Stages of Developmental Stages of Developmental Word StudyWord Study

By: Bethany LinkousBy: Bethany Linkous

Fall 2006Fall 2006

RationaleRationale

Why should we teach spelling Why should we teach spelling developmentally?developmentally?

Students are not all on the same Students are not all on the same instructional level.instructional level.

To teach spelling well we need to know To teach spelling well we need to know what children already know and what they what children already know and what they are ready to learn. are ready to learn.

Zone of Proximal Zone of Proximal DevelopmentDevelopment

The Zone of Proximal Development refers to what is The Zone of Proximal Development refers to what is within reach for students to learn.within reach for students to learn. When looking at When looking at children’s spellings we need to identify the students’ children’s spellings we need to identify the students’ ZPD or instructional level and plan appropriate ZPD or instructional level and plan appropriate instruction.instruction.

Finding the ZPD:Finding the ZPD: What do the students know and understand? What do the students know and understand?

(Independent level)(Independent level) What do the students show us they are using but What do the students show us they are using but

confusing? (Instructional level)confusing? (Instructional level) What is missing? This is beyond what students are What is missing? This is beyond what students are

likely to remember or apply. (Frustration level)likely to remember or apply. (Frustration level)

Developmental StagesDevelopmental Stages

Children pass through predictable Children pass through predictable stages as they acquire word knowledge.stages as they acquire word knowledge.

Each stage builds upon each other. As Each stage builds upon each other. As students progress, they will begin to students progress, they will begin to internalize an understanding of the internalize an understanding of the generalizations of our spelling system.generalizations of our spelling system.

In each stage children rely on different In each stage children rely on different strategies to spell.strategies to spell.

Stages of Word StudyStages of Word Study

EmergentEmergent Letter Name- AlphabeticLetter Name- Alphabetic Within Word PatternWithin Word Pattern Syllables and AffixesSyllables and Affixes Derivational RelationsDerivational Relations

Stage I: EmergentStage I: Emergent

Characteristics of Emergent Spellers:Characteristics of Emergent Spellers: Period prior to the conventional Period prior to the conventional

matching of letters and sounds in a left matching of letters and sounds in a left to write sequenceto write sequence

Lacks concept of wordLacks concept of word PrephoneticPrephonetic Late emergent: begins to make some Late emergent: begins to make some

letter sound matchesletter sound matches

Focus of Word Study Focus of Word Study InstructionInstruction

Vocabulary growth and concept Vocabulary growth and concept developmentdevelopment

Alphabet knowledgeAlphabet knowledge Phonological Awareness activitiesPhonological Awareness activities Letter Sound KnowledgeLetter Sound Knowledge Concept of Word (being able to track Concept of Word (being able to track

print)print)

Activities to facilitate emergent Activities to facilitate emergent spellersspellers

Read aloudsRead alouds Alphabet booksAlphabet books Name of the DayName of the Day Interactive WritingInteractive Writing Language Experience ApproachLanguage Experience Approach Picture SortsPicture Sorts Big BooksBig Books

Stage 2: Letter-Name Stage 2: Letter-Name Alphabetic StageAlphabetic Stage

Characteristics:Characteristics: Understands the alphabetic principle: the Understands the alphabetic principle: the

letters match to soundsletters match to sounds Acquired concept of wordAcquired concept of word Lack full phonemic awareness and only Lack full phonemic awareness and only

represents the most salient soundsrepresents the most salient sounds Middle to late LN stage: vowels are often Middle to late LN stage: vowels are often

represented but confused and no long vowel represented but confused and no long vowel markersmarkers

Long stage for students to masterLong stage for students to master

Word Study Sequence for Word Study Sequence for Letter-Name SpellersLetter-Name Spellers

I. Study of beginning soundsI. Study of beginning sounds

II. Study of blends and digraphsII. Study of blends and digraphs

III. Short vowel instruction (begin with III. Short vowel instruction (begin with word families and the CVC pattern)word families and the CVC pattern)

Word Study Instruction Word Study Instruction

Word study in the letter-name stage Word study in the letter-name stage should begin with picture sorts for initial should begin with picture sorts for initial sounds and then work towards word sounds and then work towards word sorts for short vowels and beyond. sorts for short vowels and beyond. Reinforcement games should be played.Reinforcement games should be played.

Encourage invented spelling. This can Encourage invented spelling. This can help you plan for word study instruction.help you plan for word study instruction.

Stage 3: Within Word Stage 3: Within Word PatternPattern

Characteristics:Characteristics: Full alphabetic: students begin to chunk Full alphabetic: students begin to chunk

wordswords Good understanding of short vowelsGood understanding of short vowels Uses but confuses long vowel patternsUses but confuses long vowel patterns Reads at late 1Reads at late 1stst through 3 through 3rdrd or 4 or 4thth grade grade

levellevel Long stage for students to masterLong stage for students to master

Instructional SequenceInstructional Sequence

I. High frequency long vowel patterns contrasted with I. High frequency long vowel patterns contrasted with short vowels (ex. Silent e, double vowels)short vowels (ex. Silent e, double vowels)

II.II. Less common vowel patternsLess common vowel patterns

(complex consonants: 3-letter blends and silent (complex consonants: 3-letter blends and silent letters)letters)

II.II. Other Vowels: R-controlled, Ambiguous, Other Vowels: R-controlled, Ambiguous, diphthongs,diphthongs,

III.III. Homophones and homographs Homophones and homographs

Continue with word sorts and reinforcement Continue with word sorts and reinforcement games.games.

Stage 5: Syllables and Stage 5: Syllables and Affixes Affixes

Characteristics:Characteristics: Knows blends, digraphs, short and long Knows blends, digraphs, short and long

vowel patternsvowel patterns Uses but confuses use of inflected Uses but confuses use of inflected

endings, other vowel patterns, and endings, other vowel patterns, and unaccented final syllable (schwa sound)unaccented final syllable (schwa sound)

Instructional SequenceInstructional Sequence

Compound wordsCompound words Syllable juncture patterns in 2 syllable wordsSyllable juncture patterns in 2 syllable words Inflected endings (such as –ing, -ed, -er, -s)Inflected endings (such as –ing, -ed, -er, -s) Unaccented final syllablesUnaccented final syllables Complex consonant unitsComplex consonant units Simple affixes: prefixes and suffixesSimple affixes: prefixes and suffixes

Continue with word sorts and games.Continue with word sorts and games.

Stage 5: Derivational Stage 5: Derivational RelationsRelations

CharacteristicsCharacteristics This is our stage as spellersThis is our stage as spellers Most words are spelled correctly but students Most words are spelled correctly but students

use and confuse :use and confuse :-Derived forms with Greek or Latin roots-Derived forms with Greek or Latin roots

example: conference or conferenceexample: conference or conference

-Vowels in unaccented syllables-Vowels in unaccented syllables

examples: resident, radicalexamples: resident, radical

-Affixes-Affixes

examples: visible, confident examples: visible, confident

Instruction in DR StageInstruction in DR Stage

At this level spelling issues still exist but word At this level spelling issues still exist but word study is about vocabulary to a great extent.study is about vocabulary to a great extent.

Teachers should model their own curiosity about Teachers should model their own curiosity about words and strategies for making sense of words and strategies for making sense of unfamiliar words.unfamiliar words.

Meaning is very important to this stage. Students Meaning is very important to this stage. Students should begin to understand that words related to should begin to understand that words related to meaning are often related in spelling, despite meaning are often related in spelling, despite changes in the sound.changes in the sound.

There is less of a rigid sequence in this stage. There is less of a rigid sequence in this stage. This stage offers more of an opportunity for This stage offers more of an opportunity for incidental word study lessons.incidental word study lessons.

The Heart of Word Study The Heart of Word Study Instruction: Word SortsInstruction: Word Sorts

Why is word sorting important?Why is word sorting important? It draws attention to the features specific words It draws attention to the features specific words

share. This helps students make share. This helps students make generalizations about the spelling system.generalizations about the spelling system.

It is interactive and engaging for students.It is interactive and engaging for students. Practice sorting the words into patterns will Practice sorting the words into patterns will

help students gain automaticity (important for help students gain automaticity (important for reading and writing)reading and writing)

Word sorting is inquiry based where students Word sorting is inquiry based where students are learning about the spelling patterns through are learning about the spelling patterns through their involvement in manipulating words.their involvement in manipulating words.

Where do I begin?Where do I begin?

1. Administer a spelling inventory1. Administer a spelling inventory

(Examples are in the book (Examples are in the book Words Their WayWords Their Way))

2. Use that information to determine the features 2. Use that information to determine the features the student knows well, is using but confusing, the student knows well, is using but confusing, and features that the student does not know at and features that the student does not know at all.all.

3. Identify the student’s instructional level and 3. Identify the student’s instructional level and developmental spelling stage and plan developmental spelling stage and plan instruction accordingly. Assess the student’s instruction accordingly. Assess the student’s progress on an ongoing basis.progress on an ongoing basis.

10 Principles of Word Study10 Principles of Word Study(taken from the book: Words Their Way)(taken from the book: Words Their Way)

1.1. Look for what students use but confuse to plan instruction.Look for what students use but confuse to plan instruction.

2.2. A step backward is a step forward. (Contrast new words A step backward is a step forward. (Contrast new words with known words)with known words)

3.3. Use mostly words students can read.Use mostly words students can read.

4.4. Compare words “that do” with words “that don’t”.Compare words “that do” with words “that don’t”.

5.5. Sort by sound and sight.Sort by sound and sight.

6.6. Begin with obvious contrasts.Begin with obvious contrasts.

7.7. Don’t hide exceptions.Don’t hide exceptions.

8.8. Avoid rules.Avoid rules.

9.9. Work for automaticity.Work for automaticity.

10.10. Return to meaningful contexts.Return to meaningful contexts.

Questions?Questions?

ReferenceReference

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