Word Study -- Phonics and Spelling, Vocabulary, Grammar / Usage
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Phonics and Spelling
WHY?
Many studies have established that phonemic awareness (the ability to identify the individual sounds in words) and phonics (the representation of those sounds with letters) are essential for skilled reading (Adams, 1994; Ehri, 2004; Torgesen et al., 2001).
Findings of three decades of research confirm the importance and effectiveness of systematic phonics instruction, particularly in kindergarten and first- and second-grade classrooms (Armbruster et al., 2001).
Assessments
Phonics
Early Names Test (Article)
(Form)
Early Names Test (Scan)
Assessment for Reading Instruction
Observation Opportunities
3rd Grade: Uses phonics knowledge to spell increasing numbers of words correctly.
2nd Grade: Uses phonics knowledge to spell words correctly.
1st Grade: Uses phonics knowledge to spell words correctly; still “ear spelling” and uses phonics knowledge to read all kinds of words.
Kindergarten: Uses phonological awareness to “ear spell” words for writing and knows that words are made of sounds.
Pre-Kindergarten: Uses phonological awareness to “ear spell” words for writing; uses first letter of word to represent whole word and/or represents beginning and ending sounds of words with letters.
Word Study
WHY?
Word study develops students' abilities in phonics, word recognition, and vocabulary (Baker, 2000).
Research shows that if students are truly to understand what they read, they must grasp upward of 95% of the words (CCSS Appendix A, p. 32.)
Nearly one third of high school graduates are not ready for college-level English composition courses (ACT, 2005);
“...we have come to understand that grammar is intimately linked with power. Power inhabits the linguistic codes a culture accepts. And control of grammar confers access.” (Delpit, 1995)
Grammatical knowledge can also aid reading comprehension and interpretation (Gargani, 2006; Williams, 2000, 2005) Researchers recommend that students be taught to use knowledge of grammar and usage, as well as knowledge of vocabulary, to comprehend complex academic texts (García & Beltrán, 2003; Short & Fitzsimmons, 2007; RAND Reading Study Group, 2002)(cited in the Common Core Standards - Appendix A)
Vocabulary
Vocabulary Self-Awareness
Chart
LIA → M3 → Vocabulary
Writing Tracker
LIA → M1 → Writing Fluency
Vocabulary Their Way - Assessments in Appendix
Words Their Way: Words and Strategies for Academic Success
Program Guide - Pearson Shane Templeton
Grammar / Word Usage
CCSS-Lit Appendix A, p.31
Use the chart to determine the progression of grammar skills, and thus, which skills should be assessed at each grade. Grammar should be assessed in student writing, and by utilizing an oral language assessment.
Writing Pathways - use the Performance Assessments and Learning Progressions under Language Conventions in the rubric
WHY?
Many studies have established that phonemic awareness (the ability to identify the individual sounds in words) and phonics (the representation of those sounds with letters) are essential for skilled reading (Adams, 1994; Ehri, 2004; Torgesen et al., 2001).
Findings of three decades of research confirm the importance and effectiveness of systematic phonics instruction, particularly in kindergarten and first- and second-grade classrooms (Armbruster et al., 2001).
Assessments
Phonics
- 1 to 1 Correspondence
- Long and Short Vowels
- Word Writing p. 224
- Writing Samples p. 225
- Primary Spelling Inventory
- Elementary Spelling Inventory
- Upper Level Elementary Spelling Inventory
Early Names Test (Article)
(Form)
Early Names Test (Scan)
Assessment for Reading Instruction
- Informal Phonics Inventory p. 112, 130-136
Observation Opportunities
- Are they applying their phonics knowledge in their writing?
- Word sorts or pattern building games
3rd Grade: Uses phonics knowledge to spell increasing numbers of words correctly.
2nd Grade: Uses phonics knowledge to spell words correctly.
1st Grade: Uses phonics knowledge to spell words correctly; still “ear spelling” and uses phonics knowledge to read all kinds of words.
Kindergarten: Uses phonological awareness to “ear spell” words for writing and knows that words are made of sounds.
Pre-Kindergarten: Uses phonological awareness to “ear spell” words for writing; uses first letter of word to represent whole word and/or represents beginning and ending sounds of words with letters.
Word Study
WHY?
Word study develops students' abilities in phonics, word recognition, and vocabulary (Baker, 2000).
Research shows that if students are truly to understand what they read, they must grasp upward of 95% of the words (CCSS Appendix A, p. 32.)
Nearly one third of high school graduates are not ready for college-level English composition courses (ACT, 2005);
“...we have come to understand that grammar is intimately linked with power. Power inhabits the linguistic codes a culture accepts. And control of grammar confers access.” (Delpit, 1995)
Grammatical knowledge can also aid reading comprehension and interpretation (Gargani, 2006; Williams, 2000, 2005) Researchers recommend that students be taught to use knowledge of grammar and usage, as well as knowledge of vocabulary, to comprehend complex academic texts (García & Beltrán, 2003; Short & Fitzsimmons, 2007; RAND Reading Study Group, 2002)(cited in the Common Core Standards - Appendix A)
Vocabulary
Vocabulary Self-Awareness
Chart
LIA → M3 → Vocabulary
Writing Tracker
LIA → M1 → Writing Fluency
Vocabulary Their Way - Assessments in Appendix
Words Their Way: Words and Strategies for Academic Success
Program Guide - Pearson Shane Templeton
Grammar / Word Usage
CCSS-Lit Appendix A, p.31
Use the chart to determine the progression of grammar skills, and thus, which skills should be assessed at each grade. Grammar should be assessed in student writing, and by utilizing an oral language assessment.
Writing Pathways - use the Performance Assessments and Learning Progressions under Language Conventions in the rubric