Word Study in Room 127

I'll mention this several times this year, but it is my mission to differentiate instruction as much as possible for all children every lesson of the day.  One area that is quite time-consuming in preparation, yet very worthwhile, is word study (more commonly referred to as "Spelling").

I'd like to extensively discuss how I plan on differentiating for your child in this area.  With successful implementation, not only will spelling in conjunction with writing improve, but decoding words, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension will also improve.

After administering a test called a Qualitative Spelling Inventory (QSI), I establish each child's developmental level on the spectrum on phonetic development.  From that point, I pair him/her up with other kids that have similar areas for growth.  Then we get to work!  Here's what we do in class and some suggestions as to how you can help your child at home.

Day 1 - Monday
At School:  The children discover patterns within their sets of words.  They write the words, sorting them according to these discovered patterns, then write a reflection statement based on what they've learned (see below).  Students also write their words in their agendas so they will always have a copy!
At Home:  Write or orally use these words in sentences.  Give them life!

Day 2 - Tuesday
At School:  Students will sort the words as quickly as possible.  They will do this three times.  After finishing, students will look through their books to find other words that match the same pattern.
At Home:  Sort these words as well, trying to beat the best time.  Also, continue looking for words within texts at home.


Day 3 - Wednesday

At School:  Students develop high-quality sentences and find synonyms for ten unknown or troubling words from their list (the left side of the picture).
At Home:  Look for words pertaining to the patterns in the paper, online, or in your conversation.

Day 4 - Thursday
At School:  Pairs will work with each other on a "No Peeking Sort".  One student will say the word, and the other student will write the word correctly, placing it in the correct column.  Both students will complete this, making changes in any errors (see the above picture, right side).
At Home:  Complete a No Peeking Sort in the same fashion.


Day 5 - Friday
At School:  Before being quizzed over ten of their words, they will glue their words into their notebook under the appropriate columns (see the picture below).  Students are expected to spell at least 8/10 of the words correct.  If one scores below 8/10, s/he will continue working with these works during the next week.
At Home:  Continue to promote words and patterns by reading and writing together!