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County. There is a low population (11%) of free and reduced lunch. The school is
70% Caucasian, 12% Asian, 10% African American, 4% hispanic and 4% Mixed
Race. This is not the average makeup of schools in Henrico County, typically the
were able to pull PALS data from four out of the five classes. We evaluated and
compared data from fall 2016 and winter 2017 (mid-year) PALS Assessments.
While looking at data, we were pleased to see growth in all classes from fall to
winter, however we found some needs for all students across the four classes
We found 4 students from each class did not meet the benchmark for the
classes had weaknesses in identifying letter sounds. Again, four students did not
meet the benchmark for mid year testing and an additional one of two students
learned they were not utilizing a word study model in their classrooms and
instead focusing primarily on whole group instruction of letter sounds and sight
words. They were looking to grade level standards to drive this instruction.
A literacy program is a staple that is used across the grade level to give
that meets the needs of majority of the study body and allows for differentiation
across the grade level. We considered a few literacy programs when choosing
the right one for Glen Allen Elementary School. A description of each of the
and Daily 5 as our literacy plan. Word study is an example of a program that
allows for the teacher to progress monitor and have the students divided up into
their appropriate group. A weakness we noticed across the grade level was how
teacher was trying something and not communicating the results with the rest of
their team. We selected these two programs to see if they would be a good fit for
The first program we analyzed was the Daily 5. “The Daily 5 is designed to
teach children to build their stamina and independence in each of the Daily 5
tasks so that they can fully engage in meaningful, authentic reading and writing
increasing the student’s stamina at five detailed literacy stations. We like this
specific literacy program because it has students reading and writing for an
extended period of time. Students are responsible for staying on task, working on
skills and strategies and meeting with the teacher in small groups and one on
one. They also are given lots of choice and how to manage this choice. This is
one of our favorite things about this program, it can look different in each
classroom. Teachers can give the students a checklist of items they must get
through over the week, rotate through stations of the daily five tasks or even give
them choice on what station they would like to do for the whole guided reading
time period. When I used the Daily 5 last year, I had my third graders rotate
through stations. The Daily 5 structure includes: Read to Self, Work on Writing,
leveled and in bins displaying their level so they are easily accessible for
of their choices and requirements for the day. The teacher should also have a
place in the classroom where students can gather and have focus lessons. We
brainstormed and researched possible pitfalls of the Daily 5 and found a few
drawbacks. Teachers would have to be trained in depth and have the materials
needed to begin this program. The Daily 5 takes up to two weeks to fully
implement. Also, it is primarily for independent work and we want a program that
Study. Word study is a program that allows for the teacher to progress monitor
and have the students divided up into their appropriate instructional spelling
group. Word study allows the students to manipulate the words and make them
their “own”, they are not simply memorizing a spelling list each week. A benefit of
this Word Study solution is that there are not many resources needed. A
selection of Words their Way books that the grade can share is the only
We like Word Study because, “students analyze words they already know
how to read, and sometimes even spell, as a way to gain insight into how the
spelling system works.” (Bear, 2000) By doing this, they are then able to decode
words that are unfamiliar to them and master spelling of similar words. This
solution would address our literacy need best because it opens many more word
Teachers would have to be trained on the different levels and how to assess
students and place them into appropriate groups. While this would take a lot of
investment from the teachers, I believe they will find it very useful and will make
Section 3: Solution
We chose to implement Word Study. We like both reading programs,
Word study would be a clear cut way to address the literacy needs of our
students. Words Their way defines concept of word as, “the ability to match
spoken words to text. When students lack COW and are unable to match a
spoken word to its print, they are often missing letter sounds and morpheme.
word study will help these students develop concept of word in text and concept
of print.
benefit from this additional instruction. Word Study is based on research, which is
researchers have discovered about the alphabetic, pattern, and meaning layers
called word work, to help students actively explore these layers of information.”
(Williams, C., Phillips-Birdsong, C., Hufnagel, K., Hungler, D., & Lundstrom, R.,
2009) In the past, students have been given a word list and instructed to
memorize the words. However, with Word Study, they are learning not about
spelling words according to their grade level, but instead learning about
students learn the same skills at the same time is not appropriate for a
activities, students will have additional time to practice and master the skills in a
Our nine week staff development for the Kindergarten teachers will include
dividing the teacher’s students into groups so that the students are working at
appropriate sorts and accompanying rhymes and texts), and creating activities
for each group that focuses on the beginning and ending sounds of words.
Students who are in the Emergent learning stage would benefit from the following
word work strategies. For example, playing rhyming bingo, rhyming concentration
or even a phoneme blending game are great ways to allow the students to see
the words in context and understand their meaning. Teachers would be provided
a book, Words Thier Way, which highlights each of the stages and has activities
Students who are in the Letter Name stage would benefit from different
word work activities. Word Study will bring lots of new vocabulary to
students. Having them act out the meaning of the words would be a fun way to
help students remember them. “Push it, Say it” is also another activity to teach
students how to blend sounds as they move letter tiles around. “Read it, Find it”
the following paragraph. First, implementing a word wall into your classroom is
incredibly beneficial. Students can visibly see and recognize sight words that
they encounter everyday. “The word wall should be a dynamic tool- change it
often. Remove words that students know how to spell and replace them with
exemplar words your content.” (Williams, C. 2009) Second, using the word study
words in reading and writing is a way to make their learning fall into context for
the students. Teaching words in isolation is not best practice. Third, students will
(Miller & Stewart, 2013) we will use a three phase approach to coach and
our driving adult learning theories, our Kindergarten teachers will learn new
strategies to help them in their classrooms. Data pulled from their own
classrooms and instruction will be the starting block for allowing these teachers
We would ideally begin phase 1 prior to ending this school year. Teachers
will have data from the beginning, middle, and end of the year and will have their
student’s needs fresh in their minds. We will proceed with our coaching and
planning after summer vacation during teacher work week. Our idea here is that
teachers will be more open to implementing a new model of instruction and will
have time allotted for both planning and development. Phase 1 will span three
weeks, with one hour long meeting each week. Phase 2 with span over another
three week period and will give time for the teachers to see word study modelled
in their classrooms, meet and reflect, and look further into research supporting
development
PHASE 1
In our first meeting we we review PALS data from all Kindergarten classes
from the school year. At this point in time, teachers will have their end of year
data and will be excited to look over it and see the growth. We will discuss the
trends we found in each class and across the grade level. In helping the teachers
find the need for further instruction on concept of word, letter sounds, and word
strengths that we can see in the PALS scores, including rhyming and beginnings
sound groups. When teachers feel they are not being targeted, and their
strengths can be praised, they will be more willing and open for suggestions to
In the second meeting place during our teacher work week, we will
present the research supporting the use of Words Their Way and Daily 5. We will
available. Teachers will work in pairs to explore each book and find one key
During our third and final meeting of phase 1, we will sit down with
teachers and their graded Word Study inventories and help them talk through
and sort students into appropriate groups. After all teachers have the groups
sorted, teachers will utilize resources and each will create a game for a different
level of word study. Teachers will be able to walk away with four activities for
PHASE 2
As teachers are beginning to learn and understand the word study process, we
will help the teachers begin their Word Study journey and we will model the first
lessons introducing students to their word study sorts and headers. In doing so,
teachers will be able to see how to effectively introduce headers, review words,
and patterns with students prior to releasing students to activities. Teacher will
witness the correct ways to do both open sorts and closed teacher guided sorts
with their groups. After introducing sorts, reviewing familiar and unfamiliar words
with the students, the teacher will see when to release students to continue sorts
independently.
together to reflect on what they have seen while observing the word study
introduction in their classrooms. This meeting will serve as a time for teachers to
ask questions about what they saw, what they would like to know more about
PHASE 3
Through the final phase of our community cohort model, teachers will continue to
learn and receive more feedback on word study instruction in their classrooms. In
our first meeting of this phase, teachers will meet to build student activities based
on student word lists for the following week. Teacher will focus on the letter
sounds and create review games for student to play during small group
introduce a new week of word study and utilize the activities and games. While
using these lessons on their classrooms, we will go into classes and observe
their learning in practice. We will be taking note of student engagement, the use
and implementation of word study and the application of learned skills in areas of
the classroom. Such an observation will allow us to see how far teachers have
come in their understanding of concept of word and word study instruction and
how the two go hand in hand. We will conference with each teacher after
observing her teach. This individual conference will allow more of a class and
teacher specific focus. It will allow teachers to get feedback on their instruction
and their own class engagement and growth based on the new resources being
Our final meeting we will come back together as a team and take some
time to reflect on what each teacher has learned and experienced through our
professional development. Each teacher will share the growth and struggles they
have experienced over our nine weeks of word study in the classroom. We will
have new data to look at to see if students have shown growth in their concept of
word understanding. Teachers will see the benefits of their hard work through
that allows their students to fully grasp concept of word and master phonics skills, we will
utilize the Community Cohort Model. We know that the one and done workshops do not
work, therefore we are going to base our program on collaboration. We would work with
a cohort of 4-8 teachers and help facilitate the group for a nine week cycle. We would
definitely help by meeting with each cohort teacher individually during this cycle process.
the first marking period. We will assist the teachers in setting up their word study groups
and how to understand their data that has collected. After the first marking period, we
will check in once a month to see how students are progressing and how small group
instruction is going.
PHASE 1:
Week 1: Inquiry (June 7th): Review PALS data from all Kindergarten classes,
discuss the trends and address the strengths found from PALS data.
Week 2: Research (August 29th): Present the research supporting the use of
Words Their Way and Daily 5. Give teachers time to explore each book. We will
provide teachers with the Words Their Way spelling inventory to give to students.
Week 3: Lesson Development (September 19th): Help teachers talk through and
sort students into appropriate groups. Teachers will utilize resources and each
will create a game. Will be able to walk away with four different literacy games
ready to implement!
PHASE 2:
Week 4: Modeling and Debriefing (September 26th): model the first lessons
introducing students to their word study sorts and headers. Teacher will witness
the correct ways to do both open sorts and closed teacher guided sorts with their
groups.
Week 5: (October 3):Reflect on what they have seen while observing the word
study introduction. Time for teachers to ask questions about what they saw, and
what they would like to know more about and get additional guidance on
introductory lessons
Week 6: (October 16th):Teachers will explore data that supports word study and
PHASE 3:
Week 7: Lesson and Activity Creation (October 23rd): Teachers will meet to build
student activities based on student word lists for the following week
6th): Teachers will introduce a new week of word study and utilize the activities
and games. Reading Coach will go and observe them in action! Conference with
has learned and experienced, as well as share the growth and struggles they
have experienced. Look back at data and talk about growth progress.
References
Bear, D. (2000). Words their way : Word study for phonics, vocabulary, and spelling
instruction (2nd ed. ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill.
Boushey, G., & Moser, J. (2006). The daily 5: Fostering literacy independence in the
elementary grades. Stenhouse Publishers.
Miller, S. (2013). Literacy learning through team coaching. Reading Teacher, 67(4).
Routman, R. (2014). Read, write, lead : Breakthrough strategies for schoolwide literacy
success. Alexandria: ASCD.
Williams, C., Phillips-Birdsong, C., Hufnagel, K., Hungler, D., & Lundstrom, R. (2009).
Word Study Instruction in the K-2 Classroom. The Reading Teacher, 62(7),
570-578. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org.proxy.longwood.edu/stable/20464467