Word study is an alternative to traditional spelling instruction that focuses on specific features of words like prefixes, suffixes, and spelling patterns. It allows students to learn at their level and transfer spelling knowledge between words with similar features. The teacher assesses students through a screening inventory to determine their stage of spelling development. Students then complete activities like word sorts to analyze word features and practice spelling.

1. WORD STUDY
PARENT NIGHT

2. WHY WORD STUDY AND NOT TRADITIONAL
SPELLING?
 Word Study allows students to learn at their level
and build upon their knowledge as they learn new
features of words.
 Word Study eliminates “Friday” spellers as students
learn the reasons why words are spelled a
particular way and therefore can transfer that
knowledge to other words in the same feature.
 Word Study helps students become better readers
and writers and allows what they learn in Word
Study to transfer over into other content areas.

3. How does the
teacher Assess the
students?
1. Teacher gives whole class a Screening Inventory
STAGES OF SPELLING
• Stage I: Emergent
A Screening Inventory is where a list of 25 words
• Stage II: Letter Name
are given to the students in a traditional spelling test
• Stage III: Within Word
atmosphere. Pattern
2. Teacher scores inventory. • Stage IV: Syllable
Juncture
Teacher looks to see if student correctly spelled the word
• Stage V: Derivational
as well as used the feature correctly. A student can Constancy
misspell a word, but get the feature correct. Both are
marked on the scoring sheet.
3. Setting the Stage for the student to begin.
The teacher determines the stage and/or the feature that
the student will start in based on this inventory. Some
students may need to be reassessed either by dropping a
stage or raising a stage.

4. WORD SORT EXAMPLE
e drop and doubling
e drop doubling
baking dripping
plugging flaming pricing
chiming chopping shaping
scaring blaming begging
quitting knitting scarring

5. WORD SORT ACTIVITIES
Written Sort
Word cards are sorted, and the finished sort is written down in the Word Study Notebook.
Word Journal Entry
Write 2-5 lines describing something you notice about the words in each category that is different
from the headings given to each category.
Buddy Sort
Same as a written sort, but done with a partner who has an answer key.
Write & Draw
Half of the words on the list are written in a detailed sentence to show each word’s meaning, while
the other half are drawn to show each word’s meaning.
Word Hunt
Search different texts to find words that are not on your spelling list that would fit into the
different sorting categories. Find a minimum of 10 words with at least 1 word in each category.
SAW
This stands for Sort, Alphabetize, Write. Word cards are sorted, then alphabetized within each
category, then the finished sort is written down in the Word Study Notebook.
Speed Sort
The sorting of words is timed, and repeated until the time it takes to sort the words correctly
improves at least twice. Times are recorded in the Word Study Notebook.
Blind Sort
This sort is good practice for the actual test. A partner is needed to read each word from the list.
Words must be spelled and sorted correctly in the Word Study Notebook without looking at the
words.
Memory
Word cards are placed upside down. Partners take turns choosing pairs of cards and looking for
things the 2 words have in common. 2 points are awarded if the words belong in the same sorting
category, 1 point is awarded if another commonality is found, 0 points are received if no
commonalities are found. Keep score in the Word Study Notebook. After all cards have been
chosen, the person with the most points wins.
“Hold It”
Word cards, including category headings, are dealt to each person (2-4 players is best). The
youngest player who has a column heading begins first by laying the card down. Play continues to the
left until all headings are laid down. Then the next player puts down a word card in the correct
sorting category. If another player believes it is sorted incorrectly, s/he says “Hold It” and that
person must take their card back. If the card was actually sorted correctly, it should be laid back
down, and the person who called it incorrectly loses a turn. Play continues until all cards are
played/sorted correctly. The finished sort is written in the Word Study Notebook.

6. WEBSITES/HOMEWORK
* IF YOUR CHILD FORGETS THEIR WORD WORK LIST
YOU CAN ALWAYS ACCESS IT ON OUR WEBSITE.
*GO TO YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER’S WEBPAGE TO GET
THE LISTS AS WELL AS A LIST OF THE ACTIVITIES IN
CASE THEY FORGET THEIR NOTEBOOK.
* YOUR CHILD IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR
HOMEWORK EVEN IF THEY FORGET THEIR NOTEBOOK.
PLEASE JUST HAVE THEM DO THE ASSIGNMENT ON
ANOTHER PIECE OF PAPER AND THEY CAN TAPE/PASTE
IT IN THEIR NOTEBOOK WHEN THEY RETURN TO
SCHOOL.
*A PARENT’S SIGNATURE IS REQUIRED ON ALL WORD
WORK HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS.

7. FUN WORD STUDY GAMES
YOU CAN PURCHASE AT THE
STORE:
• Bananagrams
• Boggle
• Scrabble Apple
• Scrabble Flash
• Scrabble Slam