Spellling and Word Study

After our class discussion this past week, I went back to my Words Their Way text that I used in a reading class I took at JHU last spring.  I re-read the part of Chapter One that deals with invented spelling.  From research done in the 1970s, the term invented spelling came about.  Further research out of the University of Virginia in the 1980s examined children's invented spellings and reported that children learn words developmentally.  And that once these developmental stages are identified, teachers can "differentiate efficient, effective instruction in phonics, spelling and vocabulary" (Bear, et al., 2008).  The resulting instruction is termed word study.

Word study is not spelling.  Word study does not attempt to teach words through rote drill.  Words taught in this manner are usually memorized for the sake of a test and not fully understood by students.  Word study is identifying the developmental stage a student is using for spelling words and then applying hands-on opportunities to manipulate word features (like words with the short /a/ sound and short /i/ sound).  Students in word study are taught word features and patterns in a sequential order.  They are provided multiple opportunities for hands-on practice and application.

Words Their Way says, "word study teaches students how to look at words so that they can construct an ever-deepening understanding of how spelling works to represent sound and meaning" (Bear, et al., 2008).

Words Their Way provides teachers with a word study program that can be used in the classroom.  I like it because it includes everything from the way to assess the developmental spelling stages of students to all the various word sorting activities to word games.  The word sorts and word games are designed for each developmental spelling stage, making them easy to use.

I have already tested some of my first graders this year.  It is interesting to analyze their spelling patterns and determine their developmental stage.  Now I can proceed with word study activities that are appropriate to their particular stage.  I plan to teach word study during guided reading time when I'm working with small, differentiated groups of students.  It will be interesting to see if their developmental spelling stage corresponds with their reading level.  I may have to provide different word study activities to different students in one reading group.  I am also excited to see if using word study will improve my students' word knowledge to make them better readers and writers.

Sources

Bear, D.R., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2008) Words their way:  Word study
     for phonics, vocabulary, and spelling. Upper Saddle River, NJ:  Pearson Prentice Hall.