Word study is invaluable to the progress your child will make in reading and writing this year. By studying words in small groups on their instructional level, children will learn the code that is the English language. This code will help them to decode words as they read and sound out words as they write. For this reason, your child has been placed in a group with other students who read and write on the same level. Look for your child’s list each Monday and follow the routine for each night to provide practice additional to the work we do in school daily with these words. These activities have been modeled and practiced in school, so your child can teach you how to do them.
Monday
Cut apart the words and figure out how the words are alike. Remind your child to sort the words into categories like the ones we did in school. Look for beginning sounds that are the same, or vowels that are the same, or ending sounds that are the same. Choose words to go at the top (choose one word for each pattern of words). These will be called the “key words.” Then have your child sort the rest of the words under the correct key word. Your child should read each word aloud during this activity. Ask your child to explain to you why the words are sorted in a particular way- what does the sort reveal about the spelling in general? Ask your child to sort them a second time as fast as possible. You may want to time them.
Tuesday
Do a blind sort with your child. Lay down a word from each category as a header and then read the rest of the words aloud. Your child must indicate where the word goes without seeing it. Lay it down and let your child move it if he/she is wrong. Repeat if your child makes more than one error.
Wednesday
Free Choice (pick one)
1. Assist your child in doing a word hunt, looking for words in a book they have already read that have the same sound, pattern, or both. Try to find two or three for each category.
2. Timed sort- Have your child sort the words while you time him/her. Challenge your child to get faster each time. Repeat at least 3 times.
3. Write 5 words in sentences. Be sure that the sentence demonstrates the meaning of the word. Example: I like cake. (This sentence does not tell me that you understand what cake is.) The birthday cake had chocolate icing.
Thursday
Do a writing sort to prepare for the Friday test. As you call out the words in a random order your child should write them in categories. Call out any words you child misspells a second or even a third time. This can be done on a slate, a chalkboard, or a piece of paper. I once had a student write with a dry erase marker on his refrigerator!
The word study test will be on Friday. Children will have to spell their words correctly and in the correct categories. Bonus words (simple words with the same spelling features) may be given as well.
