Words Their Way
Dear Parents
At ISS your child will be undertaking the Words Their Way program, which covers phonics, spelling, and vocabulary instruction through daily word study.
Why Word Study?
Word Study vs Traditional Spelling
Explicit skill instruction vs Explicit Instruction
Systematic scope and sequence = Systematic scope and sequence
Authentic repeated practice vs Repeated Practice
Hands-on learning vs Rote drill and memorization
Critical analysis of words and their patterns enables transfer into daily writing. vs Little transference or critical thinking; retention only for Fridays test.
Sorting words into categories is the heart of our word study program. 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 then apply to new words they encounter in their reading and writing.
It’s a hands-on way to get kids to learn more about our spelling system, but the best part about word study is that it’s easy and it’s fun.
Your child has been given an assessment which enables teachers to find out which words your child is ready to learn. From this point, your child will begin working with a different group of words each week.
Students will bring home a sorting activity to work on to reinforce the spelling words and the patterns they represent. These activities have been modeled in class, so your child can teach you how to do them. A spelling test will be given each week to monitor progress.
Here is a typical break down of what you might expect:
Day 1: Students will receive a list of 20-30 words cards in class to cut apart. They will read and do the sort in their groups.
Remind your child to sort the words into categories like the ones they have done in school. Your child should read each word aloud during this activity. Ask your child to explain to you why the words are sorted in a particular way. What does the sort reveal about spelling in general? Now ask your child to sort them a second time as fast as possible. You may want to time them.
Day 2: Students might work with a partner in class to sort the words. They will also practice drawing and labeling
Assist your child in doing a word hunt, looking for words in a book they have already read that have the same sound, pattern, or both. Try to find two or three for each category.
Day 3: Students may work in class to pick 10 words of their choice and use them in a sentence. Then they may illustrate the sentence.
Do a blind sort with your child. Lay down a word from each category as a header and then read the rest of the words aloud. Your child must indicate where the word goes without looking. Let your child move it if he or she is wrong. Repeat if your child makes more than one error.
Day 4: Students may complete a writing sort. They will put the cards in pile, pick one at a time, then write the word where it should go.
Do a writing sort to prepare for the Friday test. As you call out the words in a random order your child should write them in categories. Call out any word your child misspells a second or even third time.
Day 5: A short review game might be played and then students will take their spelling test.
Please contact your child’s teacher should you require any further information.
Happy Sorting!
Dear Parents
At ISS your child will be undertaking the Words Their Way program, which covers phonics, spelling, and vocabulary instruction through daily word study.
Why Word Study?
Word Study vs Traditional Spelling
Explicit skill instruction vs Explicit Instruction
Systematic scope and sequence = Systematic scope and sequence
Authentic repeated practice vs Repeated Practice
Hands-on learning vs Rote drill and memorization
Critical analysis of words and their patterns enables transfer into daily writing. vs Little transference or critical thinking; retention only for Fridays test.
Sorting words into categories is the heart of our word study program. 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 then apply to new words they encounter in their reading and writing.
It’s a hands-on way to get kids to learn more about our spelling system, but the best part about word study is that it’s easy and it’s fun.
Your child has been given an assessment which enables teachers to find out which words your child is ready to learn. From this point, your child will begin working with a different group of words each week.
Students will bring home a sorting activity to work on to reinforce the spelling words and the patterns they represent. These activities have been modeled in class, so your child can teach you how to do them. A spelling test will be given each week to monitor progress.
Here is a typical break down of what you might expect:
Day 1: Students will receive a list of 20-30 words cards in class to cut apart. They will read and do the sort in their groups.
Remind your child to sort the words into categories like the ones they have done in school. Your child should read each word aloud during this activity. Ask your child to explain to you why the words are sorted in a particular way. What does the sort reveal about spelling in general? Now ask your child to sort them a second time as fast as possible. You may want to time them.
Day 2: Students might work with a partner in class to sort the words. They will also practice drawing and labeling
Assist your child in doing a word hunt, looking for words in a book they have already read that have the same sound, pattern, or both. Try to find two or three for each category.
Day 3: Students may work in class to pick 10 words of their choice and use them in a sentence. Then they may illustrate the sentence.
Do a blind sort with your child. Lay down a word from each category as a header and then read the rest of the words aloud. Your child must indicate where the word goes without looking. Let your child move it if he or she is wrong. Repeat if your child makes more than one error.
Day 4: Students may complete a writing sort. They will put the cards in pile, pick one at a time, then write the word where it should go.
Do a writing sort to prepare for the Friday test. As you call out the words in a random order your child should write them in categories. Call out any word your child misspells a second or even third time.
Day 5: A short review game might be played and then students will take their spelling test.
Please contact your child’s teacher should you require any further information.
Happy Sorting!