No More Weekly Spelling Tests?

Well, sort of. Teachers in Grades 2-5 have swapped out their traditional spelling programs in

favor of Words Their Way, a word study approach to spelling and vocabulary development.

Words Their Way instruction teaches students to examine words closely to learn how to spell

better and to understand the meanings of words. The traditional approach to spelling

instruction, in which students are all given the same words and have a weekly test, is flawed.

Children may be able to memorize the list and do well on the weekly test, but then spell those

same words wrong in their daily writing. Research shows it, and we all have seen this time

after time.

What is Words Their Way (WTW)?

Word study is a student-centered, active learning

approach to understanding how to spell and use

words. It is based on research that shows reading

and writing development go hand in hand.

Developmental means that each learner masters

skills and concepts at his or her own pace. If

students don’t all read at the same level, why

should they be using words at the same level? Also,

despite what many think, the English language is

highly predictable. Successful readers and writers

find patterns in words that enable them to spell and understand words better. In Words Their

Way, students examine combinations of consonants (B,C,D, etc) and vowels (A,E, I, O, U), as

well as prefixes (in-, ex-, mis-), suffixes (-ly, -ing, -ed) and Greek and Latin roots (ped, vis,

bio). These are called word features, and your child may be an expert on them already!

Sorts, Sorts, and More Sorts

Notice how the j sound for g is spelled differently in each of the following categories:

dge ge r, l, n, + ge

edge age large

badge stage bulge

lodge huge change

This is called “sorting”, and students in grades 2-5 are doing it everyday. Categorizing is a

powerful learning tool that humans use naturally to make sense out of their world. In WTW

lessons, teachers instruct sorting lessons when the students are being introduced to a new

pattern. On following days, students engage in a variety of sorting activities with partners and

individually. On some days students read the words to each other words to sort into the

correct columns. This is called a blind sort. In speed sorts, students race to beat their own time

for sorting. On other days, students find the spelling pattern in context, what they are

reading. And on it goes. Teachers use similar activities in different ways so students gain

mastery of the pattern before moving on. Student progress is even assessed by sorting

familiar, and new words, into the proper categories. These tests may happen about once a

week, but not on the old “test every Friday” schedule. Also, students will stay with a pattern

for several weeks if needed.

But My Child’s Words Are Too Easy!

This misconception is sometimes heard from parents, because we are used to traditional

spelling instruction. In Words Their Way, teachers give a pre-test at the start of the year.

They very closely analyze how students spell words in order to place them in the right word

study groups. This assessment tells a teacher much more than if a student can spell a word

correctly. It examines the patterns, or features, that students are truly using well. So, it may

look like your child is learning easy words. But, really, they are mastering patterns in the

English language are true to what they spell in their writing.

Best Practice

Word study is based on extensive research by Dr.

Donald Bear, et. al. It has been used in schools across

the country for the past decade with positive results.

It’s goal is to develop readers and writers who are

knowledgeable about words - how to read and write

them, what they mean, and how to figure it out when

they don’t. In New Hartford, teachers and

administrators in grades 2-5 received Professional

Development in October from a Pearson Educational

Specialist, bringing everyone up to speed on this instructional approach.

Years ago, I stood in front of a group of 6th graders who struggled to write words correctly. I

said, “You probably know that you spelled it wrong, but you don’t know why.” They

responded with resounding nods and smiles. Words Their Way is for those children and yours.

Please visit my webpage for videos and additional materials if you would like more

information. http://www.newhtfd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=190

Bridget Seyer, Antolini Curriculum Specialist

Bear, Donald R., Marcia Invernizzi, Shane Templeton, and Francine R. Johnston. Words Their Way:

Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction. 5th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson

Education, 2012. Print.