced a
R-influenced o
6*
7
8*
9*
Resource
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Within Word Pattern Spellers 2nd
edition by Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi,
Templeton
Within Word Patterns
46*
Within Word Patterns
47*
48*
49*
50*
Within Word Patterns
Within Word Patterns
Within Word Patterns
Within Word Patterns
5*
Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Syllables and Affixes Spellers 2nd
edition by Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi,
Templeton
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
12*
13*
14*
15*
16*
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
28
Words with w or /w/ sound
Schwa+ r spelled er, ir, ur
Schwa+ r spelled er, ear, ere
Unaccented Syllables
Final syllable –le
Final syllable le, el, il, al
Final syllable er, ar, or
Final syllable en, on, ain, in
Final syllable et, it, ate
Final –y, -ey , -ie
Y + inflected endings
Unaccented initial syllables (a, de, be)
Exploring Consonants
Initial hard and soft g and c
S and soft c and g in the final syllable
More words with g
Sound of k spelled ck, ic, and x
Spelling with qu
Words with silent consonants
Words with gh and ph
Affixes
Prefixes – re, un
Prefixes – dis, mis, pre
Prefixes – ex, non, in, fore
Prefixes – uni, bi, tri
Prefixes – y, ly, ily
Comparatives – er, est
Suffixes – ness, ful, less
Homographs
Homographs
*Introduced in Level C
26
27
28
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
29
30
31
34
35
36
37
38
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
54
Syllables and Affixes
29
Words Their Way - Level E
Skill Focus
Exploring Consonants
Initial hard and soft g and c
Sort #
Resource
39*
S and soft c and g in the final syl
More words with g
Sound of k spelled ck, ic and x
Spelling with qu
Words with silent consonants
gh and ph
Prefixes
Prefixes- in, un, dis, mis
40*
41*
42*
43*
44*
45*
Words Their Way: Word Sorts
for Syllables and Affixes
Spellers 2nd edition by
Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi,
Templeton
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
Syllables and Affixes
1
Prefixes- pre, fore, post, after
Prefixes -re, ex, in, de
Prefixes -sub, com, pro, en
Derivational Suffixes
Suffixes y, ly, ily
Comparative suffixes -er, est, ier, iest
Noun suffixes – er, or, ian, ist
Suffixes- ment, less, ness
Suffixes – ary, ery, ory
Suffixes - ty, ity
Suffixes – al, ial, ic
Adjective suffixes – ful, ous, ious
Verb suffixes – en, ize, ify
The Suffix -ion
Add - ion, no spelling change
Add –ion, -ian, no spelling change
Add-ion, e drop and spelling change
Add – ation, cation, ition
Greek and Latin Elements I
Greek and latin prefixes – mono, uni, bi, tri
More number prefixes
Greek and Latin – micro, mega, super, hyper
Greek roots – tele, phon, photo, graph
Greek roots – geo, therm, scope, meter, logy
30
2
3
4
Words Their Way: Word Sorts
for Derivational Relations
Spellers 2nd edition by
Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi,
Templeton
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
14
15
16
17
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
25
26
27
28
29
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Latin roots – spect, port, form
Latin roots – dic, aud, vis
Noun suffixes – er, or, ian, ist
Vowel and consonant alternation
Consonant alteration
Vowel alteration: long to short
Vowel alteration: long to short or schwa
Adding suffix –ity: vowel alteration, schwa to
short
Vowel alteration: long, short, and schwa
Adding –ion: vowel alteration, spelling change
Multiple alterations
Greek and Latin Elements I
Green and Latin number prefixes – mono, uni, bi,
tri)
More number prefixes
*Introduced in Level D
31
30
31
7
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
18
19
20
21
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
22
23
24
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
25
Derivational Relations
26
Derivational Relations
Words Their Way - Level F
Skill Focus
Greek and Latin Elements I
Greek and Latin elements: size – micro mega,
super, hyper
Greek roots – tele, phone, photo, graph
More Greek roots – geo, therm scope, meter,
logy
Latin roots – spect, port, form
Latin roots – dic, aud, vis
Latin Roots – gress, rupt, tract, mot
Latin roots – fract, flect/flex, ject, mis/mit
Latin roots – man, scrib/script, cred, fac
Greek and Latin Elements II
Latin roots – duc/duct, sequ/sec, flu, ver/vert
Latin roots – bene, mal & prefixes – ante, post
Greek&Latin – magni, min,poly, equ,omni
Greek & Latin-cap, corp, dent/don’t, ped/pod
Greek & Latin-terr, astr/aster, aer, hydra/hydro
Latin roots – gen, mort, bio
Latin roots – ven/vent, junct, spir, sec/sect
Latin roots – jud, mod, biblio
Greek and Latin Elements III
Greek&Latin – voc/voke, ling/lang, mem, psych
Greek & Latin – path, sens/sent, med/medi, sol
Prefixes – intra, inter, intro, circum
Latin roots – press, pur/purg, fus, pend
Latin roots – pos, loc, sist, sta/stat/stit
Latin roots – ced/cess/ceed, ten/tend, lit
Changes in roots-ceiv/cep,tain/ten, nounce/nunc
Advanced Spelling – Meaning Patterns
Suffixes – ent/ence, ant/ance
Suffixes – ent/ence/ency, ant/ance/ancy
Suffixes – able, ible
Adding able, ible
Accent and doubling
Words from French
32
Sort #
Resource
27
28
29
Words Their Way: Word Sorts
for Derivational Relations
Spellers 2nd edition by
Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi,
Templeton
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
30
31
32
33
34
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
50
51
52
53
54
55
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Prefix Assimilation+
Prefix assimilation – in, im, il, ir
Prefix assimilation – com, col, cor, co, con
Prefix assimilation – sub, suf, sup, suc, sus
Prefix assimilation – ex, ef, ob, op, of, oc
Prefix assimilation – ad, ap, as, at, ac
*Introduced in Level E
56
57
58
59
60
33
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Derivational Relations
Aligning Making Words Lessons
with Words Their Way Word Sorts
Level A
This chart suggests Making Words lessons that support skills taught in each Words Their Way
sort. Some Making Words lessons are listed more than once as they are a match with more than
one sort.
Words Their Way
Sort Lesson Number
Making Words
Corresponding Lessons
Beginning Consonants
Resource: Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Resource: Making Words: 100 Hands-on
nd
Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers 2 edition
Lessons for Phonemic Awareness, Phonics,
and Spelling – 1st Grade
1 (b,m,r,s)
There are no making words lesson for Word
Sort lessons 1-5
2 (t,g,n,p)
3 (c,h,n,p)
4 (l,k,j,w)
5 ( y,z,v)
Same Vowel Word Families
6 (at)
1, 4, 9, 10
7 (ad, an)
2, 3, 5
8 (ap, ag)
6, 7, 8
9 (ot, og, op)
19, 20, 47
10 ( et, eg, en)
14, 15, 33, 34,
For –eg teachers may want to use lesson 13
from Systematic Sequential Phonics
11 (un, ut, ug)
12, 13, 50
12 (ig, ill)
31, 89, 95
Digraphs and Blends Picture Sorts
13 (s,h, sh)
23, 24
14 (c,h,ch)
25, 26
16 (th, wh)
21, 22
17 (sh, ch, wh, th)
38, 39, 42, 87
18 (s, t, st)
49, 46
19 (sp, sk, sm)
24, 41, 52
20 (sc, sn, sw)
83, 80, 31
21 (p, l, pl)
78
22 (sl, bl, pl)
97
23 (cr, cl,, fr, fl)
11, 68, 92
34
24
(br, bl, gr, gl)
45, 6
For gl- teachers may want to use lesson 102
from second grade Systematic Sequential
Phonics
25 (pr, dr, tr)
61, 73
26 (wh, qu, tw, k)
45, 87,
For tw- teachers may want to use lesson 136
from second grade Systematic Sequential
Phonics
Mixed-Vowel Word Families
27 ( at, ot, it)
10, 17, 48
28 (an, un, in)
5, 12, 16
29 (ad,ed,ab,ob)
62, 88
30 (ag, eg, ig, og, ug)
32, 85, 31
For –eg teachers may want to use lesson 13
from second grade Systematic Sequential
Phonics
31 (ill, ell, all)
89, 90
32 (ick, ack, ock, uck)
27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 40
33 (ish, ash, ush)
31, 25
Short and Long Vowel Sounds
Resource: Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Within Word Pattern Spellers 2nd edition
1 (Long and short a)
37, 61, 63, 64, 75, 96
2 (Long and short i)
18, 19, 31, 37, 72
3 (Long and short o)
39, 40, 58, 81, 82, 83
4 (Long and short u)
38, 65, 66, 67
5 (Long and short e)
36, 51, 54, 55
Additional Work and Short Vowels
Resource: Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers 2nd edition
15 (h, sh, ch – If additional review is needed)
53, 57, 84
Additional Work with Short Vowels
34-36 ( Picture sorts for short vowels – Use to Many lessons in your Making Words resource
support short vowels focusing on the sound of link with these sorts.
short vowels)
35
Aligning Making Words Lessons
with Words Their Way Word Sorts
Level B
This chart suggests Making Words lessons that support skills taught in each Words Their Way
sort. Some Making Words lessons are listed more than once as they are a match with more than
one sort.
Words Their Way
Making Words
Sort Lesson Number
Corresponding Lessons
Digraphs and Blends Picture Sort
Resource: Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Resource: Systematic Sequential Phonics They
nd
Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers 2 edition
Use
17 (digraphs: sh, ch, wh, th)
28, 27, 122, 26, 29
19 & 20 (blends: sp, sk, sm, sc, sn, sw)
23, 19, 117, 116, 107, 6
23 & 24 (blends: cr, cl, fr, fl, br, bl, gr, gl)
103, 101, 109, 108, 98, 99, 97, 102, 3
25 & 26 (blends: pr, dr, tr, wh, qu, tw, k
96, 106, 104, 91, 136
Short-and Long- Vowel sounds
Lessons in Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Within Word Pattern Spellers 2nd edition by
Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton
6 (review of long vowels: a, e, I, o, u)
9, 16, 18, 21, 11, 17
7 (short a versus long a with CVCe)
31, 32, 33, 34, 128
8 (short i versus long i with CVCe)
36, 37, 38
9 (short o versus long o with CVCe)
41, 42, 21, 22, 23
10 (short u versus long u with CVCe)
43, 44, 11, 12, 13, 15
11 (short versus long review with CVC &
32, 39, 36, 41, 43,
CVCe)
12 (Final k sound spelled ck, ke, or k)
124, 138, 23
Common Long-Vowel Patterns (CVCe & CVVC)
13 (short a and long a with CVCe & CVVC) 32, 33, 34, 48, 49
14 (short o and long o with CVCe & CVVC) 121, 127, 41, 42, 57, 58
15 (short u and long u with CVCe & CVVC) 109, 98, 74
16 (short e and long e with CVVC)
19, 94, 129
17 (short e and long e with CVC & CVVC)
51, 52, 53, 54, 86
18 (review for CVVC Pattern – ai, oa, ee,
112, 137, 51, 52, 53, 54
ea)
19 (short a and long a with CVCe, CVVC – 46, 47, 48, 49, 118
ai, ay)
20 (short o and long o with CVCe, CVVC – 57, 58, 123
oa, ow)
21 (short u and long u – ew, ue)
43, 84, 44
22 (short i and long i – igh, y)
39, 86, 114, 119, 132
36
R Influenced Vowels
28 (short o and or)
63, 64, 131
25 (short a and ar)
61, 62
26 (short e – er and long e – ear, eer)
67, 68
27 (short i – ir and long I – ire, ier)
66, 39
Diphthongs & Vowels Diagraphs and Other Ambiguous Vowel Sounds
31 (long o, oi, oy)
58, 59, 89, 134
32 (oo)
81, 82, 83, 139
33 (aw, au)
71, 72, 74
35 (ou, ow)
76, 77, 78, 79, 139
Beginning & Ending Consonants
(silent beginning consonants – kn, wr,
36
gn)
37 (triple r-blends scr, str, spr)
39 (hard and sort c and g)
40 (final e – ce, ve, se, ze)
8
92, 93
124, 19
Additional Work with Short and Long Vowels
Resource: Words Their Way: Word Sorts for
Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers 2nd edition
27-31
Many lessons in your Making Words resource
link with these sorts.
37
Additional Resources for Making Words
Big Words for Big Kids: Systematic Sequential Phonics and Spelling (Cunningham, 2003)
Daily Word Ladders: Grades 1-2: 150+ Reproducible Word Study Lessons That Help Kids Boost
Reading, Vocabulary, Spelling and Phonics Skills! (Rasinski)
Daily Word Ladders Grades 2-3 (Rasinski)
Daily Word Ladders: Grades 4-6 (Rasinski)
Making Big Words: Multilevel, Hands-On Spelling and Phonics Activities (Cunningham, Hall,
Heggie , 2001)
Making More Big Words: Multilevel, Hands-on Phonics and Spelling Activities (Cunningham,
Hall, 2001)
Making More Words: Multilevel, Hands-On Phonics and Spelling Activities (Cunningham, Hall,
2001)
Making Words Fifth Grade: 50 Hands-On Lessons for Teaching Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots
(Cunningham, Hall, 2008)
Making Words First Grade: 100 Hands-On Lessons for Phonemic Awareness, Phonics and
Spelling (Cunningham, Hall, 2008)
Making Words Fourth Grade: 50 Hands-On Lessons for Teaching Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots
(Cunningham, Hall, 2008)
Making Words Kindergarten: 50 Interactive Lessons that Build Phonemic Awareness, Phonics,
and Spelling Skills (Hall, Cunningham, 2008)
Making Words: Multilevel, Hands-On Phonics and Spelling Activities by (Cunningham, Hall,
Heggie, 2001)
Making Words Second Grade: 100 Hands-On Lessons for Phonemic Awareness, Phonics and
Spelling (Cunningham, Hall, 2008)
Making Words Third Grade: 70 Hands-On Lessons for Teaching Prefixes, Suffixes, and
Homophones (Cunningham, Hall, 2008)
Systematic Sequential Phonics They Use: For Beginning Readers of All Ages (Cunningham,
2000)
38
Getting Organized for Word Study
Getting Organized for Word Sorting
Word Study Journal
Beginning in third or fourth grade, students should have a Word Study Journal of some kind.
Composition books, steno notepads or spiral notebooks can be used. Teachers of younger
students may choose to use a chart paper tablet to keep a class word study journal.
Storing Word Sorts
Students also need an envelope such as a coin envelope or sandwich bag to store their words
after they cut them apart. Coin envelopes work well because they can be glued to the inside
cover of the Word Study Journal.
Word Study Routines
Establishing a routine for word study is essential. The routine you choose will depend on how
you fit word study into your schedule. Different options for routines are outlined later in this
guide.
Getting Organized for Making Words
There are a variety of ways to organize for making words.
Letter Buffet
One way to organize for Making Words activities is to create a letter buffet. Letters can be stored
in the small clear plastic drawers of a tool bin (e.g. container that holds hardware or craft supplies).
At the buffet, line up the drawers with the letters that will be needed and a small basket with scrap
paper. Students walk along the buffet and pick up what is needed, then return to their seats and
begin making words. They see how many words they can make with the letters they have and write
each word on the scrap paper. As we go through the lesson, they will circle words they already
wrote on their paper and add new words.
After the lesson, have 5-6 students at a time take all their supplies and return them to the letter
buffet.
Letter Bags/Envelopes
Each child may keep a baggie or envelope in their desk with a collection of letters in it. Remember
that many lessons call for more than one of several letters. They will need to find and take out the
letters needed for that lesson.
Students Cut Out Letters
Give each child a preprinted strip of the letters needed for the lesson. Students cut them apart and
use them for the lesson.
39
Making and Writing Words
For older students, there is also a form that can be used to do Making Words activities. The form
allows the teacher to write in the vowels and consonants that are needed for the Making Words
lesson. The Making and Writing Words form (adapted from The Vocabulary-Enriched Classroom,
Block and Mangieri) is included in this guide.
Introducing Word Sorting
At the beginning of the year, you will need to introduce your word study routine over the course of
a couple weeks. For the purpose of introducing routines, you will want to choose sorts that are
below your instructional starting point. Choose picture or word sorts that can be used for modeling
the process of sorting or categorizing. The focus of these sorts is to teach your word study routine
(e.g. how to gather for a word study lesson, what to bring, how to cut apart your words, how to
sort, how to record a sort, how to do a word hunt, how to play a game, etc). Students will need
explicit instructions for each part of your word study routine.
40
Word Study Activities
There are a variety of activities that could become a regular part of your word study routine.
Some commonly used activities are listed below. Variations on these activities can be found in
the following sections of the guide:
 Word Sorts for a Variety of Purposes
 Ideas for Written Practice
 Games to Support Word Study
 Word Study Explorations
Introduce the sort - This can be done on the overhead or with a pocket chart. There are
recommendations in the Words Their Way leveled resources that are specific to each sort. These
recommendations are useful to read in advance as it gives the focus of the sort and what students
should be noticing. The introduction to a new sort usually includes demonstrating the sort,
involving students in the sorting process, and then checking the sort to see that all words are
sorted correctly. The most common approach to introducing a sort is a teacher-directed sort.
Student-centered sorts and Guess My Category sorts are also possibilities.
 Teacher-directed sort – The teacher defines the categories by identifying key words.
The teacher then models placing words in the categories and justifies the placement.
Following teacher modeling, students become involved in sorting the words.
 Student-centered sort – The student-centered sort is open ended. Students are given the
words without categories or key words and invited to discover their own possibilities for
categorizing. The student-centered sort creates opportunities for students to explain why
they sorted as they did and can result in rich dialog about student word knowledge. This
sort works best when students have prior experience with word sorting.
 Guess My Category sort – The teacher shows categories of words without defining the
categories. The teacher then shows additional words to students who are asked to guess
where they will go. As a final step, students guess the definition of each category of
words by describing what the words have in common.
Group reflections on the sort - Students should be encouraged to look at the words that are
grouped together and to do some noticing. What do the words that are grouped together have in
common? In the younger grades, the teacher might record the noticings on a class chart. In the
upper grades, students might keep their own word study journal to document their noticings.
Buddy sort with partner - Students work with a partner to practice the sort that was
demonstrated the previous day. Partners begin by laying out the key words that will guide the
sort. They then take turns placing words. When all words have been placed, the partners read the
words in each group and check to make sure they are correctly placed. They should be
encouraged to use the displayed class sort from the previous day as a resource to check their sort.
There are a variety of sorts that can be used for additional practice. These are detailed in the
“Word Sorts for a Variety of Purposes” section of this guide.
41
Word Hunt - Students hunt for words that have the same pattern as those featured in the sort.
Early in the year, teachers might use a common text (e.g. a big book or read aloud) to model the
word hunting procedure. The group works together to find words and then check them against
the criteria used for other words that are grouped together. If the words found match the criteria,
they can be added to the group. When students become comfortable with the word hunt routine,
they can hunt around the room for words or in their “just right” books independently. After
students have had an opportunity to hunt for words independently, it’s important to identify a
time to bring them back together to review the word hunt. Students suggest words to add to the
sort and the group checks to see if each word is a good fit with the pattern featured. Through
word hunts, the list of words featured in the sort is extended.
Written Practice – The written sort is one way to provide written practice of the word sort
words. Students sort their words and then record them by writing down the words as a written
sort. Words can be recorded in word study notebooks or on a separate piece of paper. See “Ideas
for Written Practice” later in this guide for additional ideas for written practice.
Vocabulary Exploration – A vocabulary exploration creates an opportunity for exploring word
meaning. A variety of strategies for exploring word meaning are included in this guide. After
students have an opportunity to apply a vocabulary exploration strategy, the share provides an
opportunity for students to articulate their discoveries.
Games and spell check – Games are a great opportunity to review a spelling pattern. There are
ideas for games to support word study in Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics,
Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction. There are also ideas in the “Games to Support Word
Study” section of this guide.
Spell Check – Having regular spell checks is a way to monitor student progress and inform next
steps for instruction. The spell check should focus on a sample (not all) of the words from the
sort. The spell check could look like a written sort or a list of ten words from the sort. Adding
additional words with the same pattern that were not a part of the practiced sort creates an
additional opportunity to assess strategies taught and student ability to transfer what they know
about words from known to unknown words. For more ideas for word study assessment see the
section “Monitoring Student Progress” later in this guide.
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Word Study Routine – Sample 1
For Levels A and B
The following is a five-day plan for word study for Levels A and B. This plan combines Making
Words and word sorting with Words Their Way.
Making Words
Making Words activities can be done with the whole class. This guided activity is differentiated
in that they are open-ended, allowing children to make discoveries about words that can be made
with a given set of letters. Start your morning with Making Words 2 to 4 days each week. As
children enter the classroom they gather the supplies needed and begin moving letters and
building words. They see how many words they can make with a given set of letters and write
each word on scrap paper. Following exploration, the teacher leads a Making Words lesson from
the suggested list that correlates with each week’s sort. (See “Aligning Making Words Lessons
with Words Their Way Word Sorts” in this guide).
Words Their Way
The following is a five-day plan for word study using Words Their Way. Since you will have
more than one word study group, it works well to combine word study and handwriting. Students
who are not meeting in a small group for instruction could be working independently on a word
study activity or handwriting.
Monday
Introduce the sort
Tuesday
Group reflections on the sort
Buddy sort with partner
Wednesday
Word Hunt
Thursday
Written sort
Friday
Games
Spell check
43
Weekly Word Study Routine – Sample 2
The following is a five-day plan for word study using Words Their Way. Since you will have
more than one word study group, it works well to combine word study and handwriting. Students
who are not meeting in a small group for instruction could be working independently on a word
study activity or handwriting.
Monday
Introduce the sort
Tuesday
Group reflections on the sort
Buddy sort with partner
Wednesday
Word Hunt
Thursday
Written sort
Friday
Games
Spell check
44
Weekly Word Study Routine – Sample 3
This schedule is useful for managing multiple word study groups when students have mastered
routines and can begin to work more independently. Each color group has a unique rotation
through the word study activities. Games and word hunts are done independently while the
teacher is involved with another group. For example, on Monday, the green group is playing a
game and the blue group is doing a word hunt while the teacher is involved with the red group.
On a day when a group gets a new list, the teacher gives that group their new list and sends them
off to do their word sort before calling up the other group for a lesson or spell check.
Sample Schedule
Monday
Blue
Game
Red
Review Word Hunt
Green
Word Hunt
Tuesday
Spell Check
Game
Review Word Hunt
Wednesday
Spell Check
Game
Thursday
Introduce the Sort/
Written Sort
Word Hunt
Spell Check
Friday
Review Word Hunt
Introduce the Sort/
Written Sort
Word Hunt
45
Introduce the Sort/
Written Sort
Two Week Word Study Routine – Sample 4
Another way to manage word study is to spread each sort over two weeks. This provides time to
integrate word wall words, Making Words and vocabulary. A two week routine may also help
with pacing and managing multiple word study groups. The following sample routine can be
modified to meet the needs of any group.
Week One
Monday
Introduce the sort
Tuesday
Buddy sort
Wednesday
Making Words activity related to the sort
Thursday
Word Hunt
Friday
Review Word Hunt
Week Two
Monday
Word wall activity
Tuesday
Word Wall activity or Making Words related to the sort
Wednesday
Written word practice
Thursday
Game
Friday
Spell Check
46
Word Sorts for a Variety of Purposes
What is a Sort
Sorting is a powerful way to help students make sense of words. “Categorizing is the
fundamental way that humans make sense of the world. It allows us to find order and similarities
among various objects, events, ideas, and words that we encounter. When students sort words,
they are engaged in the active process of searching, comparing, contrasting, and analyzing. Word
sorts help students organize what they know about words and to form generalizations that they
can apply to new words they encounter in their reading.” (Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton, Johnston,
2007)
Students find word sorting interesting and fun. Teachers find it easy to differentiate instruction to
meet the needs of learners through the use of word sorts. The following defines a variety of types
of sorts, characteristics of sorting tasks, and ideas for varying the sorting task to keep interest
levels high.
Types of Sorts
Sound Sorts - Words are categorized according to their sound features.
Spelling Sort - Words are sorted according to relationships between pronunciation, visual
patterns, meaning, and/or origin and spelling.
Concept/Meaning Sort - Words are categorized according to properties that are independent of
pronunciation or spelling with a focus on meaning.
Alphabetic Sort - Words are categorized according to beginning letter(s) in alphabetical order.
Characteristics of Various Sorting Tasks
Picture Sort - Children sort pictures or objects.
Letter Sort - Children sort letters (ie: magnetic letters, letter cards, letter tiles, etc).
Word Sort - Words are written on cards for sorting.
Single Sort - Pictures or words are sorted once for a particular purpose.
Multiple Sort - A set of pictures or words are sorted several times for different purposes and in
different categories.
Open Sort - Students are given a set of words. Students choose categories for sorting and
explain their rationale. Others try to “solve” the sort by guessing the features of categories.
Closed Sort - Students are given a set of words. The teacher decides the categories and selects
key words to head each category (with one marked ‘?’ or “Oddball).
47
Varying the Task
Visual Sort - Students have the opportunity to look at the word, examine its features, and
compare it to other words in various categories as they decide where to place it.
Blind Sort - Someone else (teacher or student) reads the word to the student and the student
decides on placement in categories without seeing the word first. The student checks
categorization after the word is placed.
Speed Sort - The student is asked to sort quickly as well as accurately against a defined time.
Written Sort - Students have key words available for reference. The words are read to them but
they do not see them. They write words correctly in the appropriate category.
For more information, see Zutell, Jerry (1999). “Sorting It Out Through Word Sorts,” in Fountas, I.C., & Pennell,
G.S., Eds. Voices on Word Matters: LearningAbout Phonics and Spelling in the Literacy Classroom. Portsmouth,
NH: Heinemann
48
Additional Ideas for Written Practice
Writing words as a study technique for spelling is well established. Undoubtedly the motor act of
writing reinforces the memory for associating letters and patterns with sounds and meaning. The
following are ideas for incorporating written practice into word study routines.
Writing Sorts
Writing words into categories demands that students attend to the sound and/or the pattern of
letters and to think about how those characteristics correspond with the established categories
cued by the key word, picture or pattern at the top of the column. In a written sort, students are
given guide words or letters to represent the sorting categories. The teacher says additional
words aloud. Students write words beneath the appropriate guide word or letter.
Word Hunt
Students hunt for words in their reading, writing and around the classroom. They look for words
that are examples of the sound pattern, or meaning they are studying. Word hunts can be done as
whole group, small group, with a buddy, or individually. Students write down the words
identified in a word hunt for additional written practice.
Draw and Label
Drawing is particularly useful for teaching emergent and letter name-alphabetic spellers initial
consonant sounds, as it encourages them to brainstorm other words that begin with same
beginning sounds. This can also work with older students to illustrate their selected words
written correctly with a corresponding picture. Writing letters or words that correspond with each
drawing provides additional written practice.
Making Words
Students make words with specified letter tiles (or paper squares) for each Making Words lesson.
They also record the words they make on paper. This provides reinforcement for letter sounds
and patterns studied and additional written practice.
Word Study Journals
Students record the weekly word sort in their word study journals. As students find additional
words that match the word study sort through word hunts, they add these words to their journal.
Look-Say-Name-Cover-Write-Check (Snowball, 1999)
One strategy for remembering any word is to try to picture all of it (or parts of it if it’s a long
word), and then write it from your mind. Teach the children how to do this using the following
steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Look at the word, perhaps noticing words within the word, looking at the parts of the word, or
underlining known parts.
Say the word.
Name the letters of the word.
Cover the word and picture it in your mind.
Write the word from the picture in your mind.
Check to see that you have all of the letters in the word, and in the correct order.
49
Games to Support Word Study
Memory
Two players
Place your spelling words upside down in even rows. Take turns turning over two words. If they
do not match, both are turned back over and it is the other person’s turn. If they match, the
person must read both words correctly and state the pattern they have in common. They then get
to keep the pair and take another turn. If they read a word incorrectly or cannot correctly identify
the pattern they have in common, they turn both words back over and it is the other person’s
turn. Continue playing until all the words are removed or there are no more matches. The player
with the most matches wins.
Spelling Bee for Two
Two players
Place the spelling words upside-down in a pile. The first person chooses a word from the pile
and reads it aloud to the other player. The other player must spell the word correctly and identify
the pattern. If they are correct, they keep the word. If they are incorrect, the word is returned to
the pile. Players take turns until all the words are gone. The winner is the person with the most
words.
Spelling Bee for Four
Four players
One person is the word caller. The word caller chooses a word and reads it aloud to one player.
The player must spell the word correctly and identify the pattern. If he/she is correct, he/she stays
in the game. If incorrect, he/she is eliminated. Continue to alternate turns until one person is left.
He/she becomes the new word caller.
50
Word – O
Names - ________________________________________
Choose a partner and write both names at the top of the page. Youngest goes first. Write one of
your word study words at the top of a column. Underneath it, take turns adding, subtracting or
changing a letter to make a new word. Keep going until neither of you can think of any more
words. You may not repeat words. Score one point for each word made. Score two points if you
make a word in your word sort. Take turns choosing words until you have done at least five
words.
51
Dominoes
Two players
Use one set of word study words. Place them upside-down and spread them out to create a ‘boneyard’. Each player chooses seven words. One word is chosen from the bone-yard to start. Players
take turns placing a word that either starts or ends with the same letter as the connecting word. If
a player can’t play one of his/her words, he/she draws from the bone-yard until he/she can. The
winner is player who plays all his/her words first.
Pictionary
Three players
Play Pictionary using scrap paper or white boards from math. One player chooses a word study
word and draws a picture. The person who guesses the word and spells it correctly wins the word
and is the artist for the next round. Play ten rounds. The winner is the person who has the most
words at the end of ten rounds.
Word Jumble
Two players
Use one set of word study cards. Each player takes half of the words. Each player scrambles the
letters of each word to create a scrambled list for his/her partner. Players then trade word
jumbles. Each player must write the correctly spelled word next to the jumbled word. The first
player to correctly unscramble all the words is the winner.
Board Game
Two players
Using the templates in Appendix F of Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary,
and Spelling Instruction, to create game boards. You can leave the spaces blank or add actions
such as: move ahead two spaces, lose a turn, or opponent moves back two spaces. Laminate the
boards for durability. Students take turns asking each other to spell words. If the word is spelled
correctly, the player rolls one die and moves. If a player spells the word incorrectly, he/she loses
his/her turn. The winner is the student who reaches the end first.
It’s a Race!
One player
Using the It’s a Race form in this guide, the teacher writes a high frequency words under each
number,1-6. To play, players roll the die, then write the word wall word that matches the
number on the die. For example, if #1 = “the”, write the word wall word “the” in #1 column.
Roll the die again. Write the word wall word in the column that matches the number rolled.
Play continues until the It’s a Race sheet is filled.
52
1
2
3
4
Name________________________________________
IT’S A RACE!
53
5
6
Word Study Explorations
Word Study Explorations are an opportunity for students to visit or revisit curricular concepts that are part
of the GLCEs. These explorations should be used when you have an identified need with your class or a
small group in your class. Good times to incorporate explorations would be during word study time on
short weeks when there is not enough time to introduce a new word sort. Also consider integrating word
study exploration into other content areas when appropriate. The following chart lists ideas for
exploration topics and a resource for words.
Sort
Exploration of Singular and Plural
Reference for Word Lists
Words Their Way 4th Edition pg. 345
GLCEs
3
Exploration of Past and Present Tense Words Their Way 4th Edition pg. 325
3
Words Their Way 4th Edition pg. 343
3
Exploration of Homophones
Exploration of Contractions
Exploration of Compound Words
2,3
Words Their Way 4th Edition pg. 344
3
Exploration of Synonyms and
Antonyms
A exploration is an open-ended opportunity for students to study a group of words that have something in
common.
Introducing an Exploration
 Begin with an introduction. For example, if the exploration was to feature singular and plural
nouns, you might begin by activating student schema about nouns. Then introduce the terms
“singular” and “plural” and provide examples. Begin with examples that involve adding “s” to
create a plural. Lead students in noticing how “s” vs. “es” is added to create a plural. Create a
chart with the headings “singular” and “plural.” List paired examples underneath.
 On a second day, introduce the idea of irregular plurals. Give an example such as “child” and
“children.” Have students brainstorm additional examples to add to the list.
 As time allows, word hunts, word games, work in word study journals, and written practice might
also be utilized to reinforce an understanding of the concept introduced in the exploration.
Spelling K-8 (Snowball, 1999)
54
Strategies for Spelling Accurately in Writing
Always encourage taking a risk with spelling. Students should not feel inhibited from using sophisticated
vocabulary because they cannot spell correctly. At the same time, it is important to introduce strategies for
spelling accurately in writing.
Introduce Strategies for Discovering Errors
Introduce each of the following strategies as a part of a workshop minilesson. These strategies can be
practiced regularly as a part of Express Lane Editing. (Anderson, 2007)
 Point to each word while proofreading to slow down reading and become more aware of errors.
 Read the writing backwards to slow down reading and shift the focus to spelling and not the flow
of the writing.
 Read writing aloud to look for errors. While reading aloud, students will sometimes get hung up
on words that are misspelled which interrupts the flow of the reading and helps to identify errors.
 Use knowledge of word patterns to spell accurately in writing. Help students recognize patterns
they have studied: onsets, rimes, syllables, roots, prefixes and suffixes.
Provide Support for Discovering Errors
Assist students in finding spelling errors by providing support.
 Keep expectations realistic. For students with a large number of spelling errors, support them with
fixing 2-3 words.
 Identify 2-3 lines of student writing that have spelling errors with a mark in the margin. Students
focus editing on lines that have been marked rather than the whole text.
 Point to a word that is misspelled. Students make an attempt to fix the word.
Create Regular Opportunities for Editing
Make editing for spelling errors a regular part of writing workshop and encourage editing skills across
content areas.
 Use the idea of “Express Lane Editing” to focus editing on one or two spelling patterns.
 Encourage students to try out different spellings for words in the margin of the paper or on a
sticky note and then choose the spelling that looks right.
 Have students use the Have A Go strategy to discover accurate spelling of words. (See Have A Go
form in this guide).
55
Have A Go
Name
____________________
Directions:






Copy a word from your writing that doesn’t look right into the Copy Word column.
Try writing the word another way in the 1st Attempt column.
Try writing the word another way in the 2nd Attempt column.
Look the word up in the dictionary. Copy the correct spelling in the Dictionary column.
Circle the accurate spelling on your Have A Go.
Correct the spelling in your writing.
Copy Word
1st Attempt
2nd Attempt
Adapted from Invitations (Routman, 1994)
56
Dictionary
Monitoring Student Progress
Word Study provides opportunities for the analysis of the structure and meaning of words. This promotes
a deeper understanding and the application of spelling patterns beyond the limits of a given list. With this
is mind, the assessment of spelling should not be limited to the memorization of a list of words. There are
a variety of ways to monitor student progress related to word study. The teacher can use several methods
to examine student progress over the course of the year. Suggestions for monitoring student progress are
outlined below.
Ideas for Monitoring Student Progress through Observation




Student writing – Observe the use of word study words in writing workshop.
Content area writing - Observe student application of spelling patterns across content areas. Are
they applying their knowledge of spelling patterns and meaning in science? Social studies?
Math?
Small group instruction – Watch as students encounter word study words as they read. This is a
great opportunity to make ties between word study and reading.
Games – Observe as students play word study games.
Monitoring Student Progress by Administering a Spell Check
A Spell Check is a more formal assessment tool. This assessment measures the mastery of a sort that has
been practiced and a student’s ability to apply the pattern to additional words. The Spell Check can be
used each week on a designated day or bi-weekly by combining two sorts. Another option is to choose the
Unit Spell Check (reviewing several sorts) that is provided in the Words Their Way leveled resource.
To administer a Spell Check:
 Begin by selecting 10 to 15 words that you will ask students to spell.
 Make sure to include some words that were not a part of the original sort. This will help determine
the child’s ability to move from the known to the unknown when applying the pattern.
 Say the word and a sentence that contains the word.
 Direct students to either write the words as a list or as a written sort. (A Word Study Spell Check
form is available in this guide).
 Collect and assess Spell Checks for accuracy.
 Results can be used to inform next steps for individual and small group instruction.
To administer a Partner Spell Check:
 The Partner Spell Check is another way to administer the Spell Check. In this technique, partners
are chosen, and one is selected to go first. The first partner reads each word and a sentence using
the word to his/her partner. The other writes the words down. Once the Spell Check is complete,
the partners switch roles. This can be a practical solution to administering the spell check when
students are working on different sorts.
57
Word Study Spell Check
Name: _________________ #: ____
Date: _________________________
1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________
4. ___________________________________
5. ___________________________________
6. ___________________________________
7. ___________________________________
8. ___________________________________
9. ___________________________________
10.___________________________________
High Frequency Words
1. ______________________
11.___________________________________
2. ______________________
12.___________________________________
13.___________________________________
14.___________________________________
15.___________________________________
58
3. ______________________
4. ______________________
5. ______________________
Letter to Family and Homework Letters
Communicating and soliciting support from families is important. Ideally, families will be able to support
the word study work that you do with students at school by providing similar experiences at home. The
pages that follow contain sample letters that could be sent home. The first letter provides background on
word study and the Words Their Way program. There is also a letter that could be used to suggest
homework routines. These letters are samples and may be revised to meet the needs of the teacher.
Consider using your school letterhead when copying the letters to send home to families.
Also included is a sample of a Word Study Review that can be sent home to help families understand the
weekly word study focus. The Word Study Review is designed to be sent home with a copy of the sort for
practice at home. Teachers can utilize the Words Their Way teaching notes that correspond with each
lesson to create the “key concept” statements shown at the top of the sample review sheet. These review
notes provide families with the necessary background to review at home. This cover sheet may be used in
either the one week or two week routine. It is suggested that teachers introduce this cover sheet to
families at the beginning of the school year as a part of Curriculum Night or in a back-to-school
informational packet. Additionally, the suggestions listed for practice at home should be routines that
have been introduced in class so that students are familiar with the routines. The sample provided can be
modified as needed.
59
Dear Family,
Welcome to the new school year. This year, your child will have an opportunity to explore words through
“word study.” Word study is an umbrella term that encompasses the study of spelling, phonics, phonemic
awareness, grammar and vocabulary. Word study instruction is essential in your child’s literacy
development because it helps children foster an understanding of words and how they work, thus assisting
your child as he or she learns to read and write.
Some of the key components of Word Study are as follows:






Uses a hands-on approach to learning. Children are actively engaged through word sorting and
word building activities. Brain-based learning supports this type of approach with children.
Encourages meaningful talk among students. Children are able to share their thinking with each
other as they gain new understandings about words.
Promotes inquiry-based learning. Simply put, this means that students are given opportunities to
discover patterns and generalizations about words as opposed to simply learning a new spelling
rule.
Is strategy-based vs. memory-based. Instead of asking children to memorize lists of words,
children will be learning strategies and patterns that can apply to many words.
Offers opportunities for differentiated learning. Differentiation means that the teacher will provide
your child with word sorts and activities that best meet his/her instructional needs. This might
mean that some students are engaged in different word sorts and activities than others.
Asks students to notice similarities and differences in words. Word sorting is a key component to
word study. Through word sorting, children notice similarities and differences in words. They may
create categories for sorting or sort the words into predetermined categories. The process of
sorting helps young learners discover word patterns.
Each week your child will be bringing home a group of words for word study. You can support your
child’s growing understanding of words by sorting words at home. Attached are ideas for a variety of
word sorting activities.
Your child will have regular “spell checks” to assess his/her progress with learning the week’s word
patterns. On the spell check, your child will be asked to spell a sample of the words studied in the course
of the week. He/she may also be asked to apply the pattern to 1 or 2 new words as a way of assessing their
ability to transfer understanding beyond the words sorted.
Teachers see tremendous growth in their students understanding of how words work and knowledge of
word patterns through focused word study. Students truly love learning about words through engaging
word study activities.
Sincerely,
60
Sample 1
Dear Family,
Word study instruction is essential to your child’s literacy development because it helps foster an
understanding of words and how they work, thus assisting your child as he or she learns to read and write.
Word study is a part of our daily routine at school. You can help your child practice word study at home
with the following activities:
Monday
Go on a word hunt! Look in magazines, newspapers, and books. Read aloud and have your child find
words that are examples of the skill of the week.
Tuesday
Sort words at home! Ask your child to sort the pictures and/or words into categories like he/she did at
school. Have your child read the words in each category to check the placement of each word within a
category. Then ask your child to mix up the cards and sort them again as quickly as possible.
Wednesday
Do a “no peeking” sort. Create a heading for each category. Read each word aloud and have your child
point to the category where it would be placed.
Thursday
Have fun with rhyming! Name a few rhyming word pairs. Then ask your child to think of rhyming word
pairs that match the sound or pattern of the week.
These are just a few ways that you can support your child with word study at home. Let’s work together
to create a love of words that lasts a lifetime!
Sincerely,
61
Sample 2
Dear Family,
Word study instruction is essential to your child’s literacy development because it helps foster an
understanding of words and how they work, thus assisting your child as he or she learns to read and write.
Word study is a part of our daily routine at school. You can help your child practice word study at home
with the following activities:
Monday
Go on a word hunt! Look in magazines, newspapers, and books. Read aloud and have your child find
words that are examples of the skill of the week.
Tuesday
Talk about words! Have your child identify one word that is interesting and look up the meaning in the
dictionary. Challenge your child to explain the word’s meaning to the family. Then challenge the family
to use the word in conversation.
Wednesday
Do a “no peeking” sort. Create a heading for each category. Read each word aloud and have your child
point to the category where it would be placed.
Thursday
Try a written sort. Identify guide words for each category. Read the list of words that your child brought
home. Have him/her write each word under the guide word that is a match with the spelling pattern.
These are just a few ways that you can support your child with word study at home. Let’s work together
to create a love of words that lasts a lifetime!
Sincerely,
62
Word Study Review
 The “Spell Check” will be given on: _____________________
 Key Concept: Short o, long o and open syllable ow
o ow – When words ends with a long vowel sound (ex: show) we call this an
open syllable. The “o” sound at the end of words is often spelled “ow”.
o Other long o vowel spellings follow the CVCe pattern. The “e” at the end
causes the vowel to say it’s name. (e.g. froze)
o Another long o vowel sound is the oa pattern. This is found in the middle of
words. (foam)
1. to Help Your Child Prepare at Home:
Ways
1. Go on a “Word Hunt” to find words that fit the pattern. Look in books,
magazines or any print material you can find.
2. Cut out the word sort that is attached and re-sort the words. Ask your child to
sort the words based on the rule.
3. Quiz your child by asking them to spell some of the words above or ones that
you found that fit the pattern.
4. Don’t forget to practice the commonly misspelled words at the bottom of the
page too. Have your child write the word on paper or get creative and have
them use shaving cream on the table!
Most Frequently Misspelled Words:
Please help your child at home by practicing some of the commonly misspelled words on
the attached sheet. With each spell check, I will include approximately 8-10 words that
should be learned for mastery. The words for this week are:
although
believe
does
doesn’t
much
only
these
very
63
Phonemic Awareness Instruction
Phonemic awareness instruction should start with the largest unit (word) and progress to the smallest unit
(phoneme). Children need experiences with blending, segmenting, and manipulating words, syllables,
onset-rime, and phonemes. Blending, segmenting, and manipulating activities will support children with
both spelling in writing and decoding in reading. A list of resources for phonemic awareness instruction
can be found later in this guide.
The following terms are defined in The Continuum of Literacy Learning (Fountas and Pinnell, 2008) and
important to understand related to phonemic awareness instruction.
Word
A unit of meaning in language.
Syllable
A minimal unit of sequential speech sounds composed of a vowel sound or
a consonant vowel combination. A syllable always contains a vowel or
vowel-like speech sound.
Onset-Rime
Onset - In a syllable, the onset is the part (consonant, consonant cluster, or
consonant digraph) that comes before the vowel (cr-eam).
Rime - The rime is the ending part of a word containing the vowel; the letters that
represent the vowel sound and the consonant letters that follow it in a syllable (dream).
Phonemes
The smallest unit of sound in spoken language. There are approximately
forty-four units of speech sounds in English.
Blending
To combine sound or word parts.
Segmenting
To divide into parts.
Manipulation
The ability to substitute letters or sounds to change a word.
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37 Common Rimes
The following table contains examples of single syllable words containing a rime from Wylie and
Durrell’s list of the 37 most frequently occurring rimes for primary readers. Some of these rimes may be
featured as a part of a Level A word sort. Others may be tied to a word that occurs in a word sort.
Suggested use:






Identify a word that contains one of the frequently occurring rimes. (e.g. map)
Tell students that this word contains a rime that occurs in other words. (e.g. –ap)
Demonstrate how the rime can be used to spell other words. (e.g. rap, tap)
Ask students what other words this rime could help us to spell.
Post the word you identified on the word wall as a key word for that rime.
Continue to reference the key word wall words for help with spelling other words.
65
37 Common Rimes
Rime
-ack
-ail
-ain
-ake
-ale
-ame
-an
-ank
-ap
-ash
-at
-ate
-aw
-ay
-eat
-ell
-est
-ice
-ick
-ide
-ight
-ill
-in
-ine
-ing
-ink
-ip
-it
-ock
-oke
-op
-ore
-ot
-uck
-ug
-ump
-unk
Examples
back, sack, black
fail, mail, trail
pain, rain, drain
bake, cake, shake
tale, sale, whale
came, game, flame
can, fan, plan
bank, sank, thank
map, rap, strap
cash, rash, splash
bat, cat, flat
hate, mate, plate
paw, saw, draw
day, may, stray
beat, heat, wheat
fell, sell, yell
best, nest, chest
ice, mice, twice
sick, lick, trick
ride, side, bride
night, might, fright
will, pill, grill
pin, fin, thin
fine, line, shine
king, ring, bring
ink, sink, think
lip, zip, drip
fit, sit, quit
rock, sock, knock
woke, poke, broke
hop, mop, stop
more, wore, chore
got, not, spot
duck, buck, truck
bug, hug, shrug
bump, jump, thump
hunk, sunk, chunk
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WORD WALLS
Livonia Public Schools ● Curriculum Department ● Updated 2010
57
Definition/Purpose
57
Use of Word Walls
57
Displaying the
Word Wall
58
Starting, Adding
and Removing
Words Grade-by
Grade
59
Student
Accountability
61
Word Selection
61
Kindergarten High
Frequency Words
62
First Grade High
Frequency Words
63
Second Grade High
Frequency Words
64
Third Grade High
Frequency Words
DEFINITION / PURPOSE
“A word wall is a systematically organized collection of words displayed in large letters on
a wall or other large display place in the classroom.”
(Pat Cunningham)
A word wall supports spelling and phonics instruction in the process of teaching children to
read and write. It is an interactive tool which is to be used, not simply displayed. It is
designed to be used throughout the day and across the curriculum.
Word walls are designed to:
•
•
•
•
•
Support the teaching of important general principles about words and how
they work.
Foster reading and writing.
Provide reference support for children during their writing and reading.
Promote independence on the part of young students as they work with words
in writing and reading.
Provide a visual map to help children remember the connections between
words and the characteristics that will help them form categories.
(Gay Su Pinnell and Irene Fountas)
USE OF WORD WALLS
Teachers can use word walls in a variety of
ways. There are no hard and fast rules that
dictate their use. Word walls change as the
year progresses and teachers need to include
a process for changing the list throughout the
year.
Word Wall
Ff
Gg
Hh
Ii
first
get
had
it
for
go
his
isn’t
girl
have
in
The following are some guidelines for getting
the most out of using word walls and for providing
consistency throughout Livonia Public Schools.
DISPLAYING THE WORD WALL
How do I display individual words in my room so that I can use them daily?
Teachers usually display word walls by listing the individual words in columns under the appropriate letter. Each
word is listed on a separate card and posted at eye level.
67
Make the word wall very accessible for students to
see so they can use these words as a reference.
Laminating the cards may produce a glare which
interferes with reading the words.
FIRST GRADE
Begin the year with no words listed, only the letter
names as headings.
How do I display groups of words in my room?
Start with the 20 kindergarten list words as a review,
a few at a time.
Charts with lists of words make posting of words
easier when wall space is limited. They can be put up
and taken down as needed. These charts may include
categories such as:
Add the new words from the first grade list. Add no
more than five words per week. Other words may be
added at the teacher’s discretion.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
the week’s spelling words
word families
children’s first and last names
color words
number words
days of the week
months of the year
holiday words
sports
math, science or social studies vocabulary
spelling patterns
compound words, contractions, prefixes,
suffixes
• synonyms, antonyms, homographs,
homophones
• commonly misspelled words
Spend time making sure students associate meanings
with the words. By the end of the year, all of the
words from the first grade list should have been
added.
Probably no words will be removed.
SECOND GRADE
Begin with no words listed. Use only the letter
names as headings.
Start with about five words per week until all the
First Grade List words have been added.
Add about five more new words per week until all of
the second grade list has been added. Select words
which are most commonly misspelled in the students’
daily writing. Other words may be added at the
teacher’s discretion.
STARTING, ADDING AND
REMOVING WORDS GRADE-BYGRADE
How do I begin, add and remove words from the
word wall?
Point out commonly confused words and discuss how
they are different from each other.
General guidelines:
Remove words at teacher discretion only when they
are consistently written correctly in the students’
daily writing. Leave the words displayed that are
most troublesome so students can refer to the correct
spelling at all times.
• Be stingy about adding words.
• Begin with a blank wall. Only list the letter
names as headings.
• Every time a word is added, call attention to it.
THIRD GRADE
Begin with no words listed. Use only the letter
names as headings.
KINDERGARTEN
Begin the year with no words listed. Use only the
letter names as headings. Teachers may start the word
wall when it seems appropriate.
Start with the most commonly misspelled words
from the first and second grade lists (for example:
they, was, come, of, from, were, where, said,
because, again, could, does, pretty, people, have, etc).
. Select about 5 words at a time until words from all
lists have been reviewed. Point out commonly
confused words and discuss how they are different
from each other.
Add words from the kindergarten high frequency list
as they are introduced. Other words may be added at
the teacher’s discretion.
No words will be removed.
68
Add about five additional words per week from the
third grade list, as seems appropriate. Select words
which are most commonly misspelled in the students’
daily writing. Other words may be added at the
teacher’s discretion.
Remove words at teacher discretion only when they
are consistently written correctly in daily writing.
Leave the words displayed that are most troublesome
so students can refer to the correct spelling at all
times.
How do I hold students accountable for accurate
spelling of these words?
• Incorporate word wall activities into literacy
stations. Provide practice and activities for small
group and independent work.
• In kindergarten, students will be assessed on
reading the high frequency words that make
up their word wall list.
•
Beginning in first grade, students need to be
responsible for both reading and writing
word wall words.
•
• Pat Cunningham, an expert in word walls, suggests
these activities:
1. Word Work
Use a variety of media to work with a word
such as magnetic letters, white board or
chalkboard, letter cards, or an easel with chart
paper and colored markers.
2. Daily Spelling Tests
Use the word wall for daily spelling
tests. If necessary, the child find the
word on the wall and copy it correctly.
Establish a culture of using word walls by
daily modeling their many uses and
encouraging students to use them.
•
Students need to know word wall words
instantly and automatically.
•
Give consistent reminders to check the word
wall list for every assignment students turn in
to you.
Be consistent in using these words from grade to
grade and year to year.
• Practice writing the words on slates or scrap paper
frequently so that students can write them instantly
and automatically.
• Hold students accountable for wall words to
be spelled correctly in all writing as they are
added to the word wall.
Kindergarten students are encouraged to use
the word wall as a reference in writing.
•
• “Doing” a word wall is different from “having” a
word wall. Do at least one activity daily that
involves students referring to the word wall.
Make sure all students learn these critical
words.
•
After every writing activity, including writer’s
notebook work, give reminders to check back
over what was written to be sure the word wall
words are spelled accurately. Students could
check their own writing and pairs could check
each others’ writing for the accurate spelling of
word wall words.
What classroom activities can I do that use
word walls?
STUDENT ACCOUNTABILITY
•
•
3.
69
“Clap, Chant and Write!”
Ask students to number a paper from 1 to 5.
Call out five selected word wall words for the
week, putting each word in a sentence. As
you call out each word, have a child find and
point to that word and have all the children
clap and chant its spelling before writing it.
Children write the word. To check, point to
each word and have a volunteer spell each
word as children check/fix their own paper.
4. Rhyming Activities with the Word Wall
Children clap, chant and write, but they also
find the word that rhymes with the word you
give. Give them both a first letter and a
rhyming clue such as, word one begins with a
t and rhymes with walk. Teacher checks for
understanding by saying the rhyming word
and chanting the spelling.
7. “Guess the Covered Word”
This is a game that develops automatic cross
checking abilities. Children learn to do two
things simultaneously—think about what
would make sense, and think about letters
and sounds. Write four or five sentences on
the board that start with students’ names.
Follow a similar word pattern, and end with
words that vary in their initial sounds and
word length. For the first lesson use only
words with single consonants, not blends.
5. Cross Check
Tell students they will have to decide which
word wall word makes sense and begins
correctly. For each word, write the first letter
of the word on the board. Then say a
sentence leaving out a word that begins with
that letter. Students decide which word
makes sense in your sentence and write that
word.
For example:
Rasheed likes to play soccer.
Kate likes to play softball.
Rob likes to play basketball.
Juan likes to play hockey.
An example: Write t on the board. Say, “The
first word begins with a t and fits in the
sentence, Paula likes to _____ on the
telephone.” To check the answers, read the
sentence again and have students tell you
what word they wrote and chant its spelling.
Cover the last word in each sentence with
sticky notes, tearing or adjusting them to the
length of each word. Read the first sentence
and ask students to guess the covered word.
Write three or four guesses on the board next
to the sentence. Uncover the first letter.
Erase guesses that don’t begin with that
letter. Have students continue offering
guesses that make sense and begin with the
correct letter. Write their responses on the
board. Keep students focused on meaning
and the beginning letter. Finally uncover the
whole word and see if any guesses were
correct. When children understand the game,
include some covered words that begin with
digraphs and blends. Explain that the rules of
this game require the teacher to show the
students all the letters up to the first vowel.
6. “Be a Mind Reader”
The teacher thinks of a word on the wall and
then gives five clues about that word. Choose
a word and write it on a scratch paper and
keep it secret. Students number a paper from
1 to 5 and write the word they think it might
be next to the number after each clue. First
clue is always the same.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
It’s one of the words on the word wall.
It has 4 letters.
It begins with th.
The vowel is an e.
It finishes the sentence: I gave my books
to _____.
Many other games can be played, such as
finding opposites, words that start alike, end
alike, similar patterns, rhyming words, etc.
Students will enjoy making up their own
games using the word wall words.
After clue 5, show the students the word you
wrote and say, “I know you all have the word
next to 5, but who has it next to 4? 3? 2? 1?
Some students will have read your mind!
This activity forces students to look closely
at word parts.
70
WORD SELECTION
The word lists included in this booklet are listed by grade level and include high frequency words. There are
many resources for high frequency words. The words listed in the LPS Word Study Guide are a match with
the high frequency words in the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System kit. They can be found
in the Assessment Forms book as one of the Phonics and Word Analysis Assessments.
KINDERGARTEN LIST
25 High Frequency Words
a
like
am
me
an
my
and
no
at
on
can
see
do
so
go
the
he
to
I
up
in
we
is
you
it
72
FIRST GRADE LIST
50 High Frequency Words
all
her
read
are
him
run
as
his
sat
ball
how
saw
be
if
say
boy
jump
she
by
look
sit
come
man
then
day
mom
they
did
not
this
eat
now
too
for
of
us
get
or
was
girl
out
went
got
play
will
had
put
yes
has
ran
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SECOND GRADE LIST
100 High Frequency Words
These words are to be used in addition to the first grade list.
able
about
across
after
almost
any
anything
five
four
from
fun
give
going
good
sky
sleep
something
stay
take
tell
than
away
have
that
back
bad
because
become
been
before
behind
big
help
here
hide
hill
home
I’m
into
just
their
them
there
three
time
today
top
two
books
both
bus
but
came
can’t
car
cat
city
know
let
little
love
make
mother
much
name
new
under
use
very
want
week
were
what
when
where
could
dad
dog
don’t
door
one
our
over
paper
place
who
why
with
world
write
down
end
fast
fish
rain
ride
room
said
year
your
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HIGH FREQUENCY WORDS – 3rd GRADE & BEYOND
High frequency words occur frequently in reading and writing. For children to be fluent readers and
writers, they need to instantly recognize and be able to spell these words. In the beginning of the year
teachers should assess their students’ knowledge of high frequency words. Throughout the year teachers
support and build upon the use and spelling of these words. High utility words are also essential for
students to learn. This would include thematic, content-based or self-selected words.
Additional resources identifying High Frequency Words and planning for instruction:

The Next Step in Guided Reading (Richardson)
This book contains a list of the 100 most frequently misspelled words. Teachers might consider
using this list as a personal word wall or classroom word wall adding 5-6 words to each spell
check.

Spelling K-8 (Snowball)
Chapter 17 of this fabulous book is filled with ideas and lists for the teaching of high frequency
words. Copies of this book are located in each of the K-4 & 5-6 buildings as this text was a part of
the original word study committee.

Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System
The “Forms” book in the Benchmark Assessment System kit has a variety of lists of high
frequency words.
74
Vocabulary Introduction
Background
According to the National Reading Panel (2001), which reviewed research about vocabulary
development, both vocabulary instruction and assessment are crucial to students’ literacy success.
(Block and Mangieri, 2006). In their book, The Vocabulary Enriched Classroom, Block and Mangieri
site the following additional research in support of vocabulary instruction.
 A lack of vocabulary is a key component underlying failure for many students, especially
for those that are economically disadvantaged. (Biemiller, 2001; Biemiller & Slonium,
2001; Hart & Risley, 1995; Hirsch, 2001)
 Both wide reading and explicit instruction help to build new vocabulary. To be most
effective, students should have the opportunity to apply their knowledge of these words in
multiple subject areas and fictional texts. (Beck, Perfetti, & McKeown, 1982; Beck,
McKeown, & Kucan, 2002)
 Consistent and daily attention to words builds students’ literacy growth. (Brabham &
Lynch-Brown, 2002; Dickinson & Tabors, 2001) The repeated teaching of high-utility
words and the application of these words in multiple contexts significantly increases
students’ comprehension on standardized literacy tests. (Block & Mangieri, 2005b; Gough,
Alford, & Holly-Wilcox, 1981: Fry, 2004)
A classroom environment that promotes a love of words supports vocabulary development. In his
book, Word Savvy, Max Brand identifies the following conditions to support vocabulary development:
 Teachers are fascinated by language and share their interest with their students.
 The classroom is alive with playful and thoughtful interactions with language.
 Language is a tool for thought as students and teachers share, explore, and refine their
thinking about curriculum content.
 There are multiple opportunities to inquire, wonder, and delight in reading, writing, and
learning content material.
 The classroom walls are draped with print that is meaningful to the learners and organized
by the learners.
 The classroom is an experience-oriented one, where language and vocabulary develop as
students build and refine their understanding of “big ideas” or concepts.
Vocabulary instruction should lead students to become word meaning makers. In his book, Word
Savvy, Max Brand identifies the following goals for vocabulary instruction:
 To build new concept understanding while developing vocabulary
 To help students relate background knowledge to new concepts and vocabulary
 To show students how to use context to infer the meaning of words
 To show students how to use word parts to infer the meaning of words
 To provide multiple opportunities for students to use new vocabulary
75
Word Jars
Purpose: “Word Jars” can be used to motivate an interest in words. This tool can help students become
more aware of words in their daily life.
Procedure:
 One way to introduce this tool would be to read the book Donovan’s Word Jar written by
Monalisa DeGross. In this book the main character collects words that are special to him.
 Decide on headings, labels and the number of “Word Jars” per page. The following are
examples of headings:
o “Wow” words
o Parts of speech (e.g. adjectives)
o Content area words
o Genre words
 First practice using word jars with the whole class before having your students collect words
individually.
 Then students can use the graphic organizer to collect words of different categories or
headings.
 Because these headings can be changed this tool could be used in any subject area.
Extensions:
 A middle school teacher used this idea in his classroom by having his students write down
words on slips of paper and placing them in a glass pickle jar. Each day the teacher would pull
out a word from the jar and the class would discuss it. (Allen and Gonzalez 1998)
 Word Jars might also be used to develop vocabulary:
o During shared and independent reading
o As a part of a unit in math, social studies, or science
o To enrich vocabulary for writing
o During a class read aloud
o As part of a genre study (noticing words for specific reading genres)
76
WORD JARS
Words that…
Words that…
Words that…
Words that…
Words that…
Words that…
77
Words that…
78
Inferring the Meaning of Unknown Words
Purpose: Readers can use this strategy to discover the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Procedure:
 Identify an unfamiliar word in a shared read-aloud.
 Write the word in the “word” box on the Inferring the Meaning of Unknown Words form.
 Write the sentence from the text that includes the unknown word in the “sentence” box.
 Look for clues to the word’s meaning in the text and text features. Make notes about the clues in
the “text clues” box.
 Infer a possible meaning for the word. Write the inferred meaning in the “inferred meaning” box.
 Try out the inferred meaning in the sentence.
Extensions:
 Provide guided support for applying this strategy as a part of small group instruction.
 Encourage students to apply this strategy on their own during independent reading.
 Create a word wall for posting words and meanings that have been discovered.
79
Inferring the Meaning of Unknown Words
Word
Sentence
Text Clues
Inferred Meaning
80
Name:
Explore A Word
Purpose: Explore A Word allows students to explore the meaning of the word. In addition, students look
for synonyms and antonyms for the word as well as consider how to use it. Words can be selected from
content areas, shared texts, or word study lists.
Procedure:
 Make copies of the “Explore A Word” organizer for each student. If you are studying multiple
words, you will need multiple copies of the organizer for each student.
 Select word(s) for students to use or allow students to select the word(s). Students may also use a
vocabulary sort to identify words to explore.
 Add notes to the organizer as follows:
o definition – Write the definition of the word.
o example – Give an example.
o similar – List words with similar meanings.
o opposite – List words that mean the opposite.
 Students may use a dictionary, thesaurus or other reference materials to explore the word.
Extensions:
 Students may draw a picture that incorporates more than one word or shows the contrast between
the word and one of its antonyms.
 Students may use the same word and explore two different meanings on two separate organizers.
Learning Words Inside and Out (Frey, Fisher, 2006)
81
Explore A Word
Class# _____ Name _____________________________ Date _______________
Word ________________________________
definition
example
similar
opposite
Sentence
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
On the back of the page, draw a picture to illustrate the meaning of the word.
Learning Words Inside and Out (Frey, Fisher, 2006)
82