Summary of Words Their Way
by: Donald R. Bear, Marcia Invernizzi,
Shane Templeton, and Francine Johnston
What is Words Their Way about?
According to the books preface, Words Their Way is a educational resource that focuses on “A developmentally driven instructional approach providing an integrated way to teach phonics, vocabulary, and spelling to improve literacy skills” (vi).
Throughout the book, the authors examine how word study influences how students interact and manipulate words by focusing on its critical features: sound, pattern, and meaning (vi).
Why is word study important?
Word study an important part in becoming fully literate. Literacy is dependent on "fast, accurate recognition of words and their meanings in texts, and fast, accurate production of words in writing" (3). This allows readers and writers to focus their attention on making meaning from words instead of focusing on entirely on phonemes and graphemes in a text.
According to the books preface, Words Their Way is a educational resource that focuses on “A developmentally driven instructional approach providing an integrated way to teach phonics, vocabulary, and spelling to improve literacy skills” (vi).
Throughout the book, the authors examine how word study influences how students interact and manipulate words by focusing on its critical features: sound, pattern, and meaning (vi).
Why is word study important?
Word study an important part in becoming fully literate. Literacy is dependent on "fast, accurate recognition of words and their meanings in texts, and fast, accurate production of words in writing" (3). This allows readers and writers to focus their attention on making meaning from words instead of focusing on entirely on phonemes and graphemes in a text.
A Breakdown of Word Study
Word study includes: purpose, basics, stages of spelling development and how to access and group students
Alphabet- shows the relationship between letters and sounds (phonics). Describes how to create words by combining single or paired letters to form new sounds.
Pattern- identified when a reader looks beyond single letter and sound match-ups, and look for groupings of letters that are consistent throughout a text.
Meaning- focusing on how groups of letters represent meaning directly. This helps students with unusual spellings when they run into unfamiliar words
Alphabet- shows the relationship between letters and sounds (phonics). Describes how to create words by combining single or paired letters to form new sounds.
Pattern- identified when a reader looks beyond single letter and sound match-ups, and look for groupings of letters that are consistent throughout a text.
Meaning- focusing on how groups of letters represent meaning directly. This helps students with unusual spellings when they run into unfamiliar words
A Breakdown of the Stages of Spelling Development
I. Emergent: individuals without formal writing or reading instruction. Attempts of writing range from random to visible letters.
II. Letter Name- Alphabetic Spelling: the stage in which individuals are formally taught how to read and write. Students learn the names of letters in this stage.
III. Within Word Pattern: individuals can read and spell many words correctly. Students become independent readers in this stage.
IV. Syllables and Affixes: individuals are comfortable with word patterns and begin interacting with prefixes, suffixes, and syllables.
V. Derivational Relations: individuals become aware of how words share common derivations and related base words and word roots. The stage builds on and expands individual knowledge of vocabulary.
II. Letter Name- Alphabetic Spelling: the stage in which individuals are formally taught how to read and write. Students learn the names of letters in this stage.
III. Within Word Pattern: individuals can read and spell many words correctly. Students become independent readers in this stage.
IV. Syllables and Affixes: individuals are comfortable with word patterns and begin interacting with prefixes, suffixes, and syllables.
V. Derivational Relations: individuals become aware of how words share common derivations and related base words and word roots. The stage builds on and expands individual knowledge of vocabulary.