Word Sorts is an instructional activity that requires students to read, analysis, and categorize words and/or pictures by common characteristics. This strategy can also be used to categorize stories, characters, content area vocabulary, math facts, etc.
This activity raises visual awareness of word parts and in particular, the placement of the vowel. Since English is made up of over 1100 patterns from many different languages, teachers must develop “pattern-detectors” who can read and spell new words using the analogy method. If you know the patterns in the word______, then you can read and spell other words with that pattern (seen or heard).
Ultimately, proficient readers and writers need to get beyond the word-level (decoding and encoding) to the text-level for high-level comprehension and composition. This activity is a simple means to the end.
Students need to read and write for authentic reasons in order to increase proficiency. The Daily 5 is a framework developed by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser for organizing independent-level activities that students can do for purposeful practice of strategies and skills.
To begin, teachers meet with students and develop anchor charts that explicitly describe what students and teachers are doing in each of the 5 choices areas. Students are guided to make choices for independent work time that will help them achieve learning goals. Students practice one of the 5 choices while the teacher observes and coaches appropriate independent behavior. After 4-5 weeks, teachers begin meeting with guided reading or do 1:1 conferences while the other children are engaged in one of the 5 choices.
Fluency is so much more than a number you get when you do a fluency probe. In fact, the number of words correct per minute relates to the reading rate and proficient readers adjust that rate based on the purpose of the reading.
So what is fluency? Proficient readers demonstrate prosody, which is expression and phrasing of the text, as well as accuracy and reading rate. All four criteria should be considered when gauging a student’s fluent reading behaviors.
By the end of third grade, most students can read and spell the 400 most commonly used English words from Dolch high frequency word list. Although 87% of the English language is decodable by using common spelling patterns and rules, many of the high frequency words are not. Therefore, words should be learned by letter name and using multi-sensory instruction. Here are a few ways to actively practice the letter name spelling of high frequency words.
What one word strikes a note of dread into every student and parent alike? Homework. So many of us have experienced both extremes: from needless hours spent on repetitive assignments to activities that scream more frustration than function. So, where is the happy medium? How can we as educators use the tool that is homework to our advantage and to the student’s benefit?
Do you remember the first time you learned how to ride a bike? The feel of the handle bars, the wind in your face, and that magical moment when the hand let go from the seat? Riding a bike is one of those things you just have to learn by doing. No book, no sit down discussion, or how-to video will teach the basic of balancing and braking. This is the case with mathematics as well.
We all can recall the word we missed in the school spelling bee. Mine was business. Who knew there was an “i” in business? I was sure the proctor made a mistake. That secret “i” broke all the rules. It didn’t even make a sound. How very sneaky that “i” was. For my third grade mind, it was completely unfair.
As proficient readers come to unfamiliar words, they use cues to help decipher the word. First, we think: “What would make sense?” Then we think: “What would sound right (grammatically)?” At the same time, we are thinking: “What looks right?” Using the beginning sound or sounds and the word family (known as a chunk or phonogram), we quickly decode the 1-syllable words. To practice decoding fluently, have your students learn the most common word families. If they can read these 36 word families quickly, they will be able to read over 500 other words. Not only that, but students can use their knowledge of word families to spell over 500 words. In spelling, we simply change the question to: “Does this word sound like a word I know?” Proficient spellers use word families to spell by analogy.
A Rubric for Success
Students should write daily for real purposes with publishing being a primary goal. At the third grade level and beyond, students should write imaginative stories that demonstrate an understanding of character development, importance of setting, plot development, climax, and resolution. If you can write it, you can read it, so reading comprehension improves as a result of the focus on writing.
