Stages of Developmental Word Study By Bethany Linkous

Stages of Developmental Word Study By: Bethany Linkous Fall 2006

Rationale Why should we teach spelling developmentally? n n Students are not all on the same instructional level. To teach spelling well we need to know what children already know and what they are ready to learn.

Zone of Proximal Development The Zone of Proximal Development refers to what is within reach for students to learn. When looking at children’s spellings we need to identify the students’ ZPD or instructional level and plan appropriate instruction. Finding the ZPD: n What do the students know and understand? (Independent level) n What do the students show us they are using but confusing? (Instructional level) n What is missing? This is beyond what students are likely to remember or apply. (Frustration level)

Developmental Stages n n n Children pass through predictable stages as they acquire word knowledge. Each stage builds upon each other. As students progress, they will begin to internalize an understanding of the generalizations of our spelling system. In each stage children rely on different strategies to spell.

Stages of Word Study n n n Emergent Letter Name- Alphabetic Within Word Pattern Syllables and Affixes Derivational Relations

Stage I: Emergent n Characteristics of Emergent Spellers: Period prior to the conventional matching of letters and sounds in a left to write sequence n Lacks concept of word n Prephonetic n Late emergent: begins to make some letter sound matches n

Focus of Word Study Instruction n n Vocabulary growth and concept development Alphabet knowledge Phonological Awareness activities Letter Sound Knowledge Concept of Word (being able to track print)

Activities to facilitate emergent spellers n n n n Read alouds Alphabet books Name of the Day Interactive Writing Language Experience Approach Picture Sorts Big Books

Stage 2: Letter-Name Alphabetic Stage n Characteristics: n Understands the alphabetic principle: the letters match to sounds n Acquired concept of word n Lack full phonemic awareness and only represents the most salient sounds n Middle to late LN stage: vowels are often represented but confused and no long vowel markers n Long stage for students to master

Word Study Sequence for Letter. Name Spellers I. Study of beginning sounds II. Study of blends and digraphs III. Short vowel instruction (begin with word families and the CVC pattern)

Word Study Instruction n n Word study in the letter-name stage should begin with picture sorts for initial sounds and then work towards word sorts for short vowels and beyond. Reinforcement games should be played. Encourage invented spelling. This can help you plan for word study instruction.

Stage 3: Within Word Pattern n Characteristics: Full alphabetic: students begin to chunk words n Good understanding of short vowels n Uses but confuses long vowel patterns n Reads at late 1 st through 3 rd or 4 th grade level n Long stage for students to master n

Instructional Sequence I. High frequency long vowel patterns contrasted with short vowels (ex. Silent e, double vowels) II. Less common vowel patterns (complex consonants: 3 -letter blends and silent letters) II. Other Vowels: R-controlled, Ambiguous, diphthongs, III. Homophones and homographs Continue with word sorts and reinforcement games.

Stage 5: Syllables and Affixes n Characteristics: Knows blends, digraphs, short and long vowel patterns n Uses but confuses use of inflected endings, other vowel patterns, and unaccented final syllable (schwa sound) n

Instructional Sequence n n n Compound words Syllable juncture patterns in 2 syllable words Inflected endings (such as –ing, -ed, -er, -s) Unaccented final syllables Complex consonant units Simple affixes: prefixes and suffixes Continue with word sorts and games.

Stage 5: Derivational Relations n Characteristics n n This is our stage as spellers Most words are spelled correctly but students use and confuse : -Derived forms with Greek or Latin roots example: conference or conference -Vowels in unaccented syllables examples: resident, radical -Affixes examples: visible, confident

Instruction in DR Stage n n At this level spelling issues still exist but word study is about vocabulary to a great extent. Teachers should model their own curiosity about words and strategies for making sense of unfamiliar words. Meaning is very important to this stage. Students should begin to understand that words related to meaning are often related in spelling, despite changes in the sound. There is less of a rigid sequence in this stage. This stage offers more of an opportunity for incidental word study lessons.

The Heart of Word Study Instruction: Word Sorts n Why is word sorting important? n n It draws attention to the features specific words share. This helps students make generalizations about the spelling system. It is interactive and engaging for students. Practice sorting the words into patterns will help students gain automaticity (important for reading and writing) Word sorting is inquiry based where students are learning about the spelling patterns through their involvement in manipulating words.

Where do I begin? 1. Administer a spelling inventory (Examples are in the book Words Their Way) 2. Use that information to determine the features the student knows well, is using but confusing, and features that the student does not know at all. 3. Identify the student’s instructional level and developmental spelling stage and plan instruction accordingly. Assess the student’s progress on an ongoing basis.

10 Principles of Word Study (taken from the book: Words Their Way) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Look for what students use but confuse to plan instruction. A step backward is a step forward. (Contrast new words with known words) Use mostly words students can read. Compare words “that do” with words “that don’t”. Sort by sound and sight. Begin with obvious contrasts. Don’t hide exceptions. Avoid rules. Work for automaticity. Return to meaningful contexts.

Questions?

Reference Bear, D. , Invernizzi, M. , Templeton, S. , and Johnston, F. (2003). Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction, 3 rd edition, Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.