Word Study: Principle and Practices

EDC 424

What is Word Study? • Word Study is about FINDING PATTERNS and

discovering RULES to apply to new words–Words Their Way: What and how to teach

word patterns for spelling and reading development (and how to assess it)

WTW: Organizing for Word Study• How are word sorts different than other phonics

programs?1. Hands-on manipulatives to learn by doing2. Work from known to unknown to help spell3. Analytic (whole > part) rather than synthetic (part >

whole) 4. Critical thinking about principles (compare/contrast)

rather than memorizing rules5. Efficient (more words) and cost effective (reusable

cards vs. worksheets with fewer words)6. Easier to differentiate instruction and adapt (just

combine different word groups and cards)

Three Main Types of Word Sorts

• Sound Sort > Visual Pattern Sort > Meaning Sort

Picture sort (early stages)

Word sort(see sound vs. spelling)

Blind sort sort by sound

without visual cues

1 2

Use keyword headings

(either picture or visual pattern)

Concept sort (themed words or

vocabulary

Spelling/meaning sort

(homophones; homographs;

affix/suffix sorts)

Correct sequence

Modeling Word Sorts

Word Demonstration Activity: Word Sort after reading

“The Hare and the Tortoise:

cart

hare

share

startstare

card

hair

shark

care

dark

farm

fair

chair mare

bearpair

stairs

bark

scare

rare

bare

Try it out: Word Sorts• First, sort by SOUND.

cart

hareshare

startstare

card hair sharkcare

dark

farm

fair

chair mare

Group 2Group 1

bearpair

stairs

bark

pairscare

rare

Try it out: Word Sorts• First, sort by SOUND.

cart

hare

share

start stare

card

hair

shark

care

dark

farm

fair

chair mare

Group 2Group 1

bear

stairsbark

pair

scarerare

Try it out: Word Sorts• Now, sort by VISUAL PATTERN.

hare

share

stare

hair

care

fair

chair mare

Group 2Group 1

bearpair

stairs pair

scare

rare

cart

start

card

sharkdark

farm

bark

Try it out: Word Sorts• Now, sort by VISUAL PATTERN.

cart

hare

share

start

stare

card

hair

shark

care

darkfarm

fair

chair

mare

Group 2Group 1

bear

pairstairs

bark

scare

rare

??XOddball

So what did you discover today?

• The sound “air” can be spelled in two ways:– Air (air, stairs, fair)– Are (bare, care, rare)

In your centers today, you will practice sorting these again (first by sound and then by pattern).

This time, you will write (or glue – depending on level) each word into your journal.

APPLY THESE IDEAS TO YOUR OWN WORD STUDY DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITY

Homework

• Cut out letter cards and bring to class• Read WTW Chapter 3: Word Study Routines