Word Study Grade 3

Philosophy of Word Study

“Word study is most effective when you create echoes across time and curriculum. When a concept about words or letters is introduced during a word study mini-lesson, you should look for opportunities to reinforce that concept during other parts of the literacy block.” (Fountas and Pinnell, 2004)

Word Study in Grade 3Agenda

November 8, 2011

• Introduction

• What Exactly is Word Study Workshop?

• Review the November Unit of Study

• How and Why Were the Word Study Units Created?

• How Can We Differentiate our Word Study?

• What Does Word Study Look Like in a Small Reading Group?

• Conclusion/Reflection/Next Steps

Why Teach Word Study?

• Word learning supports and expands students reading and writing of text.

• Third graders know simple and even some complex letter/sound relationships.

• They have a core of known words that help them read and write fluently but..

• They are continuing to learn how words “work” in their reading and writing.

How Were Word Study Units Created?

• Units were created with a team of teachers, language arts specialists and district coordinator.

• Units are based on research (Fountas and Pinnell; Cunningham and Hall, Month by Month Phonics; Bear, et. al., Words Their Way).

• Designed to be consistent with Readers and Writers Workshop format.

• Intended to be differentiated based on student needs.

What Exactly Is Word Study Workshop?

There are nine categories of word learning. One of them is spelling.

• Turn and talk to see if you can come up with some others.

The Nine Categories Included in Word Work

Which categories do most of your students need?

Word Study for Grade 3 is primarily…

o Spelling Patternso High Frequency Wordso Word Meaning and Vocabularyo Word Structureo Word-Solving Actions

As students become automatic with solving and recognizing words, their attention is freed to think about the more complex meaning of the texts they are reading and writing. Let’s take a look at the November unit.

Differentiation

When do we use whole group instruction?If most of your kids need it - teach it!10 minute lesson

When do we use small group? If most have control of it - skip it for the whole

class. Teach it briefly within a reading/writing small group (2-3 minute word work practice)

How do we place word study in our small group time?

• In writing workshop, we work with small groups and confer with individuals. During this time we share brief word strategies.

• Small group instruction can incorporate a brief word lesson after reading a text. Remember: small group word work should be 2 to 3 minutes and can be incorporated in guided writing.

• Word work has the greatest impact when it is integrated into students’ writing and reading of text.

Sample Small Group Instruction

• Reread a familiar text (or portion of it).• Introduce a new book or chapter (instructional

level).• Focus on specific teaching point.• Practice word work or guided writing (based on

previous observation in reading and writing). Connect word work lesson to word-solving strategy in reading and writing.

• Or focus on a conversation about comprehension.

Wrapping Up

• Things to remember….– Word Work should be brief. (10 minutes as whole

group and 2-3 minutes within small group, if needed.)

– Integrate word learning into students reading of text and writing pieces.

Please fill out an individual Exit Slip. Thank you for coming!