The Buddy Study System

Webinar #5Literacy Collaborative 2011-2012

“A goal of the word study curriculum is to help children develop a deep knowledge of powerful principles that they can apply in flexible ways…we aim to help students develop the effective strategies they need to solve any word they meet” (Word Matters, pl. 14).

Chapter 3, Word Matters

• Let’s look at pages 23 and 24. What are you thinking about this idea of “word solving?”

Goals of Word Study

• To examine a systematic way of teaching children how words work

• To teach children how to become independent word solvers

• To teach children to be flexible in determining how words work

Let’s think about good spellers…

• Word Matters– Read page 168 - (the first 2 paragraphs)

– Highlight the “big ideas” that are new for you, validate your beliefs, or might cause some dissonance for you.

“An effective word study system is part of a strong literacy program….”

• Word Matters– Read page 168 – top of 169

– Highlight the ‘big ideas’

A comprehensive word study program

(Word Matters, pp. 174-175)

1. A class lesson on a strategy, principle, or pattern followed by a whole class experience or small group rotation to a word study center and ending with a sharing opportunity. {mini-lesson, application, share}

2. A buddy study system that engages students in daily activities for studying and learning specific words.

The Process of Buddy Study• One word study principle is introduced for each 5 day cycle.

• Children choose words to study for the week.

• Throughout the 5 days children learn effective ways to study the words they have chosen.

• Assessment is on-going by children and a buddy test is graded by the teacher.

Selecting Buddies• Use assessment information to pair children

with similar achievement at a particular point in time.– Need to be able to read each other’s spelling words.– Children will learn from each other’s lists.

• Rotate partners monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly.

Word Matters, page 169.

Buddy Study Cycle

• Day 1: Lesson & Choose, Write, Build, Mix, Fix (30 – 40 minutes)

• Day 2: Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check (20 minutes)

• Day 3: Buddy Check (20 minutes)

• Day 4: Make Connections (20 minutes)

• Day 5: Buddy Test (15 minutes)

See chapter 14 in Word Matters, or pages 433 – 452 in Word Study: Grade 3, for detailed instructions on the Buddy Study System.

Chapter 14

• Prerequisites: p. 169 – 172: Launa and Amy• Selection of spelling words: p. 172 – 174, Renee • Minilesson and Day 1: p. 174 – 176: Stephanie • Days 2 and 3: p. 176 – 178: Nell• Days 4 and 5: p. 178: Susan• Making connections: p. 151, and 152: Kasey• Word making and word sorts: p. 155 – 156 and

figure 13 – 7 on page 158: Jen

Day 1: Minilesson & Choose, Write, Build, Mix, Fix

Where will you get your ideas for your mini-lessons? • Your students’ writing:– Error Analysis Sheet– Observations– Anecdotal notes (taken when looking at their writing)

• The Continuum of Literacy Learning• Word Study Lessons: Grade 3

Day 1 Word Matters pg. 175-6

Rationale: Students notice details and patterns when forming words with concrete, visual tools of magnetic letters.

Day 1: Minilesson & Choose, Write, Build, Mix, Fix

• Students choose 10 – 12 words – from those that illustrate the spelling principle (core

words).– from their words to learn list (personal words), and/or – from a spelling assessment of high frequency words

(personal words).

• Students then make the words using magnetic letters…3 times, mix and fix. Word Matters, pg. 173 - 174

Choose Your Words

Spelling Principle: Some adjectives end with the letters “ous,” which sound like “us.”

• fabulous

• magnanimous• stupendous• sanctimonious

Words to Learn:• yesterday• mostly• finally

High Frequency:• although• because• their• while

Day 2Word Matters – p. 176 - 178

Rationale: This routine helps students learn how to look at and study words. It helps them learn what parts to notice.

Refer to figure14-8 and 14-9 on pages 182 and 183 in Word Matters

Day 3

Rationale: Students learn how to notice and correct spelling errors.

Refer to figure 14 – 10 on page 184 in Word Matters

Day 4

Rationale: This task helps students think about how words are related. They learn how to use what they know to write new words.

Refer to figure 14-11 on page 185

Making Connections

• Similarities in spellings (beginning, middle, or end)

• Similarities or differences in meaning (synonyms or antonyms)

• Similarities in sound: rhyming, homophones, • Relationships: analogies, root words, affixes

see pages 151 – 152 in Word Matters)

What connections can you make to each of these words?

straight transportation unreachable

Making connections more challenging

unreachable…find five words that end in “able,” begin with

“un,” and have a base word that could be a noun or a verb, like reach.

Ex. unapproachable

Word Sorts and Word Making

• Pages 155 and 15 and figure 13 – 7 on p. 158

• Many other kinds of applications can be done on making connections day…be creative, and switch things up a bit on this day…it’s your chance to really play with words.

Day 5

Rationale: Students are tested to document their learning and provide evidence for evaluation and accountability.

Day 5: Buddy TestWord Matters – p. 178

• The buddy test is written in the word study notebook, or on a piece of paper.

• Children give each other the test providing a sentence for each word given.

• The word study notebook and card are given to the teacher.

• The teacher checks the test.

Prerequisites for initiating the buddy study system

• Create word study board for lists• Create buddy study board /icons• Make materials (folders, sheets needed for each day)• Gather spelling cards, word study notebooks, highlighters,

colored pencils, magnetic letters)• Administer the Schlagal Spelling Assessment• Later, administer a pretest of high frequency words• Form spelling buddies• Begin, with students, to create Words to Learn sheets

Word Matters pg. 179 - 186

Buddy Study

• Each day of buddy study focuses on a different way of learning or studying words.

• The days are done in sequence in order to support students’ developing understanding of the word study principle, and to give them ways to study words.

Tools for Word Study• Word to Learn• Word Study Board• Spelling Cards• Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check Sheets• Study Flaps• Buddy Check Sheets• Make Connections Sheets• Buddy Study Work board• Magnetic Letters• Word Study Folder• Icons

Putting it All Together

• Administer the spelling assessment• Complete an error analysis on a representative

number of students• Summarize what you have discovered from the

error analysis• Decide on several word study principles that will

be helpful to your students at this time• Prepare materials for buddy study• Begin teaching your first word study principle.

Scheduling

• Buddy Study usually happens on a five or six day rotation.

• You should plan for about a 30 minute period of time, although once students are familiar with the process, it could be more like 20 minutes on some days.

• Your students will be more likely to participate appropriately if you are a moving presence in the room and take this time to confer with students about their work.

Frequently Asked Questions About

Buddy Study

What kind of modifications can we make to support the needs of individual students?

• Some need fewer words• Some need more challenging words• Shorter/longer times to complete activities• Teaching/re-teaching systems/routines

Word Matters, pg. 178

How can we ensure understanding of the routines?

Nothing is too small to teach!– Be clear and explicit in the teaching of routines.– Observe how things are going and make

adjustments as necessary.– Provide additional mini-lessons on the routines of

the buddy study system.

How do I know which words they need to learn?

• Look at their writing. • Do a spelling inventory using the high

frequency word list and highlight the words the child knows. The child then chooses un-highlighted words for the spelling card.

• As new words are learned, they can be highlighted (by the teacher or child).

Word Matters, pg. 179

How do I keep track of all the words they are learning?

• By checking their word study notebook

• Highlighting high frequency word lists

• Checking off words on the “words to learn" sheet

What day do I have to begin on?

• It is entirely up to you. You just need a 5 day cycle.

• Some teachers have the mini-lesson on one day (maybe even on the day 5 of the previous cycle) and then begin with choose, build, mix, and fix on the next day.

What about shortened weeks?

• You might decide to make the buddy study cycle run over two weeks.

• On occasion, (not often) you might skip buddy study on a short week but continue to have a word study mini-lesson and an application activity during that week.

• This might be a good time to focus on vocabulary work.

Who corrects the buddy test?

• The classroom teacher corrects the buddy test.

• This allows you to keep track of their progress.

How do I send home a copy of the buddy test and still keep one for record of progress?

• Send home the word study notebook and ask that it be brought back the next day.

• Make a copy of the test to send home.

How do I hold students accountable for these words in their writing?

• Be sure students know that saying words slowly when they don’t know how to spell a word is absolutely okay, BUT if it is a principle they have studied in word study and/or buddy study you will ask them to check those words for correct spelling.

When should I ask children to edit their writing for spelling?

• After they have completed a piece of writing.• You will need a minilesson on how to go back

into the piece of writing and check the spelling.• Some children may need additional support for

this during a conference or guided writing lesson.

When do students do the buddy study activities?

• During a word study block in your classroom• In some cases, making connections can be

started in the classroom and completed as homework.

Reflection

What are the values of this approach compared to traditional spelling programs?

What strategic actions are supported across the five days?

Children are seekers of pattern. - Moustafa, 1997.

The more they know about how the language works and the more they manipulate it in

different ways, the more flexible and efficient they become as word solvers.

- Fountas & Pinnell