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An Overview of the Words Their Way ProgramWhitney Merriman, Reading SpecialistPam Bittner, KindergartenAmy Johnson, 1st GradeAmy Adams, 2nd Grade

WordsTheirWay

+Why are we using Words Their Way? Traditional Spelling Instruction

Students are given a list of words to memorize Students quickly forget words after the spelling test All students study the same words

Words Their Way Students analyze words to discover the similarities and

differences Students are able to apply the spelling patterns to similar

words Investigation, hands-on, and oral activities help the students

retain the new spelling patterns in their long-term memory Students are grouped according to their spelling skills and

what they need to work on

+What does it look like?

Students sorting words or pictures according to sound or spelling pattern.

Students applying skills taught by correctly spelling words in everyday writing.

Students noticing spelling patterns in reading and through vocabulary practice.

Weekly assessments.

Students sharing with parents what sort they learned in school.

Students noticing words that follow their spelling patterns in their nightly reading.

+How are Spelling Stages decided?Qualitative Spelling Inventory (3 times a

year)

Weekly Assessments

Daily Writing Samples

Reading Observations

Spelling stages are fluid; students can move ahead at differing paces. The classroom teacher and FLI teacher

will work together to determine when students need to be moved to a different group.

What is the student USING but CONFUSING?

+Qualitative Spelling Inventory

+Grade-Level Expectations: Kindergarten

  2nd Six Weeks 3rd Six Weeks 4th Six Weeks 5th Six Weeks 6th Six Weeks

On Target Consonants Short Vowel Beginning Digraphs Beginning BlendsMixed Vowel Word

Families

Below Grade-Level

  Consonants Short Vowel Beginning Digraphs Beginning Blends

    Consonants Short Vowel Beginning Digraphs

      Consonants Short Vowel

        Consonants

+Grade-Level Expectations and Grading Scale: First Grade

  

1st Six Weeks 2nd Six Weeks 3rd Six Weeks 4th Six Weeks 5th Six Weeks 6th Six Weeks

On Target Short Vowel Beginning Digraph Beginning Blends Mixed Vowel Mixed Vowel with Blends/Digraphs Long Vowel Patterns

Below Grade-level

(-10) Final Consonant Short Vowel Beginning Digraph Beginning Blends Mixed Vowel Mixed Vowel with Blends/Digraphs

(-20) Initial Consonant Final Consonant Short Vowel Beginning Digraph Beginning Blends Mixed Vowel

(-30)   Initial Consonant Final Consonant Short Vowel Beginning Digraph Beginning Blends

(-40)     Initial Consonant Final Consonant Short Vowel Beginning Digraph

(-50)       Initial Consonant Final Consonant Short Vowel

(-60)         Initial Consonant Initial/Final Consonant

+Grade-Level Expectations and Grading Scale: Second Grade

  

1st Six Weeks 2nd Six Weeks 3rd Six Weeks 4th Six Weeks 5th Six Weeks 6th Six Weeks

On TargetCommon Long Vowel Patterns

Less Common Long Vowels

Less Common Long Vowels

R-Influenced Vowels

Diphthongs and other Ambiguous

Vowels

Complex Consonants

Below Grade-level

(-10)Mixed Vowel with Blends/Digraphs

Common Long Vowel Patterns

Common Long Vowel Patterns

Less Common Long Vowels

R-Influenced Vowels

Diphthongs and other Ambiguous

Vowels

(-20) Mixed VowelMixed Vowel with Blends/Digraphs

Mixed Vowel with Blends/Digraphs

Common Long Vowel Patterns

Less Common Long Vowels

R-Influenced Vowels

(-30) Beginning Blends Mixed Vowel Mixed VowelMixed Vowel with Blends/Digraphs

Common Long Vowel Patterns

Less Common Long Vowels

(-40) Beginning Digraph Beginning Blends Beginning Blends Mixed VowelMixed Vowel with Blends/Digraphs

Common Long Vowel Patterns

(-50) Short Vowel Beginning Digraph Beginning Digraph Beginning Blends Mixed VowelMixed Vowel with Blends/Digraphs

(-60)Intitial/Final Consonant

Short Vowel Short Vowel Beginning Digraph Beginning Blends Mixed Vowel

+Words Their Way Weekly Schedule Teacher introduces the words and sort to each

small group. Student practices sorting words independently.

Working independently or with a partner, students re-sort words, reading aloud to develop automaticity. Practice might include completing a Word Hunt or Word Game.

Students will re-sort and glue the words/pictures as practice before their assessment.

+Understanding Words Their Way Vocabulary Header = spelling patterns for the week. These look

like CVC, CVCe, CVVC, and so on.

V = vowel (a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y), C = consonant (ex. CVC word: fan)

CVCe = consonant-vowel-consonant pattern with an e on the end. (CVCe word: space)

Oddball = words in a word list that do not fall into the regular sorting categories for the week. (If the pattern is long a sound like paint, the word “said” would be an oddball because it has a short e sound, ‘sed’, even though it follows the “ai” spelling pattern.)

+Practice Activities

TEACH SORT

Teach your parents or a sibling the sort you learned in school. Read

each word aloud as you are sorting. Explain why the words are sorted in a particular way. Sort the

words a second time as fast as possible.

BUDDY SORT

Lay down the pattern headers and have a parent read the rest of the words aloud. You must say where the word goes without seeing it!

Point to the header and your parent will lay down the word in

the category you selected. Repeat if you make a mistake.

WORD HUNT

Hunt for words in a book that match the sound/pattern you are studying. Students can keep track of the words by recording them under the

correct headers.

YOUR PILE, MY PILE

Put the word cards in a pile. Pull one card from the pile and say it out loud. Your child will have to spell it correctly and use it in a sentence. If your child does both correctly, he/she gets to keep the card, if not, the card goes back into the pile. When it is their

turn, they can do the same to you!

+Practice Activities (cont.)

DRAWING SORT

Sort the words in your word list and draw a quick picture

to illustrate each one.

WRITING SORT

Copy words from your pile into the correct categories on paper with crayons, markers, pencils; on a chalkboard with chalk; on a whiteboard with dry erase marker (make the

practice fun!)

BLIND SORT

Student listens as a parent calls out the words one at a time and

writes the word in the correct category. The parent shows

student the word card so he/she can check for correct spelling.

+Benefits of Using Words Their WaySPELLING

Differentiated spelling word lists for students to best meet individual needs.

Hands-on approach to learning the word sounds, patterns, and meanings.

WRITING

Improved spelling in writing.

High frequency words mastery.

READING

Improved decoding in reading.

Improved vocabulary comprehension.

+Helpful Websites:

Word Study article written for parents: www.literacyconnections.com/WordStudy.php

More information on why word study is helpful and many great activity ideas, written by a mom: www.themeasuredmom.com/category/word-study/

More Word Their Way glossary terms can be found at this site: quizlet.com/608866/study-guide-words-their-way-glossary-of-terms-flash-cards/

Word lists and games can be found at: spellingcity.com (you can enter the words from your child’s sort to practice and play games).

Word sort PowerPoint activities for each sort: educationextras.com/wordstheirway.html

+Feedback & Questions

What further questions do you have?

If you have any more questions as we go through the year, please contact your child’s teacher or

email our Reading Specialist at whitney.merriman@lifeschools.net.